Moving to the DR- but what can I do to generate income??

Welcome back Sun 'n Buns...

I doubt you will like my answer, but I will only the best for you and that you see some truth.

Your Dominican "family" are very poor.
So poor that their daily goal is to get enough food.

One day they meet you a lonely foreigner in DR, you have money but feel lonesome. They are not lonely , but are poor.

You will be like Donald Thrump for them, a person with money to help them survive and get a better life. Of course will they treat you like a KING. And even more when you say you will improve their home and daily life with living with them.

I don't have much experience with DR, But I have lived in Cuba for long time and was even married to a Cuba for many years. This has happen to me and many other foreigners. Often true a Cuban girlfriend meet we her poor Cuban family , and then get you an attentions like you are a KING or very important person, even that the truth is that you are no more than a very average normal person.

I am now divorced, and when I last year visit my wife Cuban family alone and stay in their house, that I bought for some years ago. And this time I didn't bring any value gifts. I only pay for all the food. But now get I much lesser attention as before. I think about visit their house again very soon, but now hear I from my ex-wife that it could maybe be difficult for me to stay in the house, because of some strange reasons . Hey, I bought this house to them, I have give them furniture and everything and feed them inn many year. Change their life from very poor in a very bad old house to a much better life today. And I am not alone, Have meet many foreigners in Cuba , that has been very disappointed with Cubans that they believed was very close friends, to later discover they have lied to them, fool them and was only interested in their money .

It is normal ?
If you should meet a nice family in your country, will they of course not ask you to move in with them. Why should they ? Same if you meet a younger woman in your country and try to get involved with her, will she maybe be angry at you. In DR is it all different, since you are in one way , Donald Trumph for them

Maybe the day you have rebuild their house , bought a lot of things to their house and they take for granted, will you maybe see a more and more change of attitude against you over some time. Maybe they will find some reasons to ask you to buy or rent a neighbour house and live their in the future, of course will you still be seen as a family member that help them economical .
You have not said anything about a Dominican girlfriend, but I believe you have one or dream about be with one .

I shall not write so much about the possibility for you to get a job in DR, since I believe it will be very difficult, You are 50 years, don't speak Spanish believe I and don't have special skills . If you should find a job, would it maybe be a low salary that will only be enough for you to barely survive.

I believe you are as many other foreigners that go to DR, meet Dominican and fall in love with the country and the people.
WHY ?
Normally , because I believe you live a very boring life in you own country, boring job, go home from work, make dinner alone, and spend rest of the evening watch television and take a few beers. Have some contact with a few friends and family. Been alone in many years, believe it would be difficult to find a new wife in your country.
Of course will DR and be involved with a family there be a way out of your misery life in your own country.

Since , I believe it would be difficult for you to move to DR in short time. Would I advice to do the best with the life you have in your own country. Be a little more active person, try to get new friends, meet woman, find a hobby or something that interest you .

And it is a big difference to live for a few weeks and for the rest of your life in DR, and you will one day be disappointed in one way or another.
What seems like a dream today, will maybe not be a dream after some time.
I and many others has often got a rude awaking from our very sweet dreams about live in a Caribbean "paradise"

To start, if you don't want anything negative you shouldn't have post this message, you say this because you know the correct answer but you don't want to hear it.

LOTS of People do live like this in the US, you see them every day living under bridges, in subways; you don't help them out in your own country but wish to do so in DR.

All the basic necessities you mentioned that they lack, 60% here in DR live like that, its normal, people dig themselves in their hole...5 kids but has time for a beer, if I had 5 mouths to feed I think the last indulgence I would consider is a beer [$50.00 enough for 3lb of rice].

When you visit your DR family do you see a group of people outside of the colmados playing domino's or checkers, during working hours? those people have jobs its not called "unemployment check, welfare.." but Uncle Mike. You could be sure they have relatives in the states sending them money via Vimenca o relatives.
I too would be crying to see you leave knowing that "reality" will set in until your next visit.

Your beginning statement of a Dream is not correct, its a NIGHTMARE. Stay away or you'll spend every last dollar on something you can't change, its not the same living in "low living conditions" for 1-3 weeks than it being permanent.
Keep doing what your doing now, visiting once a year bring gifts and joy

If you REALLY want to help them, try to get them to the US, where their kids can get educated and not live the life of poverty

good Chrismic

You can.

amstellite said:

I have a dream...

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Live it.
Yes, you can.

donP

P.S.:
How long was your longest stay there?

Here's what you do: save up US5000, move to the DR and try to find work. Just make sure you have somewhere to go back home if it doesn't work out.

By the way, been there done that - and I had to move back home.

Get on and do it, but make sure you do it independantly. I know Caleta well and the people, it is one of the nicer poor areas, but you will need to get one of the more secure houses, the bigger ones are about 3000 per month to you.
You woud be mad to invest in their home, they lived comfortable enough before you arrived and will do so without your input. I say this as one day they probably will push the boundaries of the relationship where you have to step back and wonder why they are taking advantage of you. If you have invested in their home this will only break your heart.
Then you need to ask yourself can you fit into Caleta without the adoptive family looking out for you, I expect things will not go as smooth for you if you are without adoptive family.
How long is your longest stay in one go here? I'd be tempted to stay for a 6 month period before jumping in.
Are you connected to a Dominican girl here? If not then I think you might want to invest in one, can make acceptance in a community smoother from what I see.
As far as making money. If you are living in Caleta then you can make enough money in a badly paid English speaking job to live comfortably. You can get 20,000 per month basic with is more than enough to live on there.

Live your dream, money isn't really an issue as your chosen area is dirt cheap and not the norm for outsiders.

That was a good post "Chrismic".

You sound pretty close to being able to live very well by Dominican standards but not so well by ex-pat standards. DRNED is making Caleta sound pretty attractive, esp if there is a novia or esposa in the package and running water/toilet in the apt.

Learning even basic Spanish is a good investment and makes life much more enjoyable there. Look into auditing courses at a local college in the US. Two years of college level classes will serve you well. Your Spanish doesn't have to be perfect by any means but a few words and phrases will open many doors for you.

i had the same thought., jorgedesosua... if this guy is drinking two beers a day, that's lunch and/or dinner for his family.

birth control is free (or just about) in the public hospitals. there's no need for five kids if you don't want them and can't support them.

perhaps instead of investing in their rent, you should invest in their kids' education.

DO IT, if the DR makes you happy then go there.

Just keep a tight grip on your money like they say:

A fool and his money are soon parted

LaTeacher said:

i had the same thought., jorgedesosua... if this guy is drinking two beers a day, that's lunch and/or dinner for his family.

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The guy is working and supporting his family and so having a couple of beers a day is well deserved, give him a break. No doubt if his rent wasn't paid then he would just work more and still drink his beer. People don't now how to live any other way than day by day and doing so with 5 kids seems quite a task, good on him I say.

Go for it Amstelite, but live on your own close by and buy a gun, don't tell anyone you have it. Your question is how to generate income, I was reading eldia (eldia.com.do) and within the want ads I saw something for english speakers being hired getting paid 18,000RDS. That will get you by, if you have savings and making a little extra on the side, heck you can even work as an english teacher somewhere and get like 300-400 pesos (sorry, I meant dollars) a month. Make that country a better place!!!!! ;o)

Don't give these people your money. A couple of beers and a little help here and there but that's it....Afterwards, "yo no tengo ahora"..."Se me acaba'an lo cuarto"....Should become part of your vocabulary. People in general are very brazen, dominican's, italians and Americans, just because you wouldn't take someone's money doesn't mean they wouldn't either.

Don't use this one family as your basis of emotional support, go to a church, find a job like I mentioned in a school or maybe become conchista (after you buy a car) my dad did it. You will meet more people and expand your circle of power. A couple of novias will also help you out too, they either a) really protect their man or b) steal your chancletas, cadenas and bottle of Aqua DiGio, after a weekend on your yacht.

Not that any of that ever happened to me...)

amstellite said:

I seriously am thinking about moving there in the next few years, using whatever I can pull from the accounts I have before I am 55, pay the penalties, and deal with it.

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Chip said:

Here's what you do: save up US5000, move to the DR and try to find work. Just make sure you have somewhere to go back home if it doesn't work out.
By the way, been there done that - and I had to move back home.

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Making such a move with $5k seems ludicrous to me. :ermm:

5000 smackeroos goes a long way in a colmadon tigeron and there might even be money left over for a ticket back to NYC!!!

What's a Malibook?

Buying a gun on arrival is the dumbest thing you can do, I'd take tat advice with a pinch of salt.

That's why you don't tell anyone you have it. P

500k will vanish in a couple of months at best. Living as he intend is cheap rent but he still has to furnish it and that is expensive.

Lando calrisian said:

That's why you don't tell anyone you have it. P

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Why have it at all, apart from the costs involved your chances of ending up with a few holes from you own gun are real.

Lets not get into the Clint Eastwood wannabe usual claptrap on buying guns ere.