What's Life Really Like for a Foreigner??

Interesting

You say you were in Puerto Plata for 4 months. I want to teach you some Dominican equations.

Puerto Plata+Tourisim+Expats+Hookers+Chopo(a)s= A Pretty crappy place to live unless you want to get laid by some grillo.

If you're 24, you have absolutely no business seriously considering residing in Puerto Plata fulltime. Puerto Plata has become such that not even rich Dominicans go there often. Too many Expats and their fat, hairy, Presidente induced pot bellies hanging 20 feet over their swimming trousers. If you're the type that like to party nightly or atleast 3 times a week, choose The Capital. If you only like to go out on the weekends and be in a nice quite area with access to most "Americanized" items, choose Santiago.

myra77 said:

Hi Everyone,

I'm planning on moving down to Puerto Plata this late April for four months. I've been doing a lot of research on everything that I can. I was on vacation in Puerto Plata for a week just before Christmas, and fell in love with the place, the Country and it's People. This is one of the reasons that I want to come down there. So what I'm asking from those of you who are foreigners to the Dominican, or have lived and worked there in the past, or even locals, if you could give me your insights on what its really like for a foreigner to come live and work in the Dominican.

I'd like to hear what you have to say about starting out, getting a job, finding a place to live. How you were recieved by the locals, what daily life is like. The ups the downs the whole deal. I want to prepare myself for what is to come, be it good or bad, knowing it as much as I can will really help me.

And just a note, I am a 24yr old woman who is coming down there by myself. So if any other women have ventured to the Country by themselves and have any tips for me that would be a great help to!!!

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You really need to read some of the blogs, especially this one.

Sunnie is a twenty-something year old woman, that coincidentally, moved to Puerto Plata about 6 months ago.

To get the full flavor of her adventure, you need to read it in reverse order. The first entry appears last.

myra77 said:

Hi Everyone,

I'm planning on moving down to Puerto Plata this late April for four months.

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Do you mean the city of Puerto Plata, or the area?
If it is right in POP, then Sunnie & Planner might have a lot of advice for you, and as mentioned above, you could visit the blogs.
If you mean that you are flying into POP and staying in Sosua or Cabarete, that would be completely different.
Do you already have a job ligned up, or looking for one?
Are you moving here for reasons of love?

The more details we know, the more we can answer you, otherwise, one could write a book, bigger than the NYC phone book, and still only have scratched the surface.

Most of the answers to your questions with be inside of you, not by knowing what other people have done, or not done.

If you have just spent a week here, and deside to make a longer adventure, take this time to explore, to learn to live in the new culture.
The love you feel for DR right now, is great and understandable, but it is all externally imposed excitements...i.e the sun, the palmtrees, smiling locals, a drink or two, music, luxury of a hotel etc etc...
It is not the real life.

You are young, come and explore and get to know the real society.
Make sure your heart does not control your head, have some money set aside for living, and learn as you go.

Tips:

Live in Cabarete or Sosua rather than the city of Puerto Plata

Buy and study Spanish courses on cd and in books before you come. If you don't speak Spanish, you're missing all the good parts of Dominican culture. Plus, you're much more employable with Spanish than without.

Join the gym.

Bring enough money that you don't have to work. Then get a job. If you can't find a job, volunteer for something. Not only will it keep you busy, but you'll meet people outside of the bars.

Be SURE to get medical insurance with whatever job you get. Failing that, get traveller's insurance. (Rich from Tours, Trips, Treks and Travel seems to have a good rate going 4tdomrep.com)

Don't date anyone until you settle in a bit. Strange advice, I know, but the first people you meet and consider dating are generally the first for a reason - thye're vultures. Get settled in and figure out who's who before getting known as the girl who was sleeping with the slimeyest guy in town. (note: there are a lot of ex-pats as slimey or more so than any Dominican 'sanky'). It's a small community with lots of interesting people, all of whom will know what you're up to almost before you do.

Take lots of pictures.

If you find yourself in a bar on the side of the road at 2PM on a Tuesday listening to a bunch of foreigners 3 beers into a 9 beer day talking about how lazy Dominicans are, you're in the wrong place, and sitting with the wrong people.

Above all, have fun. So many people move here because they fell in love wiht the place, but end up working crazy hours for no money which leaves them no time or money to enjoy the things that brought them here in the first place. If you're working in a bar until 5AM 5 nights a week, how much time do you have left for the things that brought you here? Unless you're making serious coin (which as a 24-year old first-timer you most definitely will not), you should invest as much energy in filling your non-working hours as your working hours.

Free advice, so if you don't take it, you don't get your money back.

Best of luck!

joe

If you like to live like the expats with the mentality "I don't care what people think of me....i will do what ever I please and socialize with whomever...." then Puerto plata and sosua is perfect for you. You will fit in just fine. But if you want to see the real dominican republic, get out of tourist places and learn to live with the real dominicans, see the culture and this is how you will learn to speak real educated dominican spanish.
Sosua and puerto plata is looked down upon by decent dominicans. This is the reason why no rich educated domincians are seen in sosua or puerto plata, living or vacationing. You only see village people come in huge buses and tear the beach down on weekends. You will see cheap lowlife dom yorks tigres come in rented jeeps blasting loud music and cruising town with chopas. These places are considered the toilet of DR.
Now many expats will disagree with me on that issue but then again, they don't know any decent dominicans to begin with. Yes, there are some well to do dominicans living in bayardo (spelling) and torre alto but they will not become your friends.
AZB

Pingu said:

You say you were in Puerto Plata for 4 months. I want to teach you some Dominican equations.

Puerto Plata+Tourisim+Expats+Hookers+Chopo(a)s= A Pretty crappy place to live unless you want to get laid by some grillo.

If you're 24, you have absolutely no business seriously considering residing in Puerto Plata fulltime. Puerto Plata has become such that not even rich Dominicans go there often. Too many Expats and their fat, hairy, Presidente induced pot bellies hanging 20 feet over their swimming trousers. If you're the type that like to party nightly or atleast 3 times a week, choose The Capital. If you only like to go out on the weekends and be in a nice quite area with access to most "Americanized" items, choose Santiago.

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Glad you have no interest in moving to Puerto Plata. One less .........(deleted for sake of decorum, read his previous posts)...that we have to deal with.

HOWMAR said:

Glad you have no interest in moving to Puerto Plata. One less .........(deleted for sake of decorum, read his previous posts)...that we have to deal with.

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Im still trying to figure out this part.
"Puerto Plata+Tourisim+Expats+Hookers+Chopo(a)s= A Pretty crappy place to live unless you want to get laid by some grillo."
Get laid by some cricket?

AZB said:

Yes, there are some well to do dominicans living in bayardo (spelling) and torre alto but they will not become your friends.
AZB

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Why is this?

Speak for yourself, Aftab. I have "decent" friends in Torre Alto, even by your standards.

If an expat who lives in POP chooses to act like a lowlife then no, they probably won't know too many decent folks and will probably hang out with the motoconcho crowd.

But for those of us who have adapted to the culture, and not expected the culture to accomodate us, it's been easy to make good friends with respectable people.

I have been conversing with the OP, Myra, on a regular basis for a few weeks. I am trying to line up employment for her and have also tried to give her advice about life in the DR for a 20-something female which is something you cannot do just as I cannot give sound advice to a middle-aged man who wants to move to Santiago.

I can most assuredly say that she is a mature young lady and has a good head on her shoulders.

I made a couple of mistakes when I first came here, especially regarding my choice of friends, so the least I can do is try to help someone else and draw from experience based upon my own gaffes.

It's no secret that I can't stand foreign girls my age who come down here and act like idiots. These girls are ridiculous and do nothing but make life harder for those of us who live here and strive for nothing less than normalcy. I know that Myra will most likely not fall into this category.

I think your comment that "they will not become your friends" was a bit out of line. You know nothing about this girl nor who her friends will be.

Why do you seem to think that you're the only foreigner who includes doctors, lawyers and teachers in your circle of friends?

Pretentious, pretentious, pretentious...

Have a wonderful day

:classic:

HOWMAR said:

Glad you have no interest in moving to Puerto Plata. One less .........(deleted for sake of decorum, read his previous posts)...that we have to deal with.

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Come on Martin - don't lump all of us into the same group. I know that you're not a shortsighted person so I'll forgive you for that comment.

sunshine_79 said:

Come on Martin - don't lump all of us into the same group. I know that you're not a shortsighted person so I'll forgive you for that comment.

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Don't forgive me, I don't want to deal with him or his likes. You of course can feel free to go ahead.:surprised

HOWMAR said:

Don't forgive me, I don't want to deal with him or his likes. You of course can feel free to go ahead.:surprised

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Martin, noooo! This isn't a cube libra guzzling, UBH chaser who wants to move here, it's a girl around my age.

A nice girl at that!

:classic:

sunshine_79 said:

Martin, noooo! This isn't a cube libra guzzling, UBH chaser who wants to move here, it's a girl around my age.

A nice girl at that!

:classic:

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If you reread my original post, I was referrring to Pingu and his attitude towards us who have decided to live in Puerto Plata.

pingu said:

Puerto Plata+Tourisim+Expats+Hookers+Chopo(a)s= A Pretty crappy place to live unless you want to get laid by some grillo.

If you're 24, you have absolutely no business seriously considering residing in Puerto Plata fulltime. Puerto Plata has become such that not even rich Dominicans go there often. Too many Expats and their fat, hairy, Presidente induced pot bellies hanging 20 feet over their swimming trousers

Click to expand...

The "you" I was referring to was pingu, who thankfully has no interest in moving to Puerto Plata. Also, referred to his previous posts. Hope I cleared this up.

HOWMAR said:

If you reread my original post, I was referrring to Pingu and his attitude towards us who have decided to live in Puerto Plata.



The "you" I was referring to was pingu, who thankfully has no interest in moving to Puerto Plata. Also, referred to his previous posts. Hope I cleared this up.

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Oh, I see. Then I apologize. I thought you were referring to something entirely different.

I knew it didn't sound like you.

Sorry, my dear. :classic:

sunshine_79 said:

Why is this?

Speak for yourself, Aftab. I have "decent" friends in Torre Alto, even by your standards.

If an expat who lives in POP chooses to act like a lowlife then no, they probably won't know too many decent folks and will probably hang out with the motoconcho crowd.

But for those of us who have adapted to the culture, and not expected the culture to accomodate us, it's been easy to make good friends with respectable people.

I have been conversing with the OP, Myra, on a regular basis for a few weeks. I am trying to line up employment for her and have also tried to give her advice about life in the DR for a 20-something female which is something you cannot do just as I cannot give sound advice to a middle-aged man who wants to move to Santiago.

I can most assuredly say that she is a mature young lady and has a good head on her shoulders.

I made a couple of mistakes when I first came here, especially regarding my choice of friends, so the least I can do is try to help someone else and draw from experience based upon my own gaffes.

It's no secret that I can't stand foreign girls my age who come down here and act like idiots. These girls are ridiculous and do nothing but make life harder for those of us who live here and strive for nothing less than normalcy. I know that Myra will most likely not fall into this category.

I think your comment that "they will not become your friends" was a bit out of line. You know nothing about this girl nor who her friends will be.

Why do you seem to think that you're the only foreigner who includes doctors, lawyers and teachers in your circle of friends?

Pretentious, pretentious, pretentious...

Have a wonderful day

:classic:

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Sunnie, you still are a green pea. You still have a lot to learn. So stop talking and start listening to people like us. We didn't lose our hair sitting under the sun. I have lived 2 plus years in POP and I know what I saw and see how expats behave. You are no different. You choose to mingle with police guys and ride behind motoconchos, thats your choice. Please don't even consider these folk the high end of dominican society. You are still a little blond girl, so keep learning. Life can be very long and difficult if one is stupid.
AZB

AZB:

Why the hate?

Oh and:

"Now many expats will disagree with me on that issue but then again, they don't know any decent dominicans to begin with".

I disagree and know many decent dominicans in Sosua and Cabarete. While there are a lot of lowlifes hanging out in the evenings, they're not limited to Dominicans. Also, the majority of Dominicans who live in Sosua and Cabarete work for a living and are proud to take money home to their families. The hookers and such generally (although not always) come in from elsewhere.

Maybe our definition of 'decent' is different. If by 'decent', you mean 'rich' or 'from a good family' or whatever, then it's true -- you'll find a lot more rich dominicans from 'good' families in Santiago or Santo Domingo. And you'll find a lot of their kids in Cabarete on the weekends pretending their parent's money makes them better than everyone else. I find the working class dominicans around here to be far and away more 'decent' that the hijos de papo y mami privando en bueno we see so much of on the weekends.

Cheers!

Joe
1987-2006 and counting

joecanada said:

AZB:

Why the hate?

Oh and:

"Now many expats will disagree with me on that issue but then again, they don't know any decent dominicans to begin with".

I disagree and know many decent dominicans in Sosua and Cabarete. While there are a lot of lowlifes hanging out in the evenings, they're not limited to Dominicans. Also, the majority of Dominicans who live in Sosua and Cabarete work for a living and are proud to take money home to their families. The hookers and such generally (although not always) come in from elsewhere.

Maybe our definition of 'decent' is different. If by 'decent', you mean 'rich' or 'from a good family' or whatever, then it's true -- you'll find a lot more rich dominicans from 'good' families in Santiago or Santo Domingo. And you'll find a lot of their kids in Cabarete on the weekends pretending their parent's money makes them better than everyone else. I find the working class dominicans around here to be far and away more 'decent' that the hijos de papo y mami privando en bueno we see so much of on the weekends.

Cheers!

Joe
1987-2006 and counting

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By decent I don't always mean rich. the dominicans I know do not socialize with people who ride around in motoconchos. They don't date jobless studs from streets or invite street police types to their home. The white women who mix with these types are not welcomed in society. This is all a fact and any decent dominican or a foreigner who lives among decent dominican society folks won't disagree with me on these issues. Just mention the word sosua, boca chica and puerto plata among people from society and see what kind of responses you will get.
The folks who live in bayardo or torre alto (mind you there are some chopos living in torre alto as well), will not socialize with expats who are married to sankies or jobless studs or some security guard type person. This is no rocket science and there is nothing to be confused about, its all simple concept.
we can all beat around the bush all day but in the end, society domincians from all over dominicans republiuc look down upon sosua, boca chica and puerto plata. this is a fact.
AZB

AZB said:

Sunnie, you still are a green pea. You still have a lot to learn. So stop talking and start listening to people like us. We didn't lose our hair sitting under the sun. I have lived 2 plus years in POP and I know what I saw and see how expats behave. You are no different. You choose to mingle with police guys and ride behind motoconchos, thats your choice. Please don't even consider these folk the high end of dominican society. You are still a little blond girl, so keep learning. Life can be very long and difficult if one is stupid.
AZB

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When did I ever say that motoconcho drivers and policemen are the high end of Dominican society? Never. Did I not mention the Big Three - doctors, lawyers and teachers?

Just because I happen to have a university educated boyfriend - hey, he's white, too - that has been doing police work for 16 years does not mean that I mingle with "police guys". In fact, my BF is the only law enforcement person I even know here or care to know. If you happened to read some other posts I made regarding the police force here, you would see that I do not think very highly of them and I definitely don't socialize or mingle with them.

If you think that all 20-something foreign girls are low class then I suggest you speak with someone who knows me before you make such a hasty generalization.

And if you believe someone who rides on a motoconcho as opposed to sitting in traffic in a sweaty, cramped guagua or taxi is low class, then fine. I'm interested in getting to where I need to go in a hurry so motoconchos are most feasible for me. And besides, with the oil crisis the world is facing looming over our heads, I think it's an more earth-friendly choice. If it is stupid to be ecologically considerate then that is just fine and dandy.

While you and I have met before, there is absolutely no way you have the insight into my life and persona to even think about calling me just a "little blonde girl" who doesn't know anything. On the contrary, I've learned a lot since I've been here, some of that knowledge steming from my own mistakes, and am more than happy to give advice to the original poster.

My advice is not the gospel, it's merely my opinion, but I think my comunications with Myra are probably going to be a lot more helpful than the stereotypical judgments she receives from 40-something year old men who don't know anything about being a young female.

If giving advice to not pay in advance for an apartment in Munoz, to not befriend any tourism workers and to keep a low profile is giving bad advice then I would like to know what "good" advice is.

I'm aware that life is long and difficult, more so if one happens to be stupid, and I sincerely hope you are not categorizing me as such. Yes, I've made some mistakes here but you can best bet that I've never made the same one twice.

Stupidity, to me, is not learning from mistakes - which we all make - even you. We're all only human, after all. Intelligence includes learning from our bad choices and mishaps and incorporating said knowledge into our every day lives.

Call me what you like but I consider myself to be the latter, not the former. Why do you always write things that make me feel like I have to defend myself? Do you really think I am some simpering little idiot? I hope not.

And to Myra, the OP - this is what I was telling you about in that last email. Because you're a 20-something foreign woman, you will ALWAYS get flak for living in the DR. A lot of people are really one-dimensional and will judge you harshly, no matter what. They have "perfection" syndrome, always do everything perfectly and never, ever make mistakes.

They cannot fathom that there are plenty of smart, educated and beautiful young women from other countries. Unfortunately, this fact will always be overshadowed by all of the white women who come down here and run around like drunken idiots, sleeping with every resort worker who comes along. Because of these women, ladies such as yourself and I, will always have an uphill battle.

Keep a low profile, don't act like a tourist and hold your head up high. Act like a lady at all times and you'll be treated as one - by most people. Anyone who is shallow enough to deem you "trash" because you have white skin is not worth listening to.