Moving to Santo Domingo - what do young professionals do??

scp2

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Mar 9, 2009
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I am moving to Santo Domingo sometime this summer for work. I have just started Spanish lessons, but will be nowhere near fluent when I get there. I have never been to SD or DR for that matter! I've been reading a lot of these threads, but most people moving to DR are looking for work or looking how much it will cost on a budget, etc etc.
I have that all figured out, but what is there on offer for young professionals just moving there (with limited Spanish ability)? Where to meet new people? Where to hang out and go out? Where to practice Spanish outside of private lessons?

Thanks!
 
Mar 1, 2009
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Look when you get there just go out and engage the peeps around you. If you have the basics, thats decent enough to learn more on down the road. Have your dictionary ready or pocket translator. Be humble and cognizant of your limitations. I lived in Montreal, CA, Paris France and in Italy and that's how I learned. Learn the basics and go from there. I'm Dominican-York so I already speak castillian (I don't like calling it spanish). I am moving there too and I am a young professional, want know what spots to hit as well. Hopefully somebody will give us something we can use!
 

las2137

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I am a young professional woman (at least I like to think I'm young) who moved to SD last year. It took me a while to meet people but I did. In my opinion, it is different for women, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Spanish will be key, especially if you are interested in making Dominican friends. Will you work with Dominicans in your office? I was brutally honesty- when coworkers asked what I did on the weekend after i first arrived, I told the truth, that I was bored off my a** at home! That won me a few sympathy invitations.

Don't turn down any invitation (unless it doesn't seem safe). You never know who you might meet. If you have hobbies, find a class to take. I joined a gym and met a few people in my class there. There is an English-language library on Independencia that seems to be a good meeting place for ex-pats, but I have yet to go there myself.

As far as night life, my preference is for the zona colonial. There are a plethora of good bars for night and for day plenty of places to sit and people watch.

I met a great group of people through DR1. When you are established here in SD check the threads for meet-ups or calendar of activities.

Good luck! SDQ is a great city, in spite of all the traffic...
 
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scp2

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Mar 9, 2009
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I have the job/money thing sorted out - my work is sending me there.

Thanks for the tips. I hope to have basic Spanish when I get there and to keep taking private lessons to hopefully become more fluent, but the language barrier worries me a bit. Most of the people I will be working with are quite a bit older than me with families. Am looking for people more in the mid 20s-30s range.

I've lived in a few different places but so far have had other mechanisms to meet people (at school or volunteering) and have been able to speak the local language, which also makes things much easier. Needless to say, it will be an adventure and I will keep checking these threads to see what is happening in SD!
 

swanjoana

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Mar 9, 2009
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What kind of work will you be doing there? Are you from New York originally? You need to just practice Spanish as much as possible and be familiar with Dominican slang. Are you Dominican?
 

MikeFisher

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with job/money soted out with basic spanish you will not have any trouble to get in the scene/rhytm. the language barrier will not be as big as often expected. just constantly practice your spanish when here, don't be shy or ashamed to "talk errors", that way the language is improving quickly.
Mike
 

las2137

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Sep 1, 2008
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Most of the people I will be working with are quite a bit older than me with families. Am looking for people more in the mid 20s-30s range.

I've lived in a few different places but so far have had other mechanisms to meet people (at school or volunteering) and have been able to speak the local language, which also makes things much easier. Needless to say, it will be an adventure and I will keep checking these threads to see what is happening in SD!

Most of my coworkers are married (legally or common-law) and with kids. In fact, of a 15 person office I am the only one that is unmarried and has no kids. True, we don't so social outings as frequently as I would like, but it does happen. And my 57 year old, married with 2 kids female coworker is a dancing and drinking fiend- I can't keep up with her!

I'm like you- in the past I usually had other mechanisms for meeting people. It's more of a challenge without classes or people you'll be *forced* to interact with. The good news is that as a whole, Dominicans are very friendy, so it's easy to strike up a conversation with someone. In my opinion, it's harder to move past casual friendship to what I consider true frienship, but that might just be me. ;)

Feel free to PM me as your move-in date approaches. Suerte.
 
Mar 1, 2009
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As usual great advice! I'm heading over there permanently in February of next year. It'll be pleno carnval. I am super nervous about moving there, I don't know that many people. I know that will change soon though since Dominicans are so friendly. I do know you have to be aware and keep your distance/barrier from some people (as in any setting) because of some peeps trying to be slick/tigueres. But overall SDQ is hangout heaven from what I have read in these posts. So scp2 by the time I get there you'll be telling ME where to hang out, in SPANISH!

Que tengas suerte