How to tap in to the expat scene in Santo Domingo

just look for everyone who doesn't look dominican....easy huh ?

Depends on your age and interests. You could join the Helen Kellogg library, the Santo Domingo Little Theatre English speaking drama group, DR1 get togethers (there's one in January, time and place tbc). I can't think of any particular bars or clubs where you're likely to meet gringos. There are organisations like the International Women's Club but I take it from your nick that you don't qualify...

JasonR said:

I would like to do some socialising with English speaking expats.

Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

Maybe it has just been the places I have been to but I have yet to find an English speaking establishment. I know Sosua has a few bars where 98% of the conversations are in English. So far I have not found anything like that in SDO.

bigbird said:

Maybe it has just been the places I have been to but I have yet to find an English speaking establishment. I know Sosua has a few bars where 98% of the conversations are in English. So far I have not found anything like that in SDO.

Click to expand...

Since Santo Domingo is not a tourist town per se, very unlikely you'll find something like that.

Jason: Another idea would be if you have some time maybe you could teach a day or two at The ICDA. There you'll meet some ex pats as well as a lot of English speaking Dominicans.

IMO hanging out with other ex pats will only slow down your learning of Spanish and make it harder for you to assimilate to the culture. I think you're much better off jumping right into the Dominican community and making the effort to try to speak Spanish. It will be hard at first, but within a few months you should should be pretty fluent.

suarezn said:

IMO hanging out with other ex pats will only slow down your learning of Spanish and make it harder for you to assimilate to the culture. I think you're much better off jumping right into the Dominican community and making the effort to try to speak Spanish. It will be hard at first, but within a few months you should should be pretty fluent.

Click to expand...

I totally agree. My initial trips were to Sosua and Boca Chica where you can easily get by not knowing a word of Spanish. My first trip to Santo Domingo was a rude awakening. It became crystal clear that is was time to sign up for Spanish 101.

You can try the Steak House Cafe.. Its styled after an American THemed sports bar, similar to a TGIFridays...while it's not an ex-pat hangout per se' there are alot of 20 and 30 something, english speaking Dominicans there, trying to "act" American

Try internet pages like myspace.

We are meeting on Monday 1/15 in Santo Domingo - Theres a thread about it. We will most likely speak English that night...

(I still dont know how to copy a link to a post - sorry didnt get that lesson in college ;o)