A burrough called Cancino Seguno (newcomer thread)

theartofbone

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Oct 28, 2003
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Greetings.

I think its about time I formaly introduce myself. Well, I'm going to Santo Domingo to live there and study medicine for four years. The part of Santo Domingo is on or near kilometro nueve and its called Cancino Segundo. The last time I was there was when I was 5 so I really can't remember much about it; whether it was poor, moderate, if the power went out, etc.

Is anyone here familiar with the area? I'm 20 years old and need to find hotspots to go to and meet a couple of people, any ideas? Feel free to PM me as well...


Thanks,
-Roberto
 

Don Juan

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Dec 5, 2003
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WE NEED MORE MEDICAL DOCTORS!!!

Hi Roberto. Good to hear you want to be an MD! Let me tell that this particular area of SD ins't so bad. My mother owns a house nearby in Vista Hermosa. Cansino 2 is located maybe 3 blocks from us. This area consists of mostly middle-class homes. It's mostly clean and quiet. As far as meeting people your age and aspirations, you most likely will find them at school or various youth clubs mostly in SD west. Watch out for so-called clubs around Cansino, they are invariably whore houses and you don't want to contract AIDS. Also, don't hang around the main ave.(I forget its' name) after 9pm. You'll find an element of people you don't want to associate with. your best bet in meeting people is loging on to the internet and linking to DR1. GOOD LUCK!!
 
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theartofbone

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Oct 28, 2003
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Don Juan,

Thanks for the great welcome and warnings! About the clubs, thanks for the warning cause I surely would've gone lookin for some especially at walking distance.. The things I prize most about myself and will not mess with is both my mind and my dxck. :) So AIDS is something I do not want or need. In fact I took a multiple STD and AIDS test a month ago with negative results and I plan to stay that way. Once again, thanks.

Heh, and also about the main avenue; which one are you referring to? And real quick, I was told Santo Domingo had approx 2.5 million? If so thats gonna be a hell of alot more compared to the 100,000 that live here in the city I currently live in! :cool:
 

Don Juan

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Dec 5, 2003
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SD is huge!

Hello friend. You're absolutely right about the 2 1/2 million in SD. If you're going to attend classes on the west side, (that's where all medical schools are) prepare yourself for a very long commute and a daily dose of heavy car fumes. I think the avenues' name is Winston Churchil. Its a heavily congested strip with lots and lots of commercial establishments including bars in every corner. In order to get anywhere from Cancino you have to traverse part of this road which ain't easy no matter the time of day. Other than this and the power outages its not bad at all. Living there'll probably be a little strange at first but you'll quickly get used to it and enjoy the place. I did
 

MONCHI8

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Jul 9, 2003
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WELCOME TO DR1!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just curious to know what school you're attending and why study in the D.R. instead of the US? I plan to study engineering at INTEC and get this question asked a lot from people. My answer is because I want to live in a place where I don't have to shovel snow and my dollars will really go far there. Do you have a car or do you plan to take public transportation to get to school? Research this website for any questions that you might have. The people here have been more than helpful with my questions. Good luck .

Ramon
 

theartofbone

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Whats up Ramon,

I'm going to the DR to get my MD for various reasons, here they are: Number one, the DR is where my father is from, it is good to get some culture back into my mind and not to mention that we still own our apartment in cancino segundo. Secondly, in April of this year (2003), I was driving while intoxicated and that was on my record and no medical school here will jump up and accept me in with that to my name. I just found out a month ago that the DWI has been deffered because of my good behavior after that and during probation but I still wanted to go to Santo Domingo. Reasons? Well the cost of living is pretty great and just like you, my dollar should stretch out rather nicely. I'm planning to attend UNIBE or INTEC, whichever is easier to attend; though I'd prefer UNIBE since they offer the majority of the classes in English as well.

Oh yea, also here in New Mexico I suffer from annoying allergies! The allergy season just passed and it was the worst, over there in the DR it'll be so good not to mess with that type of shit. Also, I want to eat some cocos! Just playin, but its just better there for my studies since schools over here in the US are only two semesters per year while UNIBE in the DR is 3 semester per year, which in turn means that I can be practicing medicine alot sooner than if I were to stay here. In fact, I am in my third year of my Biology degree here and would finish in a year but I am putting all of that aside since a degree is not needed to attend school overthere, while here in the US it is. If I were to continue majoring in Biology during my senior year then it'd be a complete waste of time. I am thankful for it however since half of the courses required in the school of medicine program I have taken over here and already I have a strong background in genetics, physiology, molecular biology, cell biology, and organic chemistry.

The car thing... heh, it sucks. Right before getting my DWI I purchased a 1999 Mazda Miata MX-5. Well, turns out after my DWI my license was revoked and till this day I haven't driven since because of the fear of going to jail and messing up even more. When I move down there, in 6 days to be exact, I will not have a car. I will have to rely on public transportation and taxies for at least my first semester and then and only then (have to learn my way around and get used to the traffic, etc) I'll try and purchase a car. A nice cheap one for me and my sister.

Now I got a question for you, are you there in SD already? If so, how long have you been there, where where you originally from?

Best Regards,
Roberto
 
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MONCHI8

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Roberto,

I live in Boston and I'm hating life right now because we're in the middle of a snowstorm that's supposed to last the weekend. My parents are Dominican so like you said it's a good experience to live where they were born and live the culture, also the D.R. girls are the best looking I've seen in my life.

So you won't have a car when you get to D.R. well I've got bad news for you. You're gonna spend a fortune on taxi rides to get to and from school. Cancino Segundo is located in the east part of Santo Domingo and UNIBE and most other universities are located in the west. Like Don Juan said this is a very long commute and depending on the time of day it could take you hours to get to UNIBE. I know that you won't have to pay rent but maybe you should consider moving closer to school and renting an apartment. Maybe you could sell the car you have right now and that way you can buy one when you get there. Have you seen the school yet? I know you said most of the classes are in English but if I were you I would brush up on spanish grammar before and after I get there. I've been speaking spanish all my life and I actually bought a book on spanish grammar the last time I was in S.D. I suggest you do the same, also try to get a map so it will be easier to learn you're way around here. If you have any more querstions just ask.

Ramon
 

rafael

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Jan 2, 2002
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I am trying to picture where Cancino is? On the east side? Are we talking east side of the river? How far east? I lived on the east side for a year and it was quieter. I am moving into a new apartment sort of between gazcue and the zona colonial.

Plus I am curious what clubs on the east side are really casas? The only one I knew of was jazzys and nobody would mistake that for a regular club. It is a big and gawdy strip club.
 

Don Juan

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Dec 5, 2003
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Rafael. Cancino is about ten miles east of the Ozama river. It becomes 20 when there's heavy traffic, which is most of the time, especially now that they're trying to fix Duarte bridge. cancino is nice but I'd rather live in Gazcue, if nothing else because I don't need to go east-side for anything. Gazcue and is nearer to every thing important without traffic headaches. It's mostly upper-class residential and no loud bachata- playing bars,where you'd find "camareras" which is a well-known synonym for prostitute. Walk into one of these and order a cold presidente and a warm puss*. you'll get fast service.
 

theartofbone

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OMG all this camarera/prostitute talk scares me... I lhope I never run into one thinking she's a regular girl and then go to bed w/ her and find out... ah, the tremor!

But anyway, Duarte sounds really familar. I remember growing up in Cancino and getting on the small buses and hear them shouting, "DUARTE DUARTE!". :) All the memories, I cant wait to go back.
 

Tordok

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Oct 6, 2003
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friendly advice

theartofbone,
I see that you have decided to abandon your college degree.
Be sure that you know where in the U.S. you wish to practice following your graduation from a DR medical school. Some states will not grant you a license if you have not completed your premed or equivalent B.S. degree in the U.S. prior to going to an "offshore'' medschool. Being a U.S. citizen won't help you avoid it. Doesn't matter even if you ace the U.S.M.L.E. exams. It won't help even if you've completed postgraduate residency training in a U.S. program. Many states will let you practice but some will not. Check the with the medical board of your state.

Also INTEC may be in Spanish but seems to produce higher caliber doctors than UNIBE. Thus, make sure your Spanish skills are solid. The true art of medicine is all about good communication. You can read your texbooks in English, but the patients speak Spanish. Best wishes in SD!
-Tordok
 

rafael

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Jan 2, 2002
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Don Juan. Wow 10 miles east of the River? I guess it is on the way to the airport? I have had two apartments on that side of the bridge previously but not 10 miles away.

Years ago I rented a little place to stay in when I visited my then fiance. It was in Isabelita. Then for the last year I have lived off of san isidro past the cabanas, before the zona franca, with my novia.

It was relatively quiet, but we did live above a colmado! So it could get pretty loud. I am certainly living more like a dominican than a gringo!

It should be fun, seeing how life on the west side is. After looking at a map and going soley on my novia's description of where it is. . . .the new place we rented is probably in ciudad nueva, not far from the Colonial zone. It is between independencia and the malecon. I'm not all that fussy and sort of like adventure so I'm looking forward to checking the place out.

My novia says it is a brand new building, which helps explain why it is taking them forever to hook up electricity etc. Apparently the top floor is some sort of penthouse, with acess to the roof for parties and apparently some sort of view of the sea. That apartment goes for 1200 USD. I am getting away real cheap. 7000 pesos for 2 bedroom 2 bath.
 

theartofbone

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Oct 28, 2003
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theartofbone,
I see that you have decided to abandon your college degree.
Be sure that you know where in the U.S. you wish to practice following your graduation from a DR medical school. Some states will not grant you a license if you have not completed your premed or equivalent B.S. degree in the U.S. prior to going to an "offshore'' medschool. Being a U.S. citizen won't help you avoid it. Doesn't matter even if you ace the U.S.M.L.E. exams. It won't help even if you've completed postgraduate residency training in a U.S. program. Many states will let you practice but some will not. Check the with the medical board of your state.

Also INTEC may be in Spanish but seems to produce higher caliber doctors than UNIBE. Thus, make sure your Spanish skills are solid. The true art of medicine is all about good communication. You can read your texbooks in English, but the patients speak Spanish. Best wishes in SD!
-Tordok

Turdok, thanks for the warnings and such. Luckily, before making this decision I researched this for about 5 months. At first I was going to go to a school over in Juarez Mexico since the acceptance process is alot less competitive than it is here in the states and plus it is only about an hour away from New Mexico.
I speak spanish pretty fluently but I bet when I go down there people will call me white boy based on the way I speak even though I look really hispanic. I speak Spanish with a New York/ New Jersey accent, it'll be pretty obvious I was not born and raised there but I should be able to at least read spanish and somewhat write it... I hope. ;)
 

Golo100

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Jan 5, 2002
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Cancino

Cancino is a chopo middle class neighborhood, mostly made up of Dominican-Yorks and Dominican-York supported families with typical chopo customs. I do not recommend this neighborhood for foreign students. But then, i have a different point of view than others. Besides, anything east of the Ozama River is second class. It is the equivalent of living in Corona, N.Y., The Bronx, or uptown, southside Chicago, or Hialeah. It's your choice.

Gazcue is more in the style for exchange and foreign students.

TW
 

DCfred

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Jun 19, 2003
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Gazcue is more in the style for exchange and foreign students.



I agree with Golo. When I lived in the DR I lived in Gazcue, on Cayetano Rodriguez, and loved it!

I do remember many students who used to live in the area in pensiones, but they were mostly nice kids who mostly sutdied and lived where there were rules to follow. It was an interesting street: there was La Loca, who lived down the street or the neighbor who constantly listened to Charityn's oldies. But I lived in front of Colegio Del Carmen and you could listen to the nuns sing, very nice. And since Balaguer lived near, no apagones!!!!!! Those were the days, sigh!
 
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Jon S.

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Jan 25, 2003
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DCfred said:
Gazcue is more in the style for exchange and foreign students.

And since Balaguer lived near, no apagones!!!!!! Those were the days, sigh!

Yeah right, I used to study in The Fourth R, a computer school two blocks from Balaguer's house and the power used to go out quite a few times, but the school's owners have very deep (read: Seattle, Washington-based) pockets ;) so the back-up generator kicked in the very moment the power used to go out. I must say that Gazcue is one of the best places to live in down there. All the rich people used to live there but now they live in Piantini, some parts of Naco, Los Cacicazgos, and so on and so forth...........

I recommend Gazcue, great location, quiet, and the trees give you shade whereever you go.