American boys living in SD?

gstern

New member
May 4, 2009
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Hi-

My 11 year old son visits his mom in Santo Domingo several times a year. This summer he will be there from July 1- August 18. He is a typical american boy who is athletic and likes video games. Every year I try putting him into a local Santo Domingo summer camp but he is miserable there.

I am hoping to find some American families living in Santo Domingo with boys about his age to meet and see whether he can make some friends. Any suggestions as to how to find American groups or clubs or anyone reading this with boys around this age?

Thanks!
Greg
 

Stodgord

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Nov 19, 2004
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Hi-

My 11 year old son visits his mom in Santo Domingo several times a year. This summer he will be there from July 1- August 18. He is a typical american boy who is athletic and likes video games. Every year I try putting him into a local Santo Domingo summer camp but he is miserable there.

I am hoping to find some American families living in Santo Domingo with boys about his age to meet and see whether he can make some friends. Any suggestions as to how to find American groups or clubs or anyone reading this with boys around this age?

Thanks!
Greg


Greg,

It is hard to believe that a kid in DR is not having fun, let alone a foreign boy. What is his lodging situation in the DR? Is he in a locked down gated community? Just by stepping out on to the street and playing with the local kids he will have the most memorable time. Playing street baseball, with unconventional bats made out of piece of wood or tree branches, Balls made out of socks or a lemon. Or better yet, using a 5 gallon water bottle as a baseball, a broom stick as a bad, and a milk carton as gloves, will sure get his interest. Wait, until the local girls start paying attention to him, you will realize that you have lost him. But Greg, he has to step out and meet the local kids, and you'll see how his childhood will be enhanced.

Take care.
 

jruane44

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Jul 2, 2004
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A, A
Hi-

My 11 year old son visits his mom in Santo Domingo several times a year. This summer he will be there from July 1- August 18. He is a typical american boy who is athletic and likes video games. Every year I try putting him into a local Santo Domingo summer camp but he is miserable there.

I am hoping to find some American families living in Santo Domingo with boys about his age to meet and see whether he can make some friends. Any suggestions as to how to find American groups or clubs or anyone reading this with boys around this age?

Thanks!
Greg

What part of Santo Domingo does he go to. My nephews are about that age and go for the entire summer.
 

gstern

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May 4, 2009
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Sorry for the delay in writing. I thought I had configured this so it would send me an email to tell me if anyone answered, but I guess I didn't do it right.

To answer your question specifically, his mother does not live in a gated community. I have not visited her home, but she tells me that it is in a very quiet residential area where the only people around during the day are domestic staff.

Also, his Spanish is not great. He understands it well, but does not speak it well. My wife is Colombian and she only speaks to him in Spanish, but Colombian dialect and accent is quite different, so he struggles to even understand Dominican Spanish.

In the past we have put him into summer programs with the locals, but the language issues have been a challenge for him.

Thanks
 

BIZC8

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Dec 21, 2006
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Ok, so let me get this straight. Your colombian ex-wife lives in DR, but the boy lives with you and he's going down to DR to visit his mom? His mom doesn't know anybody or any place around that can help make his stay in DR more pleasant (especially) over a summer vacation?

I'm assuming these are not unexpected visits to his mom so she has ample time to make the necessary arrangements/preparations to give her son a warm welcome and an even better stay I would think.

There's plenty to do in DR (yes, even in English). Another thing you can do and I don't mean to put you on the spot here is to make an effort to familiarize your son with Dominican Spanish. After all, he is half-Dominican (just like my kids are). I can identify to your case very well because my wife is also Colombian, but I'll be darned if the only Spanish they understand/speak is mom's.
 

gstern

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May 4, 2009
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It is confusing... My current wife who lives with me and my son in the US is Colombian. My ex-wife is Dominican living in SD. In the past we have put him in various summer camps, even ones that claim to be bi-lingual, but he just has not enjoyed them which is why I am looking for some playmates. Unfortunately, my ex-wife works 6 days a week, long hours and her present husband does as well, though they try to stagger their hours so the they can take him on various excursions, but they can't afford to do that every day.

I don't know how else to familiarize my son with Dominican Spanish. He visits the DR 3x per year and talks to his mom a couple times a week, so it is not like he isn't getting any exposure, but it just has not been enough to get his ear well-attuned to the accent. We have talked about him going to live with his mother at some point for a year and attending school in the DR, but that won't likely happen until he is a little older.

Thanks
Greg