A question to all expats

indiana16

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Jan 5, 2006
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I have met foreigners that get homesick when they are in a foreign land. They have verbalized feelings of wanting to go back to their country of origin. These are my questions to all the expats; After living in DR for the time that you have, do you feel that you want to leave DR and return to live in your country of origin? or do you plan to live in DR permanently now?
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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Anybody who feels homesick, does not feel at home here.
I would feel homesick for the DR, if I left.
As long as the status quo does not change dramatically, I intend on being here 'till my dying days.
 

DominicanScotty

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I agree with Rocky on that

I still do not live in the DR fulltime. I plan to do so very soon for about 6-10 months out of each year only to return to the states to invest in a real estate project or two. If I was to ever feel as if I did not want to stay in the DR I would simply buy a ticket and fly out. Who the heck feels homesick and wants to leave but they don't? Jeeeezuz!

I love it there and whenever I am there whether it is for a short stay or for a couple of months I just love it, love it, love it!!! As Marco said, until the day comes when I feel othewise I call this place (the DR) home and the other place (NY) a place where I work, sleep, eat and %$#*. I start thinking about the DR as soon as I get through the door of my house in NY.

I know of a few people (whom I will keep to myself) that have no choice but to stay in the DR. This question is not directed at them. So I will ask again. What person feels 'stuck' enough to be homesick and does not return to their origin???

I am editing this a little bit because I am not directly answering the OP's post. I am also not intending to offend anyone either. However, I know of people that feel "trapped" in the DR and just don't understand why?

Well???
 
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ColoradoGirl

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Jan 30, 2005
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LOVE IT HERE! Not going back for good. DR has captured me. I would think that one reason people do not leave is because its so expensive to move back. Especially if you have your house hold belongings to crate as well.

I do think some expats come here with a mentality of living like Kings when they have not much money to live on. They become homesick quickly and want to go home to the rat race. Telling themselves... "I am young and WANT to work"
 

NALs

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Jan 20, 2003
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DominicanScotty said:
I know of a few people (whom I will keep to myself) that have no choice but to stay in the DR. This question is not directed at them. So I will ask again. What person feels 'stuck' enough to be homesick and does not return to their origin???

However, I know of people that feel "trapped" in the DR and just don't understand why?

Well???
Have you ever heard the saying "defeat is only true if you believe it!"

I suppose the same "concept" can be applied to this situation. Some people may feel "stuck" to be homesick and does not return to their origin because they believe that they are stuck!

Every year there are plenty of people who leave the Dominican Republic for other lands either legal or illegally, people with not a dime on their name and yet they find the money for the journey.

It's also true of many people who find themselves moving to the Dominican Republic year after year, some take the plunge with careful calculations of their finances, risk tolerance, etc while others simply hop on the plane and off they go.

My point?

If a person truly wants to do something, there is only ONE thing that can get in his/her way and that ONE thing is him/herself!

Anyone who doubts this, simply look around. Plenty of people who would qualify for being "stuck" in a place due to economics or other reasons, and yet when they want to go, they go! One way or another, they go!

People only have themselves to blame for their successes and failures.

-NALs
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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I've been here 20 years and never once thought I wanted to go back to the US to live.
 

Eddy

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It's a great place to live but I need to get out 2 or 3 times a year. Reasons, there are many, to touch base with friends and family, EAT GOOD FOOD, keep in touch with competent and respectfull people, drive on decent roads, get away from the noise and many many more. After 4 months I long to get out of the DR and go back to the civilized country. After 3 days there I long come back. Go figure.
 

DominicanScotty

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Jun 12, 2004
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This is how I feel

Eddy said:
It's a great place to live but I need to get out 2 or 3 times a year. Reasons, there are many, to touch base with friends and family, EAT GOOD FOOD, keep in touch with competent and respectfull people, drive on decent roads, get away from the noise and many many more. After 4 months I long to get out of the DR and go back to the civilized country. After 3 days there I long come back. Go figure.

Leave when you feel you have to/need to/want to leave, whether it is business or personal reasons and then you will appreciate what it is that attracted you to this country in the first place!
 

AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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I am with eddy on this one. I love living here but every once in a while I get the urge to leave and see the civilization for a change ex: visit my family in atlanta or dine at nice restaurants in NY, feel the winter for a day etc. Then after 3 days, I simply want to return to my little santiago.
The trick is to make enough money to stay above inflation, have money to travel and keep up with the jones next door. Its far easier in DR than in USA, because you don't need so much.
I usually buy electronic items from usa and clothes. The rest I buy here. the food is almost all dominican items. I like the fruits here, all organic and cheap.
My car is old so no monthly payments and no high insurance, small engine so 500 pesos gets me by a whole week. I don't drink alot so no heavy drinking expenses. I rarely eat out in expensive restaurants because I don't think they are worth the cost. I save my money for NY and spend on food there. I get a bigger bang on my bucks there than in DR on restaurant food. If I need to eat good meat, I do my own BBQ at home.
I need very little to be happy in DR. I have my toys so I stay busy. The best money I ever spent in this country is when I bought an inverter and 4 batteries. This alone made my life much easier. The rest is just luxury.
AZB
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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The longer time I spend in the DR, the more I go for the AZB advice (excluding all the women stuff!)... Somehow one gets by with less. And this is a good thing. There is no 'drive' to have a better car, more 'stuff' or more 'things'. Somehow if you have the basics covered and you live comfortably, the rest just disappears. A movie or DVD now and again, of course lots of books.. and life is good. Because, you can simply sit on a corner and see life go by. There is never ever 'nothing' to do here, and there is no push to do better all the time. And no-one is paid to amuse you. So you either live simply, or you become unhappy!
 

indiana16

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Jan 5, 2006
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DominicanScotty said:
I still do not live in the DR fulltime. I plan to do so very soon for about 6-10 months out of each year only to return to the states to invest in a real estate project or two. If I was to ever feel as if I did not want to stay in the DR I would simply buy a ticket and fly out. Who the heck feels homesick and wants to leave but they don't? Jeeeezuz!

I love it there and whenever I am there whether it is for a short stay or for a couple of months I just love it, love it, love it!!! As Marco said, until the day comes when I feel othewise I call this place (the DR) home and the other place (NY) a place where I work, sleep, eat and %$#*. I start thinking about the DR as soon as I get through the door of my house in NY.

Interestingly enough I feel the same way. When I return to NY I keep thinking about DR.
 

indiana16

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Jan 5, 2006
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Rocky said:
Anybody who feels homesick, does not feel at home here.
I would feel homesick for the DR, if I left.
As long as the status quo does not change dramatically, I intend on being here 'till my dying days.


are you a senior citizen?
 

indiana16

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Jan 5, 2006
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ColoradoGirl said:
LOVE IT HERE! Not going back for good. DR has captured me. I would think that one reason people do not leave is because its so expensive to move back. Especially if you have your house hold belongings to crate as well.

I do think some expats come here with a mentality of living like Kings when they have not much money to live on. They become homesick quickly and want to go home to the rat race. Telling themselves... "I am young and WANT to work"

what has kept you from not telling yourself " I am young and want to work.?
 

Willie

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Sep 30, 2004
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AZB said:
I am with eddy on this one. I love living here but every once in a while I get the urge to leave and see the civilization for a change ex: visit my family in atlanta or dine at nice restaurants in NY, feel the winter for a day etc. Then after 3 days, I simply want to return to my little santiago.
The trick is to make enough money to stay above inflation, have money to travel and keep up with the jones next door. Its far easier in DR than in USA, because you don't need so much.
I usually buy electronic items from usa and clothes. The rest I buy here. the food is almost all dominican items. I like the fruits here, all organic and cheap.
My car is old so no monthly payments and no high insurance, small engine so 500 pesos gets me by a whole week. I don't drink alot so no heavy drinking expenses. I rarely eat out in expensive restaurants because I don't think they are worth the cost. I save my money for NY and spend on food there. I get a bigger bang on my bucks there than in DR on restaurant food. If I need to eat good meat, I do my own BBQ at home.
I need very little to be happy in DR. I have my toys so I stay busy. The best money I ever spent in this country is when I bought an inverter and 4 batteries. This alone made my life much easier. The rest is just luxury.
AZB


This is the best I have heard from you AZB. You are complex, many facets.
I think this post sums up my feelings on the topic.

Willie
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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indiana16 said:
just curious why you never thought about going to the US live?

1. I like the weather and the people here. I'm comfortable here in many ways.

2. I live much better here on our limited income than would be possible in the US. Here I don't pay school and state taxes, I don't have to have a car, etc.

3. I feel old in the US, but not here. This is even more important now that I am 20 years older than I was when I came, but it has always been a factor. People in the US look old, walk old, etc. Age is not a consideration here and I'm convinced that life here helps to counteract thje effects of increasing calendar years.

4. Recent advances in technology have done wonders with respect to keeping in touch with anybody I want to keep in touch with at home. My sons have webcams and skype on their computer and we can talk free for hours and see each other while doing so. No different than being in the same room having a conversation.

What reason could I possibly have for going back to the US to live?