student practice AIESEC

serbo

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Jun 4, 2005
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Hi, people...

This site has many useful info. But, I have only day or two to decide and really can't manage to locate all the info I need.

This is the matter:

I have an offer to come to DR as a student in an IT firm with foreign and DR employees. It should last 10 months or so. Student organisation managing it is AIESEC on UNPHU university, SD. The salary is $400. Is it enough for lodging, food and some social life? how much is renting a room, flat etc? I don't require nice neighbourhood, since I have been living in the Middle East for few months, and I had no problems.

Thanks,
Nebojsa from Serbia
 

NotLurking

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Jul 21, 2003
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serbo said:
Hi, people...

This site has many useful info. But, I have only day or two to decide and really can't manage to locate all the info I need.

This is the matter:

I have an offer to come to DR as a student in an IT firm with foreign and DR employees. It should last 10 months or so. Student organisation managing it is AIESEC on UNPHU university, SD. The salary is $400. Is it enough for lodging, food and some social life? how much is renting a room, flat etc? I don't require nice neighbourhood, since I have been living in the Middle East for few months, and I had no problems.

Thanks,
Nebojsa from Serbia

The simple answer is no, unfortunately :( The long answer is not much different but at least you'll have an idea why it isn't enough.

US$400 = RD$11,600 @ RD$29 to US$1

In some places in SD (barrio ~semi-ghetto) you could probably get an apartment for as little as RD$6,000 (if you're very lucky). That is over half your total budge! I doubt that you could manage to live on the RD$5,600 you'll have left. Transportation alone on 'publicos' or 'guaguas' will cost you about RD$800 per months. A typical Dominican meal at a local eatery will cost ~RD$100 for one meal! That's RD$3000/month for Rice, beans and chicken or beef only! I think you get the picture.

NotLurking
 

Mikito

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Feb 17, 2005
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Well, I can maybe give you a more informed opinion than most people because I am a Canadian that came on an AIESEC traineeship and have been here for 8 months now. I make roughly the same salary that you would make. The short answer is its enough but not to live like a king. My rent with utilities is less than $3 500 and I live in a nice place in a safe neigbourhood in the middle of the city. You wont pay more than $4000 if you come with AIESEC, i gurantee it. I really do not know where I a lot of the people here get there numbers but the budgets they provide are always higher than mine and I live "reasonably" comfortable. It will be tight to live on that alone and most of the people that come here on this traineeship use there private money for travelling. Most of the people that come in your situation spend between $15000 and $16000 a month including travelling and drinking. You will be going out with other young people that dont have much money and we learn to live and travel cheaply. In other words yes you can live off it but its tight so if you want to have partying and travelling money expect to use a little savings.

Mike
 

NotLurking

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Hey if you can manage to 'survive' here on RD$11.6k more power to you! The OP wants to 'live' not 'survive' but I guess the definitions or rather concepts of the previous two terms is subject to interpretations. You suppose you are more informed than me after living here 8 months? I thought I knew a thing or two after returning to my homeland and living here with my family of 5 and two dogs continuously for 6 years but I could be way off.

Mikito said:
My rent with utilities is less than $3 500 and I live in a nice place in a safe neigbourhood in the middle of the city.

Care to share with us where exactly is this 'nice place' in SD? Los Minas? Villa Mella? Guachupita? Is it and apartment or a room? Is it furnished? You say utilities are included, does that mean phone service and cable too?

Assuming you do pay RD$3500 for rent, what do you eat? Do you cook at home? A Hotdog from a street vender cost RD$35, a chicken sandwich from the cafeteria of 'Americana por departamentos' cost ~RD$120. A 'pica polla' from Victorina cost ~RD$80. A personal pizza from Pizza Hut with an 8oz drink cost ~RD$119. A 'comida tipica' cost ~RD$100 from most 'safe & clean' eateries. A 'chimichuri' cost RD$40. Publicos are RD$10 a ride and most of the time you'll need to take two (2) to reach your destination making the fare RD$20 each way or RD$40 round trip. That's why I said transportation would be about RD$800 for the month.

I don't want this person to travel here and not be able to manage on RD$11,600 following your 'advice'. I don't want this person to rent in a ghetto neighborhood either and put their safety at risk. That is why I said it wasn't enough but please by all means share ALL the details of where this cheap and safe neighborhood is. I'm sure many are interested, Serbo and me in particular!

Regards,
NotLurking
 

Mikito

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Feb 17, 2005
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I am sure you know a thing or two about about living your lifestyle with a family of 5 and 2 dogs but last I checked he was not coming with a wife, 3 kids and 2 dogs. He is coming young and single, much like I did. I live close to the Acropolis and Multi Centro on Winston Churchill. I live in an 4 bedroom furnished apartment (although not the nicest furniture in the world) with 3 other guys here on an similar exchange. The area is quite safe and I have never had a problem even though I stick out a bit (being a 6?2 white, blue eyed canadian who didnt speak any spanish when i arrived I didnt really blend in). Utilities do not include cable (dont have a TV, dont want one), air conditioning (fan is good enough for me) or a phone (bought a cellphone for $1000 pesos and use phone cards for about another $150 a week, (thnkg god for MSN messenger at work). For food the lunch place I go to is 75 pesos for a meal including drink and there is not a lot of variety but the food is good, filling, basic, cheap and to use your words "safe and clean". For breakfest normally have a couple of bananas (cost 6 pesos for both) or a melon (cost 20 pesos). For dinner I spend about $100 pesos normally cooking food I bought at the supermarket so I have about $200 pesos a day of food expenses or $6000 pesos a month. In regards to transportation I agree with your number. So if you look at rent, food, transportation, and a phone the total is $11 000 pesos more or less. That being said I said most of the people that come on this sort of traineeship live on $15000 to $16000 myself included. The reason for this is things like my gym membership, drinking and partying, traveling (I have seen almost all of the Dominican Republic), going to the movies, dry cleaning, going out to a nice restaurant once in a while, stuff like this that can add up if not monitored. Is it easy to live off $11 600.... no, but can it be done .... yes. I am sure you know about living your lifestyle but I also know a lot about living mine.
 

NotLurking

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Jul 21, 2003
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Mikito, your RD$3500 rent is contingent on 3 other people making the actual rent for the apartment you live in RD$14,000. That makes your situation unique. If I had to advise Serbo based on your living arrangements, my original advice would not change; RD$11,600 is not enough to live here. Survive? Perhaps, but I would not like to presuppose that a total stranger doesn't want to watch a bit of TV or want something as basic as cable just because I don't like or need it. I know Serbo said basic living hence a basic standard of living - 24/hour power, telephone, internet, TV with cable and even hot and cold running water.

I'm truly glad you've survived here in DR. If have enjoyed your stay under mega circumstances and feel happy, I can't but feel the same. I agree, the neighborhood around Winston Churchill between Ave Kennedy and 27 de Febrero is nice, safe and with plenty of accessible shops. I really have just one bone left to pick with you but I'll leave it at that. Good luck to you my friend and may all your goals here in DR be reached and then some. :) :)

Take care,
NotLurking