new girl about to move to a new world

Welcome to DR1. So you are moving to Santo Domingo in 2 months but haven't figured out where you will be living? What is the reason for the move? What is your monthly budget.

Probably an ample supply of your favorite hair and skin products, toothpaste and other sundries will come in handy. Buy them on sale if you can. They are harder to find and more expensive in the DR, and are generally not on sale. Rechargeable batteries and a battery charger, they are expensive and hard to find. Also, battery powered lights, preferably the kind with LED bulbs. Electricity can go out, especially outside the larger cities. Should you be likely to ride on a motorcycle, such as a motoconcho, a helmet might be a good idea, as it could save your life.

Just bring MONEY, and a LOT Of IT!!!!!
3 times what you THINK you will need.
Everything is available here for a price, even USA products.
From "Kraft Cheese", to "Right Guard Deodorant", to "Gatorade", EVERYTHING!
My question is what are you going to do here, and how will you support yourself, AND, are you "For Real"?
We get a lot of phonies here!
Cris CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

If you are "For Real," good luck and 'you go girl'.

Welcome, listen to CC and come to visit us in Boca Chica

daniela618 said:

Hola I am new to this site and wanted to introduce myself. I'm Daniela, and I am a young black woman who is about to move to Santo Domingo in less than 2 months. I have a degree in Spanish, so there will be no language barriers lol. I'm looking to immerse myself in the culture completely. I have traveled to the Dominican Republic before and was repeatedly mistaken for a Dominican myself, I guess this is an advantage lol. I was wondering if anyone has any advice on a decent place to stay in the capital? I am looking at some places in Malecon and Zona Colonial. Also any advice on things I may need to pack?
Gracias

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What is his name??? How long have you known him???? Did you me him in and around the Colonial Zone or the Malecon????

The hotel mercure is in a great location. The rooms are small. Also have to make sure have a room where the wifi signal is strong. I wouldn't say it is the nicest but not bad.

If I start a post stating I am a young (oops almost middle-aged) white male, would it be offensive? Lately I see several newbies presenting them as: I'm a black male / woman. For me: I don't care if you are black, white, yellow or red, just as welcome.

Welcome!!! I'm from NY and been here now for 7 Years, 6 1/2 in SD, so I know the area well, so does CCCCCCC...I travel often there for a few things I need being I am now in Santiago. I also have a few friends in SD and a very good one named Ramon, he is a taxi driver and knows hotels well etc...If you like, I can provide his info for you so you are 100% safe getting from the airport etc...And if you come in or around the 3rd - the 5th of any given Month, I can meet up with you and show you a few areas if you like, no strings, just help if you want it...Or again, Ramon can do that as well, his fee is the norm 150 pesos per stop, but the Airport would be more of course, call to see...works at La Serina most of the time so you are bound to see him at some point..lol

Good luck and PM me if you like..

Anthony

There are many small hotels in Santo Domingo.

See South Central / Santo Domingo - Directories, Dominican Republic.

Xavier_Onassis said:

Probably an ample supply of your favorite hair and skin products, toothpaste and other sundries will come in handy. Buy them on sale if you can. They are harder to find and more expensive in the DR, and are generally not on sale. Rechargeable batteries and a battery charger, they are expensive and hard to find. Also, battery powered lights, preferably the kind with LED bulbs. Electricity can go out, especially outside the larger cities. Should you be likely to ride on a motorcycle, such as a motoconcho, a helmet might be a good idea, as it could save your life.

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Hair products of all makes are easily available in Santo Domingo, as are LED lights and flashlights. Yes, if you use an uncommon brand of anything it would be wise to bring a supply.

daniela618 said:

Hola I am new to this site and wanted to introduce myself. I'm Daniela, and I am a young black woman who is about to move to Santo Domingo in less than 2 months. I have a degree in Spanish, so there will be no language barriers lol. I'm looking to immerse myself in the culture completely. I have traveled to the Dominican Republic before and was repeatedly mistaken for a Dominican myself, I guess this is an advantage lol. I was wondering if anyone has any advice on a decent place to stay in the capital? I am looking at some places in Malecon and Zona Colonial. Also any advice on things I may need to pack?
Gracias

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You must be very excited. I don't think that you will find the help that you need until it is established how long you are staying, what your monthly budget is, whether you plan on driving or using public transp & taxis and most importantly, what is the purpose of your trip?

Do you know anyone in town? Why the Capitol? These are all questions that I would be asking my Daughters. Planning a stay in a foreign country all by yourself is a huge undertaking and while this could result in the most educationally and developmentally rewarding adventure of your young life it could also turn really bad, really quickly if you don't plan for contingencies or at least have an established contact there whom you're reasonably sure that you can count on. Somebody that your worried old Dad can count on to find you if he needs to. Us worried old Dads tend to think alike.

If you plan on more than a 6 month stay I'd suggest that you get a place through a realtor. Good luck, have fun and stay safe.

bob saunders said:

Hair products of all makes are easily available in Santo Domingo, as are LED lights and flashlights. Yes, if you use an uncommon brand of anything it would be wise to bring a supply.

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Someone mentioned toothpaste; I wouldn't worry about that, either. I'm using a Dominican brand that I buy at the local supermarket and it cleans my teeth at least as well as the American brands.

I think a better way for you to get information on what to bring is to make a list of the things that you don't think you can do without, then ask whether they are easily obtained here.

One advantage of being in Santo Domingo is that it is much easier to get almost anything and at a lower price than in a small town/city on the north coast.

Good luck to the O.P.! I wish you all the best.

drescape24

bob saunders said:

Hair products of all makes are easily available in Santo Domingo, as are LED lights and flashlights. Yes, if you use an uncommon brand of anything it would be wise to bring a supply.

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I suggest that not being a Black woman, and perhaps not someone who has rather a lot of experience living with Black women both here and in the DR, you might not be the expert on this that you believe yourself to be. It is true that there are a lot of Black hair products in the DR. They tend to cost more and be less effective than what is available in the US. Just try to find shea butter in the DR. You will find that the 30 bulb LED lights that cost around $13 in the US and will run for days on 3 D cells are entirely unavailable. So are rechargeable D cells and anything that will recharge them, All you will find are AA ans AA rechargeables and very expensive, not very good chargers.

You can find all the things I mentioned on sale on the Internet and in some stores in the US. You will be lucky to find them at all in the DR. Harbor Freight is one good source for chargers and batteries. Any American Black woman will know more than I do about the hair products she uses and the best places to buy them. The lamps, thus far I have seen only online.


The best emergency lighting available in Barahona is a kerosene lamp.

Toothpaste: sure you will find all the 7 ounce tubes of Colgate you wish in the DR, and each will cost around $150 pesos: $3.50 to $4.00. You will NOT find Ultrabrite (made by Colgate) for 99? as you will in the US or any of the generic brands for about the same price. Most drugstore items you can find on sale in the US are available at about the same markup, but the cheaper brands (cheaper because they do not advertise) you will not find.

Welcome and go to the nearest dollar store and stock up on your favorite toothpaste, bandaides, hair products, ankle or wrist wrap as they are outrageous here, Tylenol and TUMS ....the dollar stores here are not true dollar stores but they do carry stuff you would not find in other stores.....Safe travels

She looks like another, "One & Done"!
Or maybe SHE has a "Life"!
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Ken said:

Someone mentioned toothpaste; I wouldn't worry about that, either. I'm using a Dominican brand that I buy at the local supermarket and it cleans my teeth at least as well as the American brands.

I think a better way for you to get information on what to bring is to make a list of the things that you don't think you can do without, then ask whether they are easily obtained here.

One advantage of being in Santo Domingo is that it is much easier to get almost anything and at a lower price than in a small town/city on the north coast.

Click to expand...

There is a definite value to trying new things which are native to the places where we travel. I live in the USA but I regularly use shampoo and conditioner made in the Dominican Republic because I tried it in Aruba. There is now a wide array of products which are imports to the USA which I have located sources for and use on a regular basis.