Moving to Santo Domingo-questions

rafael

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Jan 2, 2002
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There is a very good chance I will be relocating to Santo Domingo before year end. I have a few questions for the experts here:

1-broadband internet? Are there options besides Internet Flash from Codetel? Cable Modem? Sattelite?

2-moving companies? I would need to move some furniture and equipment from san antonio tx to Santo Domingo. Any suggestions on a moving company? Approximate costs?

3-long distance phone calls? I would need reasonable long distance service, or would using net to phone type stuff be an option with broadband internet?

4-supermarkets? I am a VERY picky eater and would like to know which supermarkets provide the most american brands and imported beef and poultry?

I am sure I will have some more and look forward to the day that I can help answer questions about living in SD. I have been there over 30 times but living there will certainly be different.

Thanks in advance for any info!
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Phone service is excellent. Don't know about broadband since I have flash, but computer to computer or computer to phone calls are possible. But should be done by choice, not as a way to compensate for the phone service.
 

Drake

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Jan 1, 2002
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Moving to SD

your question
1-broadband internet? Are there options besides Internet Flash from Codetel? Cable Modem? Sattelite?

-You can get installed a dedicated line to the internet which gives you the best connection. But it's a little pricey.

2-moving companies? I would need to move some furniture and equipment from san antonio tx to Santo Domingo. Any suggestions on a moving company? Approximate costs?

-Risky business. You will find a lot of information from people who have written on this subject in the Dr1 archives . Few happy stories. If you can buy any of the items here you are best off doing it that way. A car for example that costs $10,000 in the US would probably cost you another $10,000 to get it here and out of customs.

3-long distance phone calls? I would need reasonable long distance service, or would using net to phone type stuff be an option with broadband internet?

-There are excellent long distance phone options here as there are several telephone companies that are very competitive.

4-supermarkets? I am a VERY picky eater and would like to know which supermarkets provide the most american brands and imported beef and poultry?

-You will find many American style supermarkets that sell American imported products. National, Carrefour ect.. Whats wrong with the national dish Rice and Beans with Chicken anyway?
 

MrBean

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Mar 24, 2002
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picky eater?

I lived in SD for 2 years, and was able to find almost anything I needed. The Bravo supermarket on Churchill stocks a lot of imported foods, and if you are looking for something hard to find (eg phyllo...), look there. The other big chains stock your average US imports. Supermarkets generally do not smell like they would in North America, and cuts of meat are not always recognizeable, or as tender (chicken and beef are included here) as one would hope. There is a good german butcher off of the Malecon (his place looks scary, but the meat is excellent). If you are a truly fussy eater, don't leave home! The trick about having an adventure in another country is that you have to be adventurous in all aspects. Good luck!
 

El Jefe

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Jan 1, 2002
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Slightly off subject

Speaking of supermarkets...does anyone know what happened to Wimpy Berry? Last I heard he had gone to Ft. Lauderdale. For those not familiar with Wimpy...he had the first real Americanized grocery in Sto. Domingo and was somewhat involved with the death of Trujillo, smugling weapons in.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Hijacker!

Haven't even heard that name in decades. Shopped at Wimpy's when we first got here....Tiny by today's standards.

I hope our poster has lots and lots of money, since anything imported costs double and maybe more in a supermarket.

There are some exceptions. I finde some Chinese products: Duk sauce, Oyster sauce, rice wine vinagre and good light soy sauce are quite reasonable...

If he is picky, he will have to shop for himself and cook for himself....

Lots of luck..

HB
BANJO.GIF
 

rafael

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Jan 2, 2002
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I am very picky. I just want basic stuff though. You know, meat and chicken. It would be nice to get name brands etc for breakfast cereal, english muffins, rice a roni, deserts etc etc etc.

I am heading to SD in 3 weeks to at least look for apts. It will be a while till I actually move there though.

What about broadband?
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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While you are there, check out the major supermarkets. You should be able to find sources for most of the packaged goods.
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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Change your diet

Anyone that eats rice-a-roni can't be that picky. You won't have any problem finding your sugar frosted flakes and several other junk food cereals. The chicken in the DR taste better than anything you are probably used to, but the beef although tasty is tough. Perhaps this is an opportunity for you to change your diet to a more healthy diet, new country new diet. I'm only assuming you eat unhealthy because of the foods you mentioned, sorry if I'm mistaken.