Comparing DR to say Panama

hamall9

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Aug 6, 2008
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Hi there,
We will be making our first visit to DR shortly and so have been reading DR1 closely.
Despite not visiting DR as yet we have lived in centro/south America for five years and traveled the region a great deal.

So far, many of the comments made on DR could be directed to Brazil, Argentina, Peru .... you name the latin country and the comments fit.

However we have spent quite some time in Panama and we would be very interested to hear peoples' comments on the differences between life in the two countries for expats.
We are not referring to weather, beaches, climate etc ... we are more interested in the culture of the society and politics in both countries from an expat point of view.

regards
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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Hi there,
We will be making our first visit to DR shortly and so have been reading DR1 closely.
Despite not visiting DR as yet we have lived in centro/south America for five years and traveled the region a great deal.

So far, many of the comments made on DR could be directed to Brazil, Argentina, Peru .... you name the latin country and the comments fit.

However we have spent quite some time in Panama and we would be very interested to hear peoples' comments on the differences between life in the two countries for expats.
We are not referring to weather, beaches, climate etc ... we are more interested in the culture of the society and politics in both countries from an expat point of view.

regards

From what I read and see (pictures) of Panama, it would seem to be as different as comparing Spain to the DR.

I haven't visited Panama (yet), but it has been my living experience throughout Latin America, that once you step across a border you are in a different country at once. The DR is different to everything I had seen so far; Ecuador, Colombia, Chile and visiting Venezuela and Brazil.
When I remember Puerto Ricans in Miami (when I lived in Florida) and also see them here (in the DR) every once in a while and compare them to our locals here, one has a hard time to believe we are so few miles apart. The same is correct for Cubans vs. Dominicans... even thou, Cubans seem to adapt better here.

When I lived in Ecuador, people who would not get a visa to the US would go shop in Panama. Actually, there were shops stuffed with merchandise from Panama... mostly imports and some of which I could recognize being from countries like Germany and offered in Ecuador for less than the original FACTORY price! Besides being a thriving market place (Panama City) containers seem to have a tendency of falling off ships or something.
You don't hear much of folks coming to the DR from other Latin American countries to shop(?).

Also, the history of all these Nations is so different, the ethnicities present and mixes are too. So, while there are common denominators apparent on the surface almost everywhere, each country it HAS to be dramatically different.


... J-D.
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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We are not referring to weather, beaches, climate etc ... we are more interested in the culture of the society and politics in both countries from an expat point of view. regards

Panama has, I believe, a greater influx of expats than DR & is probably more geared to encouraging expats to move (tax incentives which go back several years). Greater overt US influence in Panama compared to DR (it is here, but just not so obviously). Some parts of DR more European influence (Samana for example). Same corrupt politicians, political scandals etc. I have a journalist friend who was born in Panama & lives there although he is not Panamanian. He tells me the expat scandals in Panama are bigger & better :ermm: (in relation to property sales, child molestation etc). Maybe DR is more like Panama used to be before the expat invasion?
 

MikeFisher

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Feb 28, 2006
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oh yeah J.D.
and their governmental systems are very different, too.
and of course their 'customs' system, o.k., i am in war with our dominican customs since some months.
i have never lived in Panama neither,
would be interesting to hear some who experienced both for a while and can compare, from between all the different people i know here in the DR i don't know many who been 'there' and moved over here and vise versa.
Mike
 
Jun 18, 2007
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I've lived 9 years in Panama and loved every minute of it!!! Came to the DR to take care of my little daughter and hated it the first 4 months that I was here. Now I love it!!
It all depends what you want from life.
 

hamall9

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Aug 6, 2008
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I've lived 9 years in Panama and loved every minute of it!!! Came to the DR to take care of my little daughter and hated it the first 4 months that I was here. Now I love it!!
It all depends what you want from life.


Hi Frank,

Where did you live in Panama and when did you move to DR.
In fact do you care to expand upon the differences.

regards
 

MrMike

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Mar 2, 2003
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I was doing some research on Panamanian labor law and how it compares to DR labor law last night, seemed relatively similar, but the differences I noticed were:

DR employees are given significant protection against termination after 3 months, Panama after 2 years.

DR Can companies can hire up to 20% foreign laborers without special permits, Panama 10%.

DR employees are given 2 weeks paid vacation time after 1 year, Panama 1 month.

Panama employees are given a compensatory day of rest during regular work days if one of their 11 annual national holidays falls on a rest day, I have not heard that being the case in DR.

Panama companies contribute around 11% of their employee's pay to Social Security and Governmnet health programs, currently DR companies must contribute around 14%

It appears that Panama Social Security pays for pregnant employees maternity leave, in DR this is the responsibility of the employer.