A few things I miss about living in Sos?a

richard

New member
Jan 1, 2002
327
0
0
Here are a few things I miss and don?t miss from living in Sosua. I don?t miss the bad electricity or arguing with CDE who wanted to cut me off although I had paid the bill and had the receipt to prove it. I don?t miss pulling the electric meter every night to save money and replacing it in the morning before CDE returned to work. I don?t miss having to buy water from the water truck for my hotel or siphoning water from a large resort?s cistern to save money. I don?t miss watching to see that the neighbors didn?t tap into my electricity or water supply. I don?t miss taking( fell6?) to combat parasites. I don?t miss living next door to neighbors who played meringue at full volume at three a.m. I don?t miss cab drivers that drive at breakneck speed, passing on curves and going up hills. I miss the prostitutes who I knew on a first name basis although I didn?t patronize them. I miss the action of bars like Bomba Bomba and Caf? Maria in Charamicos. I don?t miss the motoconchos who drove like they had a death wish. I miss the motoconchos who quickly ran to help me up, make sure I was ok and gather up my groceries when I dumped my passola. I do miss driving my motorcycle all year round and going up to El Molino to sit and take in the breathtaking scenery of the Cibao Valley. I don?t miss driving in Puerto Plata. I don?t miss the terrible unimproved roads, which were constantly washed out during rainstorms. I miss empanadas from the guy selling them on the street. I don?t miss trying to contend with Dominican labor laws, petty bribery and dishonest cops. I miss the laughter and playing of the kids in their uniforms when the got out of school. I miss seeing the shoeshine boys who showed up at the bar every night trying to earn a few pesos. I miss meeting people from all over the world who vacationed in Sosua. I miss the hubbub of Puerto Plata Airport at Christmas when families turned out in droves to welcome returning relatives. I miss seeing the little girls in their Sunday best with ribbons in their hair and on their shoes. I miss watching the boys playing baseball with equipment Canadian kids wouldn?t be caught dead with. I miss shopping at Mario?s where he toted up your vegetable purchases on a brown paper bag. I miss playing in the tennis league that Bob White set up out at Puerto Chiquita where ex-pats and Dominicans played and enjoyed together. I miss the sea, the mountains and the beaches. Most of all I miss the Dominican people, kind, sweet and proud of their country. I would venture to say that most people who ever lived in the DR would have many memories, mostly good about their experiences. So for anyone considering a move. I say go for it! Life is for living!
 

richard

New member
Jan 1, 2002
327
0
0
Sosua

You can't control bad health or family problems Chris. If my situation was different I'd be back in a flash.;)
 

mkohn

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
1,151
4
0
Count yourself among those who can say "I lived there." It's a life-changing experience. Leaving hurts enough to want to get back some day.
mk
 

trina

Silver
Jan 3, 2002
2,550
11
0
Well put, mkohn...although I know Canada is the place I need to be if I want to give my children a future, Richard's post almost brought me to tears...thank God, I'll be in Sosua in 7 more sleeps!!!

Thanks, Richard, for taking me back...
 

richard

New member
Jan 1, 2002
327
0
0
mkohn said:
Count yourself among those who can say "I lived there." It's a life-changing experience. Leaving hurts enough to want to get back some day.
mk

For sure Mary. My uncle was a missionary in Africa and Madegascar for many years. When I told him I was moving to the DR he commented. "You'll never be the same, you'll never look at things the same way ever again." I didn't realize at the time just how true his words would be.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
We have 3 young children in our home.

11 years old,5-1/2years old,10 months old,and my wife insists that she is pregnant yet again.I have resisted the temptation to take them all to Massachussetts for a better education,health care,but is that the best thing to do? The extended family in our house includes aunts,grandparents,and even great-grandmather!I wish I knew the answer.I am leaning toward the US.My ssisters,and 24 year old son live there,and would be a new extended famoly,but not in the same house.Cris Colon
 

richard

New member
Jan 1, 2002
327
0
0
wish I could join you Chris but looks like it'll be nov for me enjoy I know you will.
 

Jane J.

ditz
Jan 3, 2002
1,263
2
0
Hey, Richard - I used to live right behind Caf? Maria. It's not there anymore but do you remember Willy the Dutch Chef?
  • I miss buying things detalla'o.
  • I miss the luxury of direct door-to-door public transportation.
  • I miss not EVER having to worry about finding a babysitter.
  • I miss having someone else do my laundry.
  • I miss guandules.
  • I miss playing bingo in the taverna.
  • I miss our banana-yellow pick-up truck, which had no windows, so that if it rained, my husband and I would have to both sit in the middle of the seat to avoid getting wet and when he needed to honk the horn it was my job to touch two wires together under the dashboard to make it sound.
  • I miss showering with a broken tema and cubo.
  • I miss bying things fia'o.
  • I miss getting up early on Sundays to hit the pulgas.
  • I miss living in the slow lane.
I miss a lot of things. :(
 

richard

New member
Jan 1, 2002
327
0
0
what I miss

Jane J. said:
Hey, Richard - I used to live right behind Caf? Maria. It's not there anymore but do you remember Willy the Dutch Chef?
  • I miss buying things detalla'o.
  • I miss the luxury of direct door-to-door public transportation.
  • I miss not EVER having to worry about finding a babysitter.
  • I miss having someone else do my laundry.
  • I miss guandules.
  • I miss playing bingo in the taverna.
  • I miss our banana-yellow pick-up truck, which had no windows, so that if it rained, my husband and I would have to both sit in the middle of the seat to avoid getting wet and when he needed to honk the horn it was my job to touch two wires together under the dashboard to make it sound.
  • I miss showering with a broken tema and cubo.
  • I miss bying things fia'o.
  • I miss getting up early on Sundays to hit the pulgas.
  • I miss living in the slow lane.
I miss a lot of things. :(


I remember him very well. I don't miss buying lightbulbs and having to test them before I left the store. Do you remember how the electricity always got better when the General was in town? I don't miss "killer"shower heads. I don't miss huge phone bills to call home and guarding the phone like a hawk so that no-one could make unauthorized calls. In the bar business I don't miss running all over town to buy beer at Christmas time because you could never get enough Presidente at that time of year. I miss the way it was in Sos?a that if you stopped for a beer with everyone you knew between the North Shore office and the beach you would be very very drunk by the time you got to the beach. I miss Charlie's New restaurant, Charlie's new new restaurant, Charlies Newest Restaurant and most of all Charlie. Gee there's an awful lot to miss isn't there?:cry:
 

trina

Silver
Jan 3, 2002
2,550
11
0
I'll play along...
I miss cooking with my cousins with the stereo full-blast, everyone singing at the top of their lungs (although I didn't know enough Spanish to know what I was singing), even though no one could sing

I miss sitting around with my hubby playing dominoes and drinking Presidente until the lights went out, then getting the candles out and playing some more...until someone slammed the dominoes on the table hard enough to break the glass candle holders

I miss playing bingo in the taverna

I miss going to the colmado and being able to buy just a cup of sugar

I miss drinking a Presidente Grande, sitting on the beach, staring at the ocean, just because I could

I miss someone else driving me around all the time, even if I was scared
sh!tless

I miss the beautiful children

(sniff sniff):cry:

I really miss JJ from JJ's Auberge...

I don't miss all the stray animals and the way many are treated


Criss, I've wondered the same thing, am I really doing the right thing...I still don't know...I know my children are so loved by my family, but I also know they are missing out on a lot, not being able to see their other family often enough...I have a really great job here, and don't know if we could make the living in the DR that we do here, I know I'm able to plan for the future here...would we be able to there?
PS
Pregnant again? WOW! Congrats!!!
 
Last edited:

mkohn

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
1,151
4
0
Re: We have 3 young children in our home.

Criss Colon said:
11 years old,5-1/2years old,10 months old,and my wife insists that she is pregnant yet again...Cris Colon

With all that choppin' there's bound to be chips...

You have a tough decision, my friend.

We've got only a few years left 'till we "launch" the youngest (who turned 16 today), after that, the sky's the limit.

Thanks Richard, for the great thread!
mk
 

richard

New member
Jan 1, 2002
327
0
0
Sosua

I think most of us who have lived in the DR have similiar memories. I remember going to the old POP airport almost every day to try and round up some "Air Only" tourists for the hotel. Most days I would have a beer with the regular cop on duty outside customs (I bought of course). A 10 peso propina to the man on the door and I could go into the baggage area to approach people waiting for their bags. One time when my mother was arriving I got down to the tarmac, walked over to the stairs to the plane, climbed them and met her as she left the plane. We went through immigration in no time flat, me with about 150 pesos in my pocket for tips and a taxi. I didn't even have i.d. I'm sure many remember the little ditty Dominican kids always sang when the lights came back on? Many who lived in Sosua will remember "Doctor Death", the quack who gave ozone treatments which were supposed to cure everything from AIDS to cancer. I remember one night at Eddy's when he and his armed guards showed up on their regular evening horseback ride through town. One of the guards looked about 15 and sat near the door toying with his rifle. Pretty scary stuff.
 

ccarabella

Newbie
Feb 5, 2002
733
12
0
Re: We have 3 young children in our home.

Criss Colon said:
I have resisted the temptation to take them all to Massachussetts for a better education,health care,but is that the best thing to do?

Criss, yours is quite a predicament! Do what is best for your children. After all they are what we live for.
I have lived away from my family in NY since I was 13yrs old. I see them only during special occasions or vacations.
"They" all have each other and can be together at a moments notice. I can't help but wonder what my life would have been like. How nice it would be if my kids had an extended family like I once did.
However, I have no regrets. My children are in good health, are getting a good education, have plenty of friends and two loving parents.
In the end, that is what matters.

Think it over and I wish you the best.


Ccarabella