This is my fourth visit to DR and I am trying to summarize my feelings about the idea of moving here. I think that two vital questions are these:
1. What added value will you give your life by relocating to DR?
What will you gain? What will you lose?
2. Are you moving TO DR? Or are you in fact moving AWAY from wherever you are living now?
I think it is important to remember that whatever troubles you might have in your homeland could well haunt you also in DR, if the cause is within yourself! You don't want to go to all the trouble of moving only to find that you brought your troubles with you or that they were washed ashore here! Remember Shakespeares "Tempest"...
Some specific comments:
Climate:
Many people point to the warm weather and sunny skies as a great benefit. I agree and as a Swede I don't miss the shivering cold of winter in Gothenburg. However, is there anything more beautiful than an autumn walk in the woods, when the leaves turn to gold? And where do I go picking mushrooms in DR? And If I can't pick mushrooms in DR, then what to I do instead?
Accomodation:
I do know that prices of houses and apartments vary greatly in different countries. However, I am surprised by the comparatively high prices for buying property here in DR, as compared to the average income level in the region. Prices in Santo Domingo are similar to prices in my home town in Sweden, where the income level is much higher. And in Sweden, the interest on a morgage is typically 7%.
Cars:
Cars are EXPENSIVE here! My God! And if you have to borrow money? Geez... I bought a new car in Sweden in 1998 and the interest rate for the loan was 2.7%...
But If I were to live here, I would definitely invest in a BIG Jeep, to survive and to be able to "bully" my way through traffic! However, the traffic in Saudi-Arabia, where I live now, is even worse... Since March 2001, five of my colleagues have died in traffic accidents!
Isolation:
DR is part of an island!!! I have already experienced moments of feeling "trapped" here. Wherever I want to go, I have to fly! Or possibly go by ferry across to Puerto Rico. (I kind of exclude visiting Haiti, as Haiti seems to be a special case!?).
Perhaps my feelings come from the fact that I am European, I don't know, but still...
And if I do go to the trouble of going to Venezuela, as an example, what will be the difference from DR? By comparison, if I go from Sweden to England, there is quite an apparent difference. Incidentally, flying Ryan Air from Sweden to London is c. US$100 round trip. How far to I get from DR for US$100???
Culture:
People have different needs, I know, but for me it is NOT enough to hang out with friends, drink beer and talk... I need an established cultural scene to enjoy as well as the "alternative" culture you find in Europe and North America. Just compare the Opera season for my hometown in Sweden, HALF the size of Santo Domingo, to what is offered in the capital of DR!
When I was in Madrid in September last year, I went to the park and listened to poetry readings. Last week, I received an e-mail from a friend in a small town in Sweden who praised the poetry evening of the day before. Where do I go for poetry in DR?
Any given day of the week, my hometown in Sweden has live music in a dozen or more pubs, restaurants etc. There are at least three rock music venues, one classical music concert, an Opera or Operetto, live theatre, several film clubs, lectures etc. etc...
Infrastructure:
Life in Europe is not perfect but at least in Sweden, the infrastructure functions pretty well on all levels. And I pay my bills and do all my banking on the internet. Perhaps I still do not know enough, but DR seems to be somewhat more chaotic and bureaucratic... And then we have the postal system which I won't even begin to comment...
Safety and Health:
I fail to see what the police do about hazardous driving, what the city authorities do about those insane electric installations I see everywhere and so on, forever... Most things here would be illegal in Sweden!
I went with a Dominican friend to visit his mother in a hospital in Santo Domingo and I had a shock! I have been to hospitals only in Sweden and Saudi-Arabia, but the one I visited in Santo Domingo was baaaaad.....
Money:
I fully realize now that you need a lot of money to live a good life here and be able to travel (travel is my main hobby and interest!). But... if you have a lot of money, why pick DR rather than Spain or Thailand or Cyprus?
Well, there are a million other things to comment but I will leave it here! Don't want to overload this message board...
So what do I do? "Relocate" back to Sweden?
Hasta Lugego!
Johns
1. What added value will you give your life by relocating to DR?
What will you gain? What will you lose?
2. Are you moving TO DR? Or are you in fact moving AWAY from wherever you are living now?
I think it is important to remember that whatever troubles you might have in your homeland could well haunt you also in DR, if the cause is within yourself! You don't want to go to all the trouble of moving only to find that you brought your troubles with you or that they were washed ashore here! Remember Shakespeares "Tempest"...
Some specific comments:
Climate:
Many people point to the warm weather and sunny skies as a great benefit. I agree and as a Swede I don't miss the shivering cold of winter in Gothenburg. However, is there anything more beautiful than an autumn walk in the woods, when the leaves turn to gold? And where do I go picking mushrooms in DR? And If I can't pick mushrooms in DR, then what to I do instead?
Accomodation:
I do know that prices of houses and apartments vary greatly in different countries. However, I am surprised by the comparatively high prices for buying property here in DR, as compared to the average income level in the region. Prices in Santo Domingo are similar to prices in my home town in Sweden, where the income level is much higher. And in Sweden, the interest on a morgage is typically 7%.
Cars:
Cars are EXPENSIVE here! My God! And if you have to borrow money? Geez... I bought a new car in Sweden in 1998 and the interest rate for the loan was 2.7%...
But If I were to live here, I would definitely invest in a BIG Jeep, to survive and to be able to "bully" my way through traffic! However, the traffic in Saudi-Arabia, where I live now, is even worse... Since March 2001, five of my colleagues have died in traffic accidents!
Isolation:
DR is part of an island!!! I have already experienced moments of feeling "trapped" here. Wherever I want to go, I have to fly! Or possibly go by ferry across to Puerto Rico. (I kind of exclude visiting Haiti, as Haiti seems to be a special case!?).
Perhaps my feelings come from the fact that I am European, I don't know, but still...
And if I do go to the trouble of going to Venezuela, as an example, what will be the difference from DR? By comparison, if I go from Sweden to England, there is quite an apparent difference. Incidentally, flying Ryan Air from Sweden to London is c. US$100 round trip. How far to I get from DR for US$100???
Culture:
People have different needs, I know, but for me it is NOT enough to hang out with friends, drink beer and talk... I need an established cultural scene to enjoy as well as the "alternative" culture you find in Europe and North America. Just compare the Opera season for my hometown in Sweden, HALF the size of Santo Domingo, to what is offered in the capital of DR!
When I was in Madrid in September last year, I went to the park and listened to poetry readings. Last week, I received an e-mail from a friend in a small town in Sweden who praised the poetry evening of the day before. Where do I go for poetry in DR?
Any given day of the week, my hometown in Sweden has live music in a dozen or more pubs, restaurants etc. There are at least three rock music venues, one classical music concert, an Opera or Operetto, live theatre, several film clubs, lectures etc. etc...
Infrastructure:
Life in Europe is not perfect but at least in Sweden, the infrastructure functions pretty well on all levels. And I pay my bills and do all my banking on the internet. Perhaps I still do not know enough, but DR seems to be somewhat more chaotic and bureaucratic... And then we have the postal system which I won't even begin to comment...
Safety and Health:
I fail to see what the police do about hazardous driving, what the city authorities do about those insane electric installations I see everywhere and so on, forever... Most things here would be illegal in Sweden!
I went with a Dominican friend to visit his mother in a hospital in Santo Domingo and I had a shock! I have been to hospitals only in Sweden and Saudi-Arabia, but the one I visited in Santo Domingo was baaaaad.....
Money:
I fully realize now that you need a lot of money to live a good life here and be able to travel (travel is my main hobby and interest!). But... if you have a lot of money, why pick DR rather than Spain or Thailand or Cyprus?
Well, there are a million other things to comment but I will leave it here! Don't want to overload this message board...
So what do I do? "Relocate" back to Sweden?
Hasta Lugego!
Johns