Moving to DR

Bijan

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Jan 16, 2004
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My family and I are thinking of moving to DR. We know that there is alot we don't know about DR, but getting some informations Re schools and education system for our 12 & 7 Years old daughters is on top our list.

If any one can help us with this we very much apriciate it.

Thank You
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Where are you moving to, Bijan?
That will tell us what school situation you are interested in.

Why are you thinking about moving to the DR? Have you been here before? Spent much time here? Your post makes it sound as though you like the experience here to be sure this is really the place you should move your family to. You'll be able to get some information from this board, but you need to spend time here to see if you can adjust to life here.
 

Bijan

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Jan 16, 2004
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Living in DR

Hello Ken

Thank you so much for your response.

First I'd like you to know I am not too familiar with this site so my apologies if I am off in my reply.

Where we are moving to entirely depend on where I can find a good English language school even if it is private (Not a very pricey one).
We like to live where we don?t have to worry about sub zero temperature also get a chance to spend more time with each other than Clients and or Jammed H/Ways.
We have in two occasions been in DR, 1 week each time.
We have also traveled to few other Caribbean countries but none seemed as appealing as DR.
In regards to adjusting to life style I have had some research regarding owning a property and or a business that I think I can manage. My biggest worry is how my kids would react to the new environment as well as safety and health care.


Ken said:
Where are you moving to, Bijan?
That will tell us what school situation you are interested in.

Why are you thinking about moving to the DR? Have you been here before? Spent much time here? Your post makes it sound as though you like the experience here to be sure this is really the place you should move your family to. You'll be able to get some information from this board, but you need to spend time here to see if you can adjust to life here.
 

lhtown

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Jan 8, 2002
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Your concerns about your kids are in order. That type of move can be very dramatic for kids. I am not saying it is inherently good or bad, I am just saying that for most, it is a live-changing experience. Do your research before you come and consider carefully how it will affect your family.

There are at least two English schools here in Santo Domingo that have been well-reputed. Carol Morgan is probably the more famous of the two and is on Avenida Sarasota and I think the corner of Nunez de Caceres. The other is Colegio Americano de Santo Domingo in Arroyo Hondo. Its phone number is 567-6824. I have a friend who teaches Spanish there.

I don't think either of them are cheap although I don't know the prices.

Also, perhaps you have considered home schooling? It is a viable option for many people and there are a number of curriculums available today.

For a young family, there is good health care here in Santo Domingo at some of the private clinics. While some of the avanced equipment might not be readily available as it is in the states, care is much more personal. Bottom line, for a heart/lung transplant, go to the states. For everyday needs, you will love the medical care available at the best institutions. Understand that does not apply to the majority of clinics. I am not saying it is the rule, I am saying it is available. Now if you have a car accident or are in an isolated area and cannot get to you doctor, well, that is another story.

BTW, do your kids speak Spanish? If not, they should take lessons. Private lessons might even be available through their school or someone who teaches at the school.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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First, don't worry too much about your kids not knowing Spanish. They will pick it up a lot faster than you will. Many families come here whose children don't know Spanish and they are soon speaking it quite freely with the housekeeper and other children.

In Sosua we have several private schools (the public school system in the DR would not be a good option for you). The best school is the International school http://www.issosua.com/ How its prices compare with your budget, only you can determine. There are several others that are also said to be good, but which charge less. Look for one of mainer's posts and ask her about schools in Sosua. She did quite a bit of research on the subject for her own children. Click on the search button near top of this page, then search for posts by mainer. Then click on the PM or email button underneath the post and send your questions.

There are many families with children in the Sosua area. Your children would not lack for friends.

Safety should not be a big worry. As far as health care is concerned, there are many excellent doctors in the DR. If in Sosua or Cabarete, you can find some services there, others in nearby Puerto Plata, and specialists in Santiago.

Personally, I think your family, especially your children, would be happier in Sosua or Cabarete than in Santo Domingo.
 

lhtown

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Jan 8, 2002
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Pay attention to Ken. His posts are always thoughtful and informative. I am not in a position to say not being familiar very familiar with the north coast, but I am sure he is right about that being a better option for most people in your situation than Santo Domingo. That is not to say SD wouldn't have certain advantages, it is only to say that for most, Sosua would probably have many more.
 

Bijan

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Jan 16, 2004
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I am already delighted to have considered DR as my 3rd home and that?s because of wonderful fellows like Ken and Ihtown and many others whom I have seen responding to people like me with questions.

I look forward to more input from you, and hopefully I get to thank you in person.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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I am sorry Bijan, but I don't get this

Do you have any idea where you are going to live?

Do you realize that English language schools are very expensive by their very nature? For example: When the Dominican peso was at 20 : 1, Carol Morgan cost over RD100,000 a year. And it was not listed in the top 10 schools here. I do not think that the International School in Sosua even made the top 75 schools..

Now with the peso at a histerical/historical low of 51: 1, Carol Morgan will have to be at RD$250,000 a year!

If you want good education for your children you had better think very hard on this. The very best school was New Horizons--Thanks for kicking my memory, Tim. St. George was in the top 6, in Santo Domingo and so were the top 6 schools, not many of which were English language or bi-lingual. #7 was Instituto Da Vinci in Santiago and #10 was Colegio Juan XXIII at the Pontificia Universidad Cat?lica Madre y Maestra campus in Santiago. There were no schools on the North Shore mentioned.

Abraham Lincoln School in La Romana is excellent.

Think on this....

HB
 
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Timex

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May 9, 2002
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I visited all the schools in the Capital.

By far, New Horizons offered the most for the dollar.
About the same for a good Catholic school back home in NY.

Well worth a visit, They have a large library,
the school is wired for I-net in the class.
And it is Bi-lingual.

Check them out.

New Horizons Bi-Lingual School

Ave. Sarasota 51, Bella Vista,
Santo Domingo, Rep?blica Dominicana.
Tel (809) 533-4915 ext. 501, 502, 503
Fax (809) 534-9171
Homepage:
www.gcnewhorizons.net
E-mail:
info@gcnewhorizons.net

Check out the class webcams, M-F, they turn them off after school and weekends.


Tim H.:cool:
 

Harmony

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Apr 18, 2002
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Living in Santo Domingo

Bijan,

I would think twice about bringing two young girls to Santo Domingo. I had a gold necklace ripped off my neck in broad daylight at 3:00pm on Ave. Sarasota last week just across the street from the school mentioned above. Guy on motor scooter wizzed up the side walk and ripped the necklace and shirt without skipping a lick. I almost admire his skill. I knew not to ware gold but figured I had that necklace for 25 years and it was a part of me. It's not a lone event. A business man was standing outside an insurance company on Ave. Sarasota the other day and someone rip his sunglasses off his face. I'm pretty big so didn't think they would mess with me in broad daylight. Most parents walk their children into and out of the school.

I am staying on Ave Sarasota #45 in Bella Vista one of the better parts of the city and will not walk the streets at night. No way. I still haven't ruled out moving here for good but I have to worry about my wife. Things are a mess down here now. The economy is taking a big high dive into an abiss. The peso has gone from 45 to 51 to a dollar in the short time I've been here. Another strike has been called for the 28th & 29th. There were a few deaths attributed to the last one. This is a third world country. Keep that in mind.

Harmony
 

Timex

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May 9, 2002
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Yep, Lots of DOOM & GLOOM!!!

As Harmony put it.

And he has not distorted any of the facts that he stated.
That said......

I live in Barrio China, Haina, about 15min from the Capital.
On my level, in the last 3 years, from when the pesos was 16 to 1.

1. There has been no increase in crime in my part of the world.

2. People are buying what they need, and there has been a great drop-off of the, weekend corner, beer-drinking & girl-watching rituals. The girls are still walking the runway, but the audience has dropped from the usual 50+ to around 12.

3. No body, and I mean NO BODY, should try walking around the Capital, wearing loose, and or bold jewelry. The moto-chonco guys have been doing this for years!!!!
It's like the merry-go round ride, and the necklace & pocket-books are the Brass Ring for them! After Living in NYC, we already knew how to dress and handle our-selves before walking out the door, for a stroll around town.

4, Peso devaluation is a fact that people are living with.

5, Those who get their funds in another currency are probably seeing what I am, that even though prices on services are going up, do to the peso devaluation & inflation, I am actually spending about 10% less @month, for the same life style.

6. Most parents at New Horizons do not walk their kids into & out of the school, they pull up and drop them off and pick them up, just like back in NY. I do not know about the other schools.

Enough of that nonsense....

Come on down and check it out for awhile, read the archives and put your scouting list in order for when you come.

If you coming to the south shore, my wife and I can spend a weekend showing you and yours around the capital.

I'm sure you will get them same for the north shore from some of the other family members here.

Tim H.:cool:

P.S. Lets stick to the original thread. I'm going to copy and start a new one for the replies that are coming for this.
 
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Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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I agree with Timex that you and your wife should come here and take a good look at the areas you are considering. Each has its pluses and minuses. But whether something is a plus or minus depends on the person making the evaluation.

For me, the Sosua/Cabarete area is the best. I have never lived in a major metropolitan area and don't want to. Santo Domingo offers a lot, but it is not for me on a steady basis. I like the laid back, friendly environment on the north coast, the relative freedom from hurricanes, the large, friendly expat community, etc. I haven't seen this list of 100 best schools that Hillbilly referred to and have no idea how schools were chosen for it. But I do have trouble believing that there are 100 private schools in the DR that are truly better than those on the north coast.

Additionally, though it may seem strange coming from someone who was a superintendent of school districts in the US for 20 years, the school is one factor in the education of a child and many children would do well whether they went to the "best" school or not. The attention the family gives the child, the enrichment experiences provided the child by the parents, etc., all have as much to do with the child's education as does the instruction provided in the classroom.

Parents used to come to me and ask about taking their child out of school for several years while they went cruising on a sailboat for something similar, with the child getting his education from the Calvert School correspondence course. I always encouraged the parents to go ahead, believing the experience the child would have, the introduction to other cultures, the opportunity to learn other languages, etc., would be at least equal to what the school was providing.
 

Sanson

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Apr 14, 2003
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First of all, before moving here, I think you should come here again and visit all the possible options (The North Coast, Santiago, Santo domingo, etc) . Find the one which you think should be better for you and your family.

However , If you want your offspring go to a collegue in the USA, I think you should live in Santo Domingo, as it has better schools. However, please note I really don`t know about the quality of the education in Santiago (Where HB, recommended the Instituto Da Vinci and the Colegio Juan XXIII of the PUCMM); nor Sosua (Where Ken recommended the International school ).

In Santo Domingo, I recommend you the following Schools:
Lux Mundi. I graduated from this school and it`s pretty good. However, it might not be the best option for you, as it focus more on Spanish than English (Although they have several levels of English, depending on the Student`s knowledge). They have a great educational level. www.luxmundi.edunexo.com.do
New Horizons. It is a bilingual school. To me, this school has the greatest level in Math, and has the most advanced technology (They offer Cisco and Microsoft certifications to their students). Also recommended by Timex and Hillbilly.
Carol Morgan School. It`s more based on English. Accredited with Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Has a great campus. www.cms.edu.do
St. George School. Another totally billingual school. Recognized by the International Baccalaureate Organization. I`m a former student of this school, and I can tell you that it`s pretty demanding as they have for example, Science in English and in Spanish, etc. Also, as a member of the IBO, all high school students leave at 4:00pm .

Other schools that I think have an adequated educational level are: Babeque, St. Michaels School, The American School of Santo Domingo, etc.
 

lhtown

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Jan 8, 2002
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Re: I am sorry Bijan, but I don't get this

Hillbilly said:
If you want good education for your children you had better think very hard on this. The very best school was New Horizons--Thanks for kicking my memory, Tim. St. George was in the top 6, in Santo Domingo and so were the top 6 schools, not many of which were English language or bi-lingual. #7 was Instituto Da Vinci in Santiago and #10 was Colegio Juan XXIII at the Pontificia Universidad Cat?lica Madre y Maestra campus in Santiago. There were no schools on the North Shore mentioned.

Abraham Lincoln School in La Romana is excellent.

Think on this....

HB

HB

I guessing that the rankings for the schools you mentioned are based on the pruebas nacionales? I in no way mean to dispute the fact that the schools you mentioned are very good nor do I necesarily mean to say that others are necesarily better.

However, I do think it is fair to point out that a school with instruction entirely in English and Spanish grammar being taught almost as a second language could expect to score a bit lower on any standardized test in Spanish since the students have studied all of the material in English and are being tested in Spanish.

Really, findind the "perfect" school for your kids does mean a lot more than just looking for the best "academics." If your kids aren't happy there or don't fit in, they will probably have trouble learning no matter how well the other kids happen to be scoring.

My $.02
 

jlw919

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Sep 18, 2003
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Pre Elementry Schools in Santiago.

Hillbilly,
Do you have any specific recommendations for Santiago pre schools. You briefly met my granddaughter at your home last month (Bethany). She may be returning with my wife for a couple of years.
thanks,
Jimmy
Hillbilly said:
Do you have any idea where you are going to live?

Do you realize that English language schools are very expensive by their very nature? For example: When the Dominican peso was at 20 : 1, Carol Morgan cost over RD100,000 a year. And it was not listed in the top 10 schools here. I do not think that the International School in Sosua even made the top 75 schools..

Now with the peso at a histerical/historical low of 51: 1, Carol Morgan will have to be at RD$250,000 a year!

If you want good education for your children you had better think very hard on this. The very best school was New Horizons--Thanks for kicking my memory, Tim. St. George was in the top 6, in Santo Domingo and so were the top 6 schools, not many of which were English language or bi-lingual. #7 was Instituto Da Vinci in Santiago and #10 was Colegio Juan XXIII at the Pontificia Universidad Cat?lica Madre y Maestra campus in Santiago. There were no schools on the North Shore mentioned.

Abraham Lincoln School in La Romana is excellent.

Think on this....

HB
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Here in Santiago there are plenty of very nice places

Just down the street from me is a place called "Soles" ( Suns) that has been taking care of little tykes for many years.

There is the pre-school at De La Salle where my grandson Marco attended, and I really liked the personnel there. Now he will be going to the Bog Persons school in First Grade.

Bethany is old enough for either Pre-Primaria or Kindergarten, I should think.

There is also the Da Vinci School, and New Horizons is here now. Plus there are many, many more.

HB :D

Tell Bethany that Thania says "Hello!"
 

jlw919

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Sep 18, 2003
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Thanks

See you in Sept.
:cool:
Hillbilly said:
Just down the street from me is a place called "Soles" ( Suns) that has been taking care of little tykes for many years.

There is the pre-school at De La Salle where my grandson Marco attended, and I really liked the personnel there. Now he will be going to the Bog Persons school in First Grade.

Bethany is old enough for either Pre-Primaria or Kindergarten, I should think.

There is also the Da Vinci School, and New Horizons is here now. Plus there are many, many more.

HB :D

Tell Bethany that Thania says "Hello!"
 

Snuffy

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May 3, 2002
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Best Place To Live...

Sorry Ken...but Sosua? With children? That is a hotbed of prostitution. It is dirty and hot. I know I will get slammed by many from Sosua for that comment. But, come on...you guys know what Sosua is. I do think Caberete is much cleaner and without the girls walking the streets.

Santiago and Santo Domingo both have nice areas. And there are many other places to live.

One should always move here without settling in during the first year. Don't buy a lot of furniture, etc. Do a lot of traveling and then make a choice.