Little info on my move to DR

Zachary

New member
Jan 9, 2004
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Hello all! This is my first post as I just recently stumbled onto DR1.com when doing some research on a big move I have planned coming up in July-August. I will be relocating to Santo Domingo in 6 months and am looking for as much information as possible. Luckily my girlfriend is finishing up her masters at the Rochester Institute of Technology and I am completing my final internship with a Marriott Renaissance Hotel in NY at the same time, so we plan on moving down together.
Sarah (my girlfriend) has it a little easier seeing her family lives in Santo Domingo and she will go to work in her own company when she arrives, I on the other hand have no job yet, looking but nothing yet. I am in the process of sending my resume to the new Marriott Courtyard near the consulate and have a connection with the General Manager of a Sol Melia property in Punta Cana who said he would forward my resume to corporate in Santo Domingo?.So ill be holding my breath. This is a big step for me seeing I?m right out of college and I am still a little nervous with my Spanish, but I figure that will come fast enough when living there?.

Some questions?anything will help me.

1: Shipping my car down? Has anyone done this? What if any restrictions are there? Is this a cheaper alternative than buying in Santo Domingo?

2: Better to rent or buy an apartment?

3: Does anyone have an idea how to be paid in US dollars? Do some companies offer this?

4: Health Insurance and coverage? Do companies offer normal benefit packages?

5: Does anyone know off hand salary ranges for hotel employees, either in a sales position or operations manager/ general manager of a hotel?

6: Does anyone work for a hotel? If so can you give me any insight on relocating and finding a hotel / tourism position?

7: Does anyone know the fees for the ?BODY SHOP? annually? And or ?Santo Domingo Country Club?? - My girlfriends family belongs to both of these places in Santo Domingo, so I will probably join, but she is clueless of the fees, so any help here will be nice.

Ok, that is just the start of my list, but I?ll see how these get answered. I don?t want to overwhelm anyone, even though my move is 6 months away I already am overwhelmed =)

Thank you for your time, if you want to send any replies by email that is fine, email to: ZacharycFelter@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Zach
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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MARRY this girl "ASAP"!

I think that the initiation fee at Sto Dgo Country club is,or was,$50,000 US! Her family must be Super Rich,so then you won't have to worry!
Wages are very low at the Hotels,and work is long and hard! My friend was the Maitre'D at the upscale Restaurant at the Melia.He is Hungarian,European/American trained(Lots of Marriott Experience too!)He left to go to a Marriott in Florida!
This will be a great experience for you! Again,marry her! Cris Colon
 

mkohn

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
1,151
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Yeah,
You can have the civil ceremony in the States, and the church ceremony in the DR.
Good luck on the move.
mk
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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The fact that the family of your financee is reasonably well connected should be of help to you if your hotel efforts don't pan out.

Do not import your car. Click on the search button near top of this page, then do a search of the archives for "importing cars" without the quote marks. You will see the question has come up often and that the advice always is DO NOT IMPORT.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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Zachary said:
Some questions?anything will help me.

1: Shipping my car down? Has anyone done this? What if any restrictions are there? Is this a cheaper alternative than buying in Santo Domingo?

Don't do it! Read the many threads on this subject.

2: Better to rent or buy an apartment?
Rent. When you know the market, the country and the culture, look at buying. Only a fool would do otherwise.

3: Does anyone have an idea how to be paid in US dollars? Do some companies offer this?
Expect to get paid in pesos. It costs too much to pay employees in dollars. Some sectors do, but not usually the tourism/hotel sector. Saying this, if you are relocated here by your overseas company, then they usually pay you in hard currency

4: Health Insurance and coverage? Do companies offer normal benefit packages?
Some do, some don't. Look at recent threads on this.

5: Does anyone know off hand salary ranges for hotel employees, either in a sales position or operations manager/ general manager of a hotel?
I would guess the range would be RD$15,000 to RD$45,000 depending on experience. You have none, so expect to be on the low end of the scale. Right now RD$45,000 = US$1,000. That's a VERY good wage in the DR.

6: Does anyone work for a hotel? If so can you give me any insight on relocating and finding a hotel / tourism position?
Networking and more networking. Your biggest assett is your girlfriends family. Use them as much as you can to help. If they cannot help you, then your going to be doing a lot of leg work going round hotels looking for work, no fun. Remember, the DR has plenty of well educated fully bi and tri lingual people fighting for jobs in the tourism sector.

7: Does anyone know the fees for the ?BODY SHOP? annually? And or ?Santo Domingo Country Club?? - My girlfriends family belongs to both of these places in Santo Domingo, so I will probably join, but she is clueless of the fees, so any help here will be nice.

No idea, but others on the board can help you. Better still, ask your girlfriends family :)
 

Tony C

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
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Robert pretty much answered your questions efficiently

As for membership to the Santo Domingo Country Club....if you have to ask you proboby can't afford it. Last I heard it was $14K US initiaition for new members. Don't sweat it. If your Girlfriends family are members she can get you in as a guest. You just won't be able to play Golf on the Weekends. That is reserved for members
 

Zachary

New member
Jan 9, 2004
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Thanks for everyone help and information.....LOL I have every intention on asking her to marry me. I just need to get this move out of the way.

Her parents are helping me alot in my search with their contacts, but i felt it couldint hurt to ask the board. I am searching corporations in the states now that have offices in Santo Domingo so i could keep my paycheck in dollars.

About the CAR thing there are import companies that bring them down for a flat fee? Does anyone know this number for an 01' Audi a4 which has been in my name for over 2 years?

Thanks again for all the help!

Zach