Too late to turn back now....

Welcome from a fellow Canadian. Good luck with your move and hope you find your niche here

well hope you have fun s.d., is exciting...got more of everything...and of course your image is important....clothing,jewels,,,etc...cars...
please keep us informed...what area you are in ...housing type...(mowing the lawn) or tipping the bellman......a lot of insights here if you read well...be careful....trust no one new to you...and probably read the old posts....
not sure if I could live there...for long ...

If you want send me a pm when you're here. I made the move 6 years ago with a young family from Europe, with the difference that I had lived here before and my wife is Dominican, but maybe can be of help.

Sounds like a fun family adventure. I am American with a Dominican Mom and a half Dominican Dad who spent most of my life in the states before moving here with a young family a few years ago. This city is all about image and material possessions. Dont think for a minute that you are leaving the rat race. That being said if you can get into a country club and go at least 2-3 x a week and escape the city at least once a month you can have a nice life here. Looking back we enjoyed most of it, my wife didnt have to work and was able to focus on our son. We were able to have a maid to make her life easier and I was able to get things rolling with a business here due to the lower cost of living. That being said the moment you leave your bubble there are poor people everywhere, beggars and Haitians at every corner and people like to live in filth so they throw their garbage everywhere. We are back in the states and I much prefer it due to the safety, parks, FREE public schools, lower cost of real esate (where we live) etc. You will find out very quickly that making real friends here is pretty hard as everybody is very focused on their own best interests

Well said rfp.

rfp said:

Sounds like a fun family adventure. I am American with a Dominican Mom and a half Dominican Dad who spent most of my life in the states before moving here with a young family a few years ago. This city is all about image and material possessions. Dont think for a minute that you are leaving the rat race. That being said if you can get into a country club and go at least 2-3 x a week and escape the city at least once a month you can have a nice life here. Looking back we enjoyed most of it, my wife didnt have to work and was able to focus on our son. We were able to have a maid to make her life easier and I was able to get things rolling with a business here due to the lower cost of living. That being said the moment you leave your bubble there are poor people everywhere, beggars and Haitians at every corner and people like to live in filth so they throw their garbage everywhere. We are back in the states and I much prefer it due to the safety, parks, FREE public schools, lower cost of real esate (where we live) etc. You will find out very quickly that making real friends here is pretty hard as everybody is very focused on their own best interests

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rfp, you don't pay school taxes where you live in the states?
I fully agree with your description of Santo Domingo and Dominican society in general.

Congrats! It is awesome in SD - however as another poster said; make sure you get out of the city at least once a month or else what is the point in living on an Island! (It took me a while to realize that) If you are in need of a beer give me a shout!

Canuckshuk said:

It's official now, house is sold, new place in SD has been secured, as soon as Visa comes in will be officially an expat. The winter coats and boots are headed to storage and looking forward to a new adventure. Moving a young family so hoping to connect with some other expats to help with the transition. If anyone has a good strategy or location tips to meet other expats in SD please feel free to share. Thanks to all of you who are regular posters, all of your insights (and sometimes sarcasm) are much appreciated!

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I hope your move goes smoothly. I am assuming you have a job or a business in the DR? Also have you started the residency process in Canada? Do you speak any Spanish? Just remember, this is a whole different world than what you are used to and there is a long learning curve. Error on the side of caution. Ask questions and you will be fine. Good luck and good travels.

Good luck on the move! And btw, it's never too late to turn back. This country is not for everyone. While it's good to have a positive outlook and do everything possible to make it work, also know what your limits are and be ready to make the call if it doesn't work out BEFORE things start getting really complicated. Enjoy SD!

Welcome to the DR. Don't pack your patience with your household goods, bring that with you in your carry-on. You and your family have an adjustment period to go through. A good support system will be important because locating correct general information that can be hard to source.

Do not forget you are leaving the 1st world for the 3rd world. Despite appearances in the "big city", society here is not the same. You do not have to live in constant fear, but wariness should always be kept close at hand. Many people do not share your values, morality and sense of fair play.

Enjoy your new surroundings and the traffic in Santo Domingo.

Make sure you have your seatbelt on and get ready for the ride of your life!
This crazy Country is not for everyone but sure is an educating experience if you like it or not.

rfp said:

We were able to have a maid to make her life easier and I was able to get things rolling with a business
here due to the lower cost of living. That being said the moment you leave your bubble there are poor people everywhere, beggars
and ..... You will find out very quickly that making real friends here is pretty hard as
everybody is very focused on their own best interests

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Indeed. Welcome to Wonderland. Every large (third world) city I have lived in seems to be this way
and Santo Domingo is no exception.

Canuckshuk said:

Thanks for the warm wishes and cautionary notes - I will take them all. Chris, once I get PM access will definitely take you up on that beer, perhaps even my treat ��. The company has provided me with a third party company to assist with the Visa process, I estimate that I will be a full fledge citizen by mid July with the family following a few weeks after as school starts a little earlier down there. During our exploratory trip a couple of weeks ago the most shocking aspect of life there was the traffic. As a Canadian we have zero perspective on this level of aggressive driving as I was reminded today by the many friendly merge waves I both gave and received on the drive to work this morning. We certainly plan on making the most of our time there, colleagues have raved about the beaches is Las Terranes (sp?). I think we will also take advantage of our coordinates and try to visit some of the other islands of the Caribbean if for no other reason than to keep my wife's Facebook page interesting. It is funny how you take so many things for granted before being faced with this type of situation; for instance today's question that came up when I was shopping for a new washer and. Dryer was...."do Dryers in the Dominican take the same plug as here?" Maybe a first world problem as they say.....

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Depends, as far as the dryer goes. Most people use solar dryers. Hang 'em on the line. Electricity costs so much here that most people don't use them. I know two people that have them but don't use them probably cheaper to hire a local girl to wash your clothes, hang them up and take them down and fold them for you. The more electricity you use in a month the higher the rate per kilowatt is. Cannot quote figures to you, but that is the fact here. As far as the 220 plug goes I have installed several configurations of such plugs in the USA from Florida to MIssissippi to Tenn to Minnesnowta.
Der Fish

I suppose gas dryers are also expensive, since that would require bottled gas. (But they will spin on 110V AC).

have the dryer converted to propane if you can... they can do it here.

Gas& propane dryers dry faster than the electric ones, I'm told.
I wish I had one and will get one.

Use a solar panel if the energy costs worry you.

Canuckshuk said:

Thanks for the warm wishes and cautionary notes - I will take them all. Chris, once I get PM access will definitely take you up on that beer, perhaps even my treat ��. The company has provided me with a third party company to assist with the Visa process, I estimate that I will be a full fledge citizen by mid July with the family following a few weeks after as school starts a little earlier down there. During our exploratory trip a couple of weeks ago the most shocking aspect of life there was the traffic. As a Canadian we have zero perspective on this level of aggressive driving as I was reminded today by the many friendly merge waves I both gave and received on the drive to work this morning. We certainly plan on making the most of our time there, colleagues have raved about the beaches is Las Terranes (sp?). I think we will also take advantage of our coordinates and try to visit some of the other islands of the Caribbean if for no other reason than to keep my wife's Facebook page interesting. It is funny how you take so many things for granted before being faced with this type of situation; for instance today's question that came up when I was shopping for a new washer and. Dryer was...."do Dryers in the Dominican take the same plug as here?" Maybe a first world problem as they say.....

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Regarding dryers. You can get 110 volt clothes dryers, however, the trade off is less electricity but longer drying times. If your a family of four, a combination of clothesline drying and shorter dryer use might be the best option.

Regarding driving, I've been renting here for six winters. It does take getting used to. I still obey the road rules like I was driving in Canada, however, I'm much more cautious driving here. Motos are a real problem. The are small and nimble and don't obey the rules. I'm very aware of them when I drive. Also the larger the vehicle, the more likely they will force you aside or assume they have the right of way, even if they don't. Driving at night can be a problem on country roads. They don't lower their high beams and large potholes are hard to see, especially when it rains. Livestock, cows, horses, mules, donkeys can also roam the roads here.

If your renting, rent from a reputable company with newer cars. Also get the third party liability insurance which covers you if you hit a Domincan. Make sure your credit card covers the CDW. Other members here can provide information on buying a car and the necessary insurance.

Good luck on your new adventure. I like the people and the culture here and have made some good Dominican friends during my winters here. Respect the culture and people and you will be fine.

Welcome to DR1! Sounds like you've gotten off to a pretty good start. Please be sure to come back with any questions you might have, and we'd love to hear about your adventures!