Beaches (Sosua being the best, more "Dominican Families" there)
Beautiful people (In mind and body, they try to improve themselves, they have pride)
Beautiful mountains and rolling hills
Beer (Even tho I do not drink, and my dad owned a bar in the states!)
Baseball (Dominican Baseball games)
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Friendliness of the people in their willingness to commuincate with you and greet you. The hospitality of the people in general. They don't hide indoors like other countries.
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The wide spread complaining to me seems to be on the Internet boards, from the ex-pats. In the inner cities, barrios, the people are very nice. If asked, they will tell you how hard it is for them here, they don't whine about it, they endure and go on with life. AZB warns about places like Cien Fuegos, Monte Rico, etc, yet I normally spend everyday in those barrios and others, enjoying every minute of it. Life is what you make of it. Ex-pats needs to get the heck out from behind their keyboards and take a look at how the Dominicans really live and get on with life. The Dominican Republic is not about living in ex-pat communities, hanging out at the local watering hole with other ex-pats, whining behind your keyboard about how hard things are here for you, etc. If the Dominicans in the barrios were to read these boards they would be amazed at how whiney the ex-pats, who live hundreds of time better them they do, complain about life here.
They would be happy with a fraction of what we have!
Don - SantiagoDR