not a good idea

AmyH

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Dec 5, 2006
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Someone my family know wrote this what is your take on it?

" I'm not sure it is a good idea.
Hope I don't sound negative but a few things come to mind immediately.
1) They hire locals for these type of position (pay is not very good).
2) To legally work here you must have a residencia (cost about $USD2,000, plus takes minimum 3 months to get)
3) Where will she rent an apt.? There is nothing at all in this area.
4) If she chooses to live in Puerto Plata (not much other options), it would be very unwise for a single white girl to do so especially if she is coming here by herself.
I've seen this many times over the years where gringos just come here without much (or any in this case) planning and it never seems to work out and sometimes gets ugly.
I came here 3 times on holidays first (a total of 2 months spent here) before I decided to move here."
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Sounds pretty accurate.
You should maybe talk to "Carina" about any moves you are planning. Also Lambada or BushBaby know a lot about Puerto Plata,and Ken, Rocky and Eddy and Planner know a whole lot about Sos?a and the general area. they know about jobs, living expenses and such things...a few PMs sent their way might save you a lot of headaches.

HB
 

marliejaneca

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Oct 7, 2003
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4) If she chooses to live in Puerto Plata (not much other options), it would be very unwise for a single white girl to do so especially if she is coming here by herself.
I can't entirely agree with this statement as I moved to the DR by myself, it just proves to be more of a challenge, making the appropriate friends is the key.


I've seen this many times over the years where gringos just come here without much (or any in this case) planning and it never seems to work out and sometimes gets ugly.
True, but some people are just not cut out for this type of life, to paint all gringos with the same brush is wrong. It is the attitude and personality of the individual moving that make the difference between disaster or success. Mind you, it is unadvisable to move here with "nothing", you must always have enough to carry you through any bad times, and there will be, there is no doubt about that. In this day and age, a plan in motion is a very smart move, as opposed to 14 years ago when I made the move and you could basically fly by the seat of your pants! LOL Mind you, I had a job my second day and that came from carefully planning my days, pounding the pavement, and a determination not to fail.


I came here 3 times on holidays first (a total of 2 months spent here) before I decided to move here."
Very good advice - but not holidays in an AI. I travelled twice before I moved, but had already made "gringo" contacts from the first two trips, kept in touch, and learned the ropes through them - some good ropes, some bad, mind you! I did my research by asking questions until I was blue in the face, I walked POP until I had blisters, and questioned everyone I came upon, to get all the different viewpoints. I considered my second trip a "working holiday", so I could go home and make a rational decision, not a rum-based, sun-soaked, rose-coloured glassess kind of decision. Not to say, I didn't still make mistakes while I was there, but they were not made because of lack of research, just plain stupidity! LOL

Marlie
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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There are young adventurous people with a good head on their shoulders and an ability to reach out to people with natural charm, coupled with streetsmarts which means they will survive anywhere provided they have a reserve fund to deal with emergencies. Although I'm old enough to be Amy's grandma I would never deter a young person from doing what they want if they have the right stuff. At her age I hitchhiked my way across a lot of the US despite dire prognostications of doom & gloom........;)

Amy seems to be doing her homework (she PMed me a while back) and my impression was she only intended coming for a few months rather than a lifetime.

I appreciate the family are probably concerned about her well-being. When I left UK for US at Amy's age (well a bit younger actually) I had a mother who said 'What will happen to my baby?' and a father who said 'Go for it, girl'. It was in many ways a life changing experience so I'm eternally grateful to my father. Sure I got into scrapes, even got married :ermm: and had to keep that one quiet from the folks back home...........

Amy, if you're coming here to broaden your life experience for a few months and if you have sufficient funds to survive and if you're independent by nature, let me say 'Go for it, girl'. If, on the other hand, you're coming to be taken advantage of by a sankie or you're the sort of young woman who needs a parent close at hand, you may want to think again. Only you and your family know which is the truer description, we don't. Isn't your flight booked for a week's time or am I mixing you up with someone else? Has the reality of your imminent departure just hit home to your folks? I wouldn't disagree too much with what the person your family knows wrote, other than like Marlie I wouldn't entirely agree with the 'single white girl in PP' bit.

It all depends on whether Amy has the right stuff (& the emergency fund).
 

AmyH

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Dec 5, 2006
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I have thought about this and I have been doing my research on it. I do have money saved for emergences and yes I do have a flight booked back for a week cause it was part of the AI but I wont be using it and I will book a flight back home when I am ready I am only going for a couple of months I want to do this for the experience off a life time to learn about a new country to meet people I am not going there for a sankie I would not move to another country for a guy I barely know. I plan on being smart about things and have a fun time doing it.
 

Don Juan

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Dec 5, 2003
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Amy please be extra careful out there. It may be a good idea to write a contact list of the ex-pat community in Pop and visit them immediately after is prudent to do so. Surely they'll point you in the right direction and keep you out of harm's way. Thrust only in those that have posted here. If you don't know were they live, don't go anywhere with them. Don't stay out past 10pm. and don't get stupid drunk. If you were my daughter, this is exactly what I would tell her! Have fun and keep us posted. Buena suerte. In cidentalmente, tenes algun conocimiento del Castellano?
 

Lambada

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It may be a good idea to write a contact list of the ex-pat community in Pop and visit them immediately after is prudent to do so. Surely they'll point you in the right direction and keep you out of harm's way.

That's a tricky one. If Amy gets taken under an expat's wing she does it the 'easy way' but isn't doing the discovery for herself. I think from what she posts that she has sufficient independence to want to do it for herself because that is where the learning comes from. Probably the best use of expats is if she gets into a situation she feels she can't handle, then she can PM any of us to ask for advice. The phone number I would suggest she has to hand is that of the Canadian Consul, Tim Hall. Just in case. Consulate address is Virginia E. Ortea Edificio Isabel de Torres Suite 311-C, Puerto Plata
Telephone: 1-200-0012 / 809-586-5761 Fax: 809-586-5762
Email: General: pplat.canada@verizon.net.do
 

AmyH

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Dec 5, 2006
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Thank You all who have posted I really appericiate the info you have all giving me and I will keep everyone posted on how things are going.