Anyone else contemplating bugging out?

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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There has been a few users who have indicated recently that they were tired of the DR and moving elsewhere. I remember a post or two from a longtime user who was thinking of moving his family back to Europe but may have changed their mind recently.

I'm sure the same thoughts have crossed many minds over the years. Anyone else considering pulling up stakes for greener pastures or conversely thought about leaving and decided to stay?

Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?

Is this predominately a "non-resident" practice or does the need for a permanent change motivate residents to the same degree as well?
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
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You might be referring to me as the poster who wants to move his family back to Europe. I put the plans kind of in the freezer, due to the situation in Europe. Our situation in DR is not critical, I want to see first how things pan out in Europe and more importantly in the Netherlands. This doesn't mean my reasons for wanting to go back disappeared, they're still there, but as someone told me: you can't make your own 'combo', you'll have to choose between the available combos of DR with its advantages and disadvantages and Europe with their own problems, beside the positive points.

For now we're staying.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
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It was you and your story that I found interesting. No place is perfect. I deal with my own disappointments here as they crop up, sometimes frequently. Haven't yet reached the point where I am fed up, but I am concerned that the value of my currency will continue to slide as has been seen in the past under a Liberal Govt. in Canada. It may very well get to the point where the decision to leave the DR is made for me. At that point I will continue to renew my residency with the hopes of coming back in better economic times but for now like you have I adopted a wait and see attitude.

There are some 4.5 billion people who will be on the move in the coming generation. Climate change, resource depletion, conflicts and overcrowding will see change come to all countries that appear to be better than where people currently are. When Europe is full, North America will be more appealing despite the challenges of getting there as a refugee claimant. Even the smaller island nations that are not all that attractive now will come into play as long as they stay above water in the long term. Sometimes i wish I had been born about 20 years earlier so that now my only concern with the world would be who is coming in next to roll me over.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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I think it all depends where you are in the culture adaptation cycle. We all go through this, like it or not, and each individual will spend more or less time at each stage. The first is the honeymoon stage where you adore the DR and only see the positives. You love the lack of rules and regulations and the weather. Most tourists, especially those who return again and again, never leave this stage. Then you move into the next stage where, although you still love it here, things begin to annoy you like the power cuts, water cuts, the stealing, the rubbish in the street. Stage 3 can last a long time and that is where you begin to get seriously p*ssed off with some things and this is the stage that many people leave. Usually the desire to leave comes with one single event which becomes the straw which breaks the camels back. The final stage is total acceptance, when you are fine playing dominoes by candlelight when there is no luz, when you embrace the country totally both the good and bad, usually you speak fluent Spanish by now and have many Dominican friends, and you realise that doing some things the Dominican way makes sense even though it the past you have scorned them. Once you reach this stage you know if you went back to your home country you would be a total fish out of water so you never leave.

Matilda
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
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For me the (worsening of the) situation in Europe was a game changer. I already contacted a real estate agent to put my house for sale and visioned ourselves in The Netherlands by the end of spring 2016. I don't want to be apocalyptic, I reckon people of all times have seen trends in their country or region and stated things would go only worse. Since 2008 (and before) many 'experts' have said the dollar will fall or the euro will, or both, a big depression will come, worse than the 30's of the past century, but 8 years later things seem better for the financial part, however still a bunch of people say, things are about to turn worse than ever.

I don't want to base my opinion on those opinions, but the whole muslim immigrants / russia / European Union situation doesn't invite me to go back and doesn't seem to be the best decision for now.

My income is in USD, so that's not my worry. I'm currently even better off with the Euro falling and having some small obligations to pay in euros. But what the future will bring is completely open of course.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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JDJones... Life is short, sometimes you just have to do it, you only live once.

With the current exchange rate to the US$ in Colombia, times are good!

This time last year I was getting US$1:COP1,850 now I'm at US$1:COP3,100. 67% gain and local prices have been very slow to adjust. Actually some USA imported items are cheaper than I can buy in the USA.
 

kfrancis

New member
Jan 8, 2002
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Observation from the Frontier: Total Acceptance

As stated earlier in this tread there are multiple stages of acceptance to living in the Republica Dominicana.

I will note two ( 2 ) that I have:

Refering to this country by it's proper name in conversations here and abroad: Republica Dominicana not the Dominican Republic.

And when you actually make plans to how and where you will be buried " in this country " !!!

Myself, it is atop Pico Lilo a 300m high loma on the property here in Cabral where you can see inland as far as Largo Enriquillo, the Laguna del Rincon down below next to Cabral, the Sierra de Baroruco behind and the Bahia de Neiba and the Mar Caribe off towards Barahona.

Will of course be cremated, do not expect my friends to carry by big bod up that hill. My last ascent took over 2 1/2 hours up and 1 1/2 hours back down. Those cattle trails are quite a trek !!!

take care my friends,

kFrancisco de Cabral
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
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38
As stated earlier in this tread there are multiple stages of acceptance to living in the Republica Dominicana.

I will note two ( 2 ) that I have:

Refering to this country by it's proper name in conversations here and abroad: Republica Dominicana not the Dominican Republic.

And when you actually make plans to how and where you will be buried " in this country " !!!

Myself, it is atop Pico Lilo a 300m high loma on the property here in Cabral where you can see inland as far as Largo Enriquillo, the Laguna del Rincon down below next to Cabral, the Sierra de Baroruco behind and the Bahia de Neiba and the Mar Caribe off towards Barahona.

Will of course be cremated, do not expect my friends to carry by big bod up that hill. My last ascent took over 2 1/2 hours up and 1 1/2 hours back down. Those cattle trails are quite a trek !!!

take care my friends,

kFrancisco de Cabral

Maybe use the proper name also for Lago Enriquillo.....?
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
3,480
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I've been living here for what seems like forever.

I thought it would be for good, but after a trip to Medellin, I'm not so sure.

I really liked it there. Cleaner, more civilized, lower prices... I could easily get used to it.

If I wasn't working here, I'd probably be well on my way to moving there.

I'm a little jealous of Robert, I guess. We've known each other for many, many years, and he beat me to the jump

But he'll tell you too, this island has changed a lot over the years.

I too was in Medellin recently. My first trip to Colombia. What an utterly gorgeous country! In almost every respect. Compared to the DR, it's paradise!
 

Twogunz

New member
Dec 1, 2013
10
1
3
You might be referring to me as the poster who wants to move his family back to Europe. I put the plans kind of in the freezer, due to the situation in Europe. Our situation in DR is not critical, I want to see first how things pan out in Europe and more importantly in the Netherlands. This doesn't mean my reasons for wanting to go back disappeared, they're still there, but as someone told me: you can't make your own 'combo', you'll have to choose between the available combos of DR with its advantages and disadvantages and Europe with their own problems, beside the positive points.

For now we're staying.
Bedtween the Covid 19, and the culture enrichers. I cant think of a reason to go to Europe Except Hungary Poland, Checkoslovaakia
 
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bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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I too was in Medellin recently. My first trip to Colombia. What an utterly gorgeous country! In almost every respect. Compared to the DR, it's paradise!
until they start shooting. I love Medellin, and I like that you can get really decent beef for reasonable prices.
 

DR Solar

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Nov 21, 2016
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You guys are responding to an original post from 2015 and even quoted them for your response.