Living In DR

jventura

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Aug 28, 2006
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Hi Iam a single mother of two living in the US, my mother lives in Tamboril Santiago and would like me to go and live with her.
I have been considering the posabity of living there the only thing that Iam affraid is for my kids school and a good job for myself, I have lived in the US for all my life and this would be a big change.
I need help and info

Thank you I would gladly appreciate all the help.
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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The DR economy is not kind to single mothers :ermm: There are very few support structures of the kind that you are used to. Having lived in the US, you probably can get a better job with speaking both languages, but you will still earn very little money. The public school system is difficult, to say the least.

Maybe you could consider getting your mother to visit you regularly, or for your mother to live with you in the US?
 

jventura

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Aug 28, 2006
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Thank you so much for you suggestion, my mother dont like US because of health problems and also Iam having financial problem with everything being so high price in the US.
any other suggestion in this case.
Thanks
 

Rick Snyder

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Nov 19, 2003
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As a single mother having always lived in the US I?m almost positive that you will find living here in the DR rather difficult.

You did not state if you would be living with your mother in Tamboril or if you would be looking for a place to rent. If renting is the path you must take then the expense of that will have to be included with the prices you have been quoted in your other posts concerning private schooling for your children.

You also didn?t state if you had taught your children Spanish or if they only speak English. If they also speak Spanish then the free public school system is an option. If they don?t then that is not an option.

I also noticed that you have inquired in other threads about a job and I don?t know if you have received any personal responses to them. Employment for the average Dominican is rather difficult with wages far below what is realized in the US and unless you are prepared to live like an average Dominican I would think it would be difficult to survive here.

I?m sorry I can?t paint a rosy picture for you but that?s the way it is here. The difference of living here and in the US is like the difference of night and day if you don?t have the necessary funds to insure a US type of livelihood.

I would think that the advice supplied by Chris is something you should consider. What ever decision you make insure that the welfare of your children comes first and please don?t take offense at that statement because I?m not implying that you as a mother wouldn?t. It?s just something that, as a parent, just automatically comes out of my mouth.. Good luck to you.

Rick
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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jventura: No va a ser fácil.

-A lot depends on talents you may possess. For example there is a Zona Franca in Tamboril. It is run by the Bermúdez family. Good operation.
-There are several cigar companies there also, but the pay is not that good, although better than average.
-The fact that you know English is a plus, and there are plenty of telemarketing jobs opening up.

Depending on just how much Spanish the children know may or may not play a big role in what you do. If they know Spanish, then they can go to a fairly good "colegio", and have a better chance at going to a good university, either here or there.
If they do not have any Spanish but are very young, then they can pick it up fast here. If they are teens, then you will have a problem since English language schools are pretty expensive.

I wonder why you cannot get enough welfare, child care and other social assistance to get by with a decent, if modest, job in the States. Or, if you just want to oblige your Mom by living here. Think about it. It is a major decision that will affect your children a lot. It can be done but only with a lot of hard work and planning.

HB
 

jventura

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Aug 28, 2006
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Thanks Rick yes like you just said my children are first and yes I'll be living with my mother so that will not be a problem, my kids speak english but a little spanish but Iam looking for a private school.
 

jventura

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Aug 28, 2006
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Thank you Hillbily for you advice I see what Rick, Chris and yourself are saying the only problem living in the US, yes you do have a lots of opportunity but there?s no life I live to work and pay my bill like any where else I know but in order for me to spend time with my kid I need to stop working two jobs I can afford to do.

I?m trying to get a living and opportunity for me and especially for my kid
that's why I?m looking for your ideas and I appreciate all the help

If I move to DR I believe that all I have to work is for my daily living and a good school for my children?s
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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If this was me ... If I was in the US with two young children, I would not even contemplate moving back home. Your opportunities with your children are much greater in the US. Although people that have posted in this thread love it here in the DR, we either have strong families, or we are not in dire financial straits. Investigate every opportunity that there is for you in the US and try and make enough money to pay for your mom to visit you.

Whatever you do, please make no decision before you have not visited here for at least a month, to check out the situation.
 

Rick Snyder

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Nov 19, 2003
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Before we go any further with advice let me ask you some more questions so that we may get a better picture of the situation;

1. When was the last time you were here?

2. Is your normal diet consist of rice every day or you potatoes people?

3. What part of the US do you live?

Answer those and I'll be back to you.

Rick
 
G

gary short

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What the hell difference does it make whether she eats potatoes or rice.
 

jventura

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Aug 28, 2006
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Well no i dont eat rice or potatoes only i like good meals!
I live in massachusetts.
and the last time I was there in July 06 for one month
 

Rick Snyder

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Nov 19, 2003
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Thank you Jventura for the answers to my questions. As we didn?t have much information on you it was difficult to advise you.

The reason that I asked about the last time you were here was to see if you are familiar to the way life is lived here and with your answer then obviously you do so we don?t need to waste time trying to explain that to you. With that answer we don?t need to explain about the lack of electricity and running water and the necessity to drink bottled water as an example.

Having been to the DR recently to visit your mother then there is no need to explain the role that rice plays here and how potatoes, which most Americans treat as a staple, are not used as a staple here and amount per portion of potatoes with its price make it non-economical to use as a staple.

As you have presently been here then there is no reason to explain what the weather is like here and therefore it makes no difference as to where you are in the states and it would be a waste of my time to explain how hot it is here.

Having said all that and by reading your prior posts here then I would suggest that you heed what Hillbilly said in his prior post. As he lives in Santiago he knows what he is talking about for that area.

Now that I know that you know the conditions here then I will bow out of this conversation.

Sorry.

Rick
 

jventura

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Aug 28, 2006
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Than you rick I know life in Dr are is very different from US and there's alot of people out there that put DR like there's no future,but I belive that you just need to work hard in life.

Thank You so much for your input I keep those in mind.
 

A.Hidalgo

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Apr 28, 2006
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Just wondering what advise the op was looking for. It seems to me that she knows the place pretty well already. One thing she has going is no rent to pay if mother owns home.
 

duhtree

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Jun 2, 2003
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Her problem as stated: she is economically challenged. Poor. Single mom + 2 children + 2 jobs = no time for LIFE for herself and/or children. Solution seems to be moving to D.R. working 2 jobs to pay for schooling + living with mother. All to be economically challenged again and poor.
I believe she is asking for an alternative plan, dispassionate thinking by others that may offer a solution. Well, at least, she won't have winters to worry about. You know, that seasonal siht probably takes up 25% of her income. It's expensive to be warm. Moving to a warmer climate, in the states, might provide some light for her darkness. John
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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Hi Iam a single mother of two living in the US, my mother lives in Tamboril Santiago and would like me to go and live with her.
I have been considering the posabity of living there the only thing that Iam affraid is for my kids school and a good job for myself, I have lived in the US for all my life and this would be a big change.
I need help and info

Thank you I would gladly appreciate all the help.
Reading your post and the responses that were created leaves me wondering a few things:

1. Why would your mother want for you to live near her?

2. Does your mother knows anyone with the slightest access to power? (ie. police, military, prominent business person, knows someone who has connections, etc)

3. Do you really want to make this move or are you giving your mother's suggestion a much higher priority over your own opinion?

4. Have you discussed this with your kids? Regardless if they are very young or young adult, talk to them about the possibility of moving to the DR and simply listen and see how they react to the idea. It would be wise to ask them while on a trip to the DR to see if they can see themselves living there. This should give you an idea of how open your kids may be to this change.

The DR is a great country with plenty of things to offer, both good and bad, but only if you know how to gain access to these goodies. I know alot of people (some family and others simply acquaintances) who live in the DR (mostly Moca, Santiago, La Vega, and Santo Domingo and a couple in Puerto Plata). Some of them are professionals and live a very comfortable lifestyles. Others are experts in their respective fields but not professionals per se, work for multinational companies and are living very comfortably. Then there are those who are retired and again, living well either from their own financial plan or living off remittances from their kids and extended family. A single denominator that is present in all of them includes: 1. good connections, 2. Have an expertise in a particular field (ie. accountants, doctors, civil engineering, etc), and 3. has an extended family that is able and quick to react to any financial or emotional trauma that may suddenly arise.

Think two, three, and four times before making such a radical move. This holds true not just for moving from one country to the DR, but in reality applies to all places.

Good luck!

-NALs
 

A.Hidalgo

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Apr 28, 2006
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JVENTURA

Take a breath and think things through more carefully. Because of your financial status here in the states going to the DR you will be going back two steps. You should consider children's opinion. For them this will be a shock. School system is totally different than in the states. In the states you have more of a safety net be it financial,educational, medical, social services.

In the opinion of all here they are indicating for you to be very cautious of this move. Heed their advice. Ultimately its you life and family and the decision is your's .
 
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