Englishwoman in Republic
I'm moving from England to Sosua next month with my partner and 2 girls (4yrs and 20mths).
Admittedly, the choice has been easier for us because we have relatives living here. However, please don't think you're mad by wanting something different for your family. I've been unhappy with life in England for a long time and don't want my children to grow up there. Many people I know in England feel the same, but for various reasons (family connections, lack of funds, fear etc) will never make the move and possibly always live with that regret. I don't know what the future holds for us, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared when I'm lying in bed at night thinking about the move.....but hey, change is what life's all about, and it keeps the adrenalin flowing.
My girls love it on the coast in the DR. They adore being in the water and my oldest has had no problem integrating with the Dominican children we've met. She started picking up bits of Spanish quickly anyway, as children are quick to learn. There never is any language barrier with children. Ontop of that the Dominican people absolutely adore children and they're much more welcome in public places than they are back in England! I think it's great that the girls will be learning Spanish as they grow. I'll be sending them to the Garden Kids School in Sosua as it's the one that I liked the feel of best (look up their web site and it'll give you a feel of what the education system's like if that's what you're worried about).
Obviously, it depends on your individual circumstances if moving to the DR would be right for you or not. We've wanted to move abroad for a long time. I always wanted my children to grow up with an `outdoor life', their grandparents already live here and their father is an experienced diver. We're also reasonably financially secure. All I would say is, a move like that is best done when your children are young, whatever your circumstances. I know from speaking to others, that as children get older and move through the school system in England, there will be more and more reasons to `put things off' and before you know it, you'll be retiring and wondering what happened to your life......No pressure! lol
Good luck with your decision. I'll keep you posted.