my new casa

sunshinedon

New member
Jul 28, 2012
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I closed on my casa in sosua. It was so awesome, exciting and challenging.I got to stay there a few nights get afew basic things for it. Everybody who gave me info on DR1 I really appreciated it and was very helpful. I stayed pretty conserative on furnishings nd appliances.I found that my original list of must haves to survive changed drastically. Fist thing that happened was i got to my airport 15 miniutes before takeoff and was not allowed to check in my bags that had my tools and basic things we gathered up to take to our new casa. So naturally my wife started off the trip with very little of any thing just 1 carryon and a laptop. No waiting for the luggage carosel. we go to closing it was a breeze with century 21 agent martin haase.then came utilities we struggled with all mainly language barrier but our agent helped us get through this.then the shopping started.We need everything and had no tools to assemble anything so I went to Puerto Plata, looking at furniture appliances ac etc. MY head was about to explode so I started rethinking whats important. I went to playero bought a cooler, ice ,blender, lots of great fruit ,fresh bread, proscuitto, rum, hot plate, cheese, skillet, coffee pot, beer and a float. i had just about everything I needed. I spent a day at the pool and then started over.The following dayI got a bedroom suite, sofa, and pool furniture and another trip to playero for more of the same. The next 10 days we just enjoyed our casa in a very minimalistic way; a step above camping.we just went to the local mercado and bought lots of bread fruit ice water beer and rum.we did step up to a 2 fan system and a small radio. We normally have about 4 tvs on at our house in the States, but never missed it.We still have a lot to do; but going slow with time to enjoy the more simple life was the best. I realized that the "I got to have it all" makes more work and more effort than just smelling the roses. I dont know how simple it will stay but it sure was nice just getting out of the great rat race.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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i would suggest getting a fridge and a washing machine. the rest is just decoration :) you will not be able to camp for ever. but enjoy being young again.

when i was in HS and at the uni i traveled by hitch hiking, slept on church floors and suffered hunger and dirt just to go somewhere on vacations. it was great. i got reminded of that here in DR when we were putting new floors and we had to spent nights on a mattress, on a floor, in different corners of the house. a week of sleeping rough, eating from cans and breathing dust :) but it was great to get stuff done and go back to civilized living too :)
 

drstock

Silver
Oct 29, 2010
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Cabarete
When I first came here I put a lot of stuff in storage in England to bring over later. Guess what, I found that most of the things I thought I needed, I really didn't at all! But as DV8 says, a fridge and washing machine are must haves, really.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Sounds like you will have some fun living here. You might come to Santiago one of these days, to look around.

Let me know and I will put some coffee on for you...


Maybe you can bring the good bread for toast...


HB
 

sunshinedon

New member
Jul 28, 2012
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Washing machine and fridge a must have per my wife!. Has anyone used the dominican style washing machine?? what is the difference?.They seem to be popular.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
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dominican washing machine? just don't. trust me, i do the laundry. get american style machine with one compartment, that washes, rinses and spins. dryer is a must in winter, i think, unless you have where to hang clothes inside the house.

but always minimize and simplify. when it comes to appliances buy as plain as possible, without too much electronics. so washing machine with hand dial, not programmable, easy-peasy stuff used in europe. you will soon find that simple and lovely life in DR is complicated enough: the need for cisterna, tinaco, inversor, good wiring, furniture made from better woods, iron bars for security and so on. all the things you never knew existed. they will, sooner or later, replace rat race world worries and become headache inducing frustrations :)

but do not let that think the sun does not shine on :) life here is a harmonious dissonance :)
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
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Dominican style washing machine will destroy your clothes. When I moved down I had a lot of clothes (coming from near Miami they were tropical suitable). In a few short years most were gone. What was not destroyed by the machine were spotted by chloro that the housekeeper over used. Dominicans do not seem to think that clothes should last a long time.
 

drloca

Silver
Oct 26, 2004
2,097
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63
I would for sure spring for a regular/US style washer and drier, the DR style one is usless at best and destructive too.
 
Dec 21, 2008
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I have a "Dominican" washing machine and absolutely love it. I find that the clothes come much cleaner, do not have soap residue like a "north american" one. My whites are white - I put an asprin in the water with the white loads. Between the asprin and sunshine, my whites stay white. I do not use chloro on my clothes - I don't find it necessary. I have a fairly good sized washer (I think it is the second largest one you can get) and only use a very scant 1/4 cup of soap. I save lots of water and lots on soap. I live in the tropics...sunshine is free to dry the clothes...and besides, what else have I got to do? Personal preference but I wouldn't go to an automatic one here...the neighbours have a Maytag and the thing is rusting apart and is only three years old.