BIG Mistake
your mistake is not in moving there....it's just how you are going about it. It is very expensive to live in the DR, more than you think,I'm sure of that(but I have been wrong.......twice as a matter fact.....lol)I would suggest for you to go down for a extended vacation.....NOT at a resort! This is very important! Check it out........maybe for about three months and then make a descision, but to move down there right now.....I believe you are making a huge mistake. My wife and I are planning (big thing there,......PLANNING) and I have been to the DR about 30 times and I've got a very, very lot to learn. I would not even move there right now, without going down for an extended stay......approx 3 months. To really learn a lot more, even still I realize that I'll be learning from the school of hard knox. I've got a lot of really good friends down there right now and have met a lot of other potentially good friends here on this board (btw....this board will teach you more in four months here than you'll learn in three weeks there! This board is a fantastic fourm to learn from....I think so anyways) with out this network of friends, I don't think I would be able to do it! So my advice to you is to slow it down.....quite a bit and move into this MOVE slowly. The DR is not the paradise you think it is, sure it is a beautiful island and more than likely a wonderful place to live, but it is not like moving from Chicago Ill. to Phoniex AZ. , The ways of life are very different down there and need to be learnt a lot more than going off the resort once. We never stay on a resort when there, and we are always out and about, my wife is learning the language, she has taken one course already and is in her second course which is an intensive course(I don't know , maybe you are fluent in Spanish already....if so this will be a huge help)and knowing the language will be a great help to us! Remember that the cost of living is probably at least the same if not more than where you live right now, and the wages down there are very low, unless you are a professional at some type of trade. Be prepared to earn about 1/4 of what you may earn in the states, and the cost of living (like you live right now) to be at least the same or more! I'm sure you'll get a lot more hits on this subject, and I believe you'll be told the same as I am telling you right now! So unless you can buy a house outright (about 75,000.00 for a decent house, like in the states) and be able to purchase transportation, and then have enough to carry you for a few months (6 or 8) until you get your residence, so you can work legally, you'll have a tough time.
All that being said, there is a girl on this board, maybe she'll respond.......that moved down there with relitivly nothing, and has done a wonderful job(better than most could do!)at getting herself going......she done it with nothing.....so it can be done, but people like her are few and far between! Also she had been down to the island a lot more than yourself, and is a few years older than yourself, and has lived in a few different places and is very street smart and also intelligent as well. She has done a fantastic job at her transition, but has also found it to be very tough. So it can be done, but be ready for a long tough road!
So good luck and I wish you the best and please keep us informed on your situation, if you don't mind........ok
Take Care..............Doug
P.S. Your more than welcome to ask me any questions if you want.....e-mail me directly if you wish.