- Thread starter AZB
- Start date
Are people living in USA are really better off than us here?
AZBCOME ON DOWN
say hello to my LITTLE friend!
ha ha ha ha.......momma get the welcome wagon ready
AZB wants to see the swamp!
bob
say hello to my LITTLE friend!
ha ha ha ha.......momma get the welcome wagon ready
AZB wants to see the swamp!
bob
Who's better off?
Nine years ago,against my advice, my younger brother decided to abandon all he had work for here in Washington,DC.
He said: "Brother I just can't take this weather, high rents, taxes & 'daylight savings time'. After 30 years and nothing to show for it, I'm going back to the 'motherland"....I said: Don't be a fool! You'd be crazy to leave the security of the US for the uncertainty of DR! Don't do it!
Well, He did it anyway. He took what little money he'd manage to save, went to live in our home in SD, bought himself a used truck and now does exactly what he did here (plumbing/electrical).
He makes 1/10Th $ what he made here in DC and says He's never been happier. He'll never go back to the US for any money or any reason. "Happiness can never be measure in terms of dollars". " I owe the US a lot & have plenty to be grateful for & the opportunities but I killed myself there trying to succeed and never got anywhere. I'll probably not succeed here either but then again, never will I have to worry about weather or taxes."
Well, I envy Him. I wish I could make the same move. But alas! Family & I are too deeply rooted here to go back. We have too many people to serve and too many bills to pay..... Who knows, someday we may.
DR has its problems but, all in all, I'd rather be there!
BTW: If you're ever in need of a professional plumber/electrician in SD, please pm me for his cell phone. He speaks fluent English and has a truck.
Nine years ago,against my advice, my younger brother decided to abandon all he had work for here in Washington,DC.
He said: "Brother I just can't take this weather, high rents, taxes & 'daylight savings time'. After 30 years and nothing to show for it, I'm going back to the 'motherland"....I said: Don't be a fool! You'd be crazy to leave the security of the US for the uncertainty of DR! Don't do it!
Well, He did it anyway. He took what little money he'd manage to save, went to live in our home in SD, bought himself a used truck and now does exactly what he did here (plumbing/electrical).
He makes 1/10Th $ what he made here in DC and says He's never been happier. He'll never go back to the US for any money or any reason. "Happiness can never be measure in terms of dollars". " I owe the US a lot & have plenty to be grateful for & the opportunities but I killed myself there trying to succeed and never got anywhere. I'll probably not succeed here either but then again, never will I have to worry about weather or taxes."
Well, I envy Him. I wish I could make the same move. But alas! Family & I are too deeply rooted here to go back. We have too many people to serve and too many bills to pay..... Who knows, someday we may.
DR has its problems but, all in all, I'd rather be there!
BTW: If you're ever in need of a professional plumber/electrician in SD, please pm me for his cell phone. He speaks fluent English and has a truck.
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There is no doubt, US has better education than DR but there are also a ton of drugs in public schools than in DR. I remember in the late 70's early 80's we had drugs in our high school. Now I hear there are metal detectors all over public school system to prevent kids from bringing in knifes and guns. Totally unheard of in the 80's. Well, on the positive note, Georgia is not like that so you have choice to move around. The medical system is much more advanced and I love the malls in USA, not to mention, world class restaurants. USA is great for shopping and food, and education. I love to visit USA but after spending 4 days there, I want to go back to my santiago. I hate reminding myself that I can't drive 45 miles / hr in a 35 miles per hour zone. Driving is no fun in USA. You have to follow law all the way and there are just too many traffic laws for my taste. Yet I follow them.
USA is a great place to make money and hard work usually pays off in the end. If you are a workaholic and don't mind working like a piston then its the ideal place for you. Most of my friends and relatives who work hard in usa, don't even realize they work so hard. They have been doing this for many many years. It takes my friends in NY 1 1/2 hours each way traveling from home to work and vice versa. In atlanta, you would be stuck for 1 1/2 hrs each way to work and home in rush hr. Thats 3 hours of commuting each day.
Most people are always occupied in paying their bills ex: electric, internet, telephones, cells, credit card, mortgage, insurances (car,health) alimony etc etc, the bills are endless. they are always behind and always struggling to pay up on time. If you are late, there goes your credit history.
In DR, I pay whenever I feel like paying. No one cares. I haven't even paid my rent yet and its the 6th. I will pay it all tomorrow. I have the money, but I am too lazy to pay up and my landlords (both office and home) can care less. they know me, I always pay. There are no license points in case of traffic offense, you pay up the fine and you are off the hook. No raise in insurance. No drink and driving laws. If you know a general in military, then the laws are all flexible for you. Hahahahaha
In simple terms, we have peace of mind here, we work and enjoy life everyday. I don't mean a beach life, I never cared for beach when I lived near the beach. This stuff is for the newbees in DR and tourists. I simply like the relaxed life here. Today is tuesday and I am off. I work 4 1/2 days a week.
Now if you are poor in DR, then USA or any other european country will be very good for you to live in. You will see, the upper middle class to rich dominicans will almost never consider living anywhere except for this country. The poor are the ones who take yolas. The gringos who live here, often never ever want to move back to their native country if they are living well here. The only people who go back are the ones who come here without a plan or for the wrong reasons Ex: falling in love with a sankie or a hooker. They go back home broke.
Now I do think about my future and I often feel I will get old and broke here in DR. I may also get old and broke in USA too but here, its almost guranteed. There is no money here for everyone. Only a selected few make it big, the rest just make it and enjoy life. For that reason alone I was thinking of moving back to USA or to another country. However, when I travel and see how the life is being lived by others in other countries, I immediately want to come back to my little santiago. I think I am much better off here than anywhere else for the moment. I have no kids and fewer responsibilities so I don't have to worry about kids college and medical coverage. I am on my own, so in this case, there is no hurry for me to make immediate decisions to take actions. I can wait and live a few more years here and see if my luck changes. What I have now, is far better than what I see people having in general in USA. I am happy here and without problems. This alone is worth more then 2 SUVs in my Garage and a $500, 000 house in NY.
I have come to realize, I am in the business to live in this life, not to accumulate toys and wealth which will cost me hard work all my life and when I will be in the age to retire, I may end up with arthritic pain all over my body and suffer till I drop dead. I see this happening to many folks in my clinic everyday. being old with money or without is the same when you are in painfull agony. I think I will live my life here and let others find their honorable goals in working like machine in their own respective countries.
AZB
USA is a great place to make money and hard work usually pays off in the end. If you are a workaholic and don't mind working like a piston then its the ideal place for you. Most of my friends and relatives who work hard in usa, don't even realize they work so hard. They have been doing this for many many years. It takes my friends in NY 1 1/2 hours each way traveling from home to work and vice versa. In atlanta, you would be stuck for 1 1/2 hrs each way to work and home in rush hr. Thats 3 hours of commuting each day.
Most people are always occupied in paying their bills ex: electric, internet, telephones, cells, credit card, mortgage, insurances (car,health) alimony etc etc, the bills are endless. they are always behind and always struggling to pay up on time. If you are late, there goes your credit history.
In DR, I pay whenever I feel like paying. No one cares. I haven't even paid my rent yet and its the 6th. I will pay it all tomorrow. I have the money, but I am too lazy to pay up and my landlords (both office and home) can care less. they know me, I always pay. There are no license points in case of traffic offense, you pay up the fine and you are off the hook. No raise in insurance. No drink and driving laws. If you know a general in military, then the laws are all flexible for you. Hahahahaha
In simple terms, we have peace of mind here, we work and enjoy life everyday. I don't mean a beach life, I never cared for beach when I lived near the beach. This stuff is for the newbees in DR and tourists. I simply like the relaxed life here. Today is tuesday and I am off. I work 4 1/2 days a week.
Now if you are poor in DR, then USA or any other european country will be very good for you to live in. You will see, the upper middle class to rich dominicans will almost never consider living anywhere except for this country. The poor are the ones who take yolas. The gringos who live here, often never ever want to move back to their native country if they are living well here. The only people who go back are the ones who come here without a plan or for the wrong reasons Ex: falling in love with a sankie or a hooker. They go back home broke.
Now I do think about my future and I often feel I will get old and broke here in DR. I may also get old and broke in USA too but here, its almost guranteed. There is no money here for everyone. Only a selected few make it big, the rest just make it and enjoy life. For that reason alone I was thinking of moving back to USA or to another country. However, when I travel and see how the life is being lived by others in other countries, I immediately want to come back to my little santiago. I think I am much better off here than anywhere else for the moment. I have no kids and fewer responsibilities so I don't have to worry about kids college and medical coverage. I am on my own, so in this case, there is no hurry for me to make immediate decisions to take actions. I can wait and live a few more years here and see if my luck changes. What I have now, is far better than what I see people having in general in USA. I am happy here and without problems. This alone is worth more then 2 SUVs in my Garage and a $500, 000 house in NY.
I have come to realize, I am in the business to live in this life, not to accumulate toys and wealth which will cost me hard work all my life and when I will be in the age to retire, I may end up with arthritic pain all over my body and suffer till I drop dead. I see this happening to many folks in my clinic everyday. being old with money or without is the same when you are in painfull agony. I think I will live my life here and let others find their honorable goals in working like machine in their own respective countries.
AZB
AZB that post is quite a bit different than the first few...have you aged that much in 2 days?........I think you only used "poor" once. and didnt use chopo once at all................maybe there is hope for ya.....ok lets forget about the trip to the swamp for now.......bob
nice post AZB,
Americans are conditioned to put their work first above everything else "Live to Work"
Other countries put their families, friends, social life above work "Work to Live"
A lot of americans just don't know anything else, I have co-workers bragging on how they don't remember when the last time they took a vacation. Or struggling to use their vacation time before the fiscal year end, i.e. "Use it or Lose it" What do americans do on their day off? Sit around and watch tv or go shopping. I hear a lot of people stating "I got 15 years on the job" "I can't wait to retire" too bad
Americans are conditioned to put their work first above everything else "Live to Work"
Other countries put their families, friends, social life above work "Work to Live"
A lot of americans just don't know anything else, I have co-workers bragging on how they don't remember when the last time they took a vacation. Or struggling to use their vacation time before the fiscal year end, i.e. "Use it or Lose it" What do americans do on their day off? Sit around and watch tv or go shopping. I hear a lot of people stating "I got 15 years on the job" "I can't wait to retire" too bad
AZB said:
isn't DR a poor country? yes, you will find rich and middle class people... but
DR in general is a 3rd world poor country. Seeing campo, poor people is the
right view in DR... it might not be the right view for some who only want to
live and associate themselves with "high class, decent" people and who think they should separate themselves from the poor.
daddy1 said:
I don't think anybody is preaching about the evils of hard work. I can't find one single post on this thread that states hard work is a bad thing. It's not. But there is a HUGE difference between hard work and the obsessive slave-driven frenzy that so many Americans seem to find themselves in these days.
As I stated before, there is an increase of all of the following in the US:
Alcoholism
Drug Abuse (Prescription and Illegal)
Antidepressant/SSRI use
Use of mental health practicioners/facilities
Suicide
Depression
Stress borne/related disease
Domestic violence
Americans are working more hours on average than ever. Yet roughly 70% of Americans state that they feel their productivity levels are decreasing.
So what's wrong with this picture? I'm not by any means saying that there is anything wrong with hard work. Without it, the world as we know it would collapse. But there has to be a balance and Americans are drifting further and further away from it every day. The divorce rate is also at an all time high which I imagine can largely be attributed to the general disenigration of the family unit. I don't feel that one, or maybe even 2, parents working themselves silly all the time is conducive to a solid family. Yes, food must be put on the table and basic needs have to be met but what good is a $50K Escalade if the kids are never around to be riding in the back? What good does that 52 inch flat projection TV do if the family is never together to watch it? Who cares about a summer home in New England if you don't take time off from work every year for a vacation?
Stress is an unavoidable consequence of life. As Hans Selye (who coined the term as it is currently used) noted, "Without stress, there would be no life". I am in agreement, there is good stress and bad stress and we all need a delicate balance of the two in order to function to the utmost of our abilities. Unfortunately, I'm afraid most working Americans are only dallying on one side of the fence here. I'm afraid to see what is going to happen in the next few generations. It truly is frightening.
If anything is counterproductive, I think it is working yourself into an early grave so you can have all of the material possessions needed to "enjoy" life.
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another viewpoint
I agree that many people in the U.S. work too many hours and seem to just be "getting by", but in comparison the "getting by" they talk about in the U.S. would be called lavish living here. In the initial post it was mentioned spending $150 on dinner for 2 people. It would be damn near impossible to spend that much here in the DR. The other thing in the U.S. is the concept of "getting by" is far different than here. "Getting by" here is really just that- having food to eat and enough to cover your basic necessities is getting by. In the US getting by is keeping up with the other families on the block, having the big screen tv as wellas a tv in every room, not 1 but 2 nice cars, a boat, a motorcycle, 2 or 3 computers in your home, every person in the home with a cell phone, clothing expenses that are excessive, etc. It's all in how you conceptualize "getting by" and what it means to you in your locale. I have very much adapted to life in the DR and am very comfortable, but my life in the US I was also very comfortable, yet spent much more on. And another thing while I'm at it, it is not that much cheaper to live here than it was in the US if you wish to live to the US standards. If you adjust your tastes to the DR lifestyle it is a bit cheaper, but not substantially. Stressful situations are perceptual, not reality- it all depends on how you react to them.
I agree that many people in the U.S. work too many hours and seem to just be "getting by", but in comparison the "getting by" they talk about in the U.S. would be called lavish living here. In the initial post it was mentioned spending $150 on dinner for 2 people. It would be damn near impossible to spend that much here in the DR. The other thing in the U.S. is the concept of "getting by" is far different than here. "Getting by" here is really just that- having food to eat and enough to cover your basic necessities is getting by. In the US getting by is keeping up with the other families on the block, having the big screen tv as wellas a tv in every room, not 1 but 2 nice cars, a boat, a motorcycle, 2 or 3 computers in your home, every person in the home with a cell phone, clothing expenses that are excessive, etc. It's all in how you conceptualize "getting by" and what it means to you in your locale. I have very much adapted to life in the DR and am very comfortable, but my life in the US I was also very comfortable, yet spent much more on. And another thing while I'm at it, it is not that much cheaper to live here than it was in the US if you wish to live to the US standards. If you adjust your tastes to the DR lifestyle it is a bit cheaper, but not substantially. Stressful situations are perceptual, not reality- it all depends on how you react to them.
Flamingojohn said:
you havent eaten at the Gran Almirante in Santiago I am gonna guess. me and my gf ate there in oct and with only one bottle of wine with dinner, we blew by that mark.
as for the rest of many of these posts, you people are just feeding off each others hype. The catch phrase this week must have been "just getting by"
people with a 40K suv a 40K truck, an older knock around classic car, living in the burbs, all landscaped out, the boat and a few toys, two incomes, both with 401k's. two kids sucking 25K in college tutition each. house furnished to the gills. Vacation time shares.....ISNT just getting by folks!!!!!!!!!! america is packed with these people....if its so hard.. they sell a boat...wham,,out of trouble...the trade in for a 30K car, wham, out of trouble.... kids stop college, wham living large again! hey dont go golfing for a few weeks! get real The median income blew by the mid 20's years ago I bet , but thats with 10 million jobless people thrown in the average...and you can see people living in CT , NY mass, VT , NJ are living large. People that have it good arent complaining and no one is hearing from them...you only hear about the people in trouble.. and usually that comes from someone loosing a job. Life is weet in the USA , you can scrutinize the crap out of it. I dont know many people who are crying in their soup around me. you drive through lower westchester and lower CT and every house had a gardner!!!!!!!!!! and they are adding on to their house as fast as they can. My brother lives down in NC near my parents. Drive down there in NORTH CAROLINA, and they dont build 2500 square foot house any more.. they are all 3,000 sf and up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and thats down south!!!!!!!!!!! my sister lves in a 6700sf house....and she only lives with one daughter there..........why because she can I guess...her neighbor hood sold out in 3 months when they built it!!!!!!!!!!!! people have money!!!!!!! are they happy?. they buy the houses they always wanted, they send their kids to good schools and they manicure their lawns, they go on vacations, and raise their children. They show up at the kids baseball and basketball games in hordes.................................their daughters take dance class or music...............are they miserable?..........................I guess if you want to think they are.......... thats all thats needed............to some people just being healthy makes life sweet especially if they werent at one time.........................dont dwell on misery, and the chances are you wont have any...............bob
laurapasinifan said:
You're not kidding. I came here from Carolina after having spent over 8 years there and let me tell you, that part of the country is booming!
The RDU (Triangle) area, namely Cary-Apex has the fastest growing real estate market/sector in the US.
Bob if life is so great in USA for you and for your family then I would like to know, why do you come running down to this dangerous wasteland called Dominican republic, every 3 days you have off from your schedule? Why would you come and spend time in a dangerous run-down off the dirt road house where the owner has to blow up firecrackers every night to keep away the local thieves? Why would you risk all that you have to put your life in danger in a lawless land like this island? Oh wait, you have a girlfriend here.... is that it?
Whats the matter with your picture of your perfecxt UTOPIA in the first world? If the life is so good there then why can't you find a perfect girlfriend in your own bubble where you live in? Whats the matter, not one good woman that perfect environment has produced that suits your taste?
I have seen people like you talk about your perfect lives in the 1st world but you people always come running back to this island, looking for the peace and freedom that you don't have in your own perfect land.
I bet you are counting days to come back here.
AZB
Whats the matter with your picture of your perfecxt UTOPIA in the first world? If the life is so good there then why can't you find a perfect girlfriend in your own bubble where you live in? Whats the matter, not one good woman that perfect environment has produced that suits your taste?
I have seen people like you talk about your perfect lives in the 1st world but you people always come running back to this island, looking for the peace and freedom that you don't have in your own perfect land.
I bet you are counting days to come back here.
AZB
AZB, what a good thread!
We get to see the good, bad, and ugly of DR and US.
So, let me get this....
Americans living in US are pro-US,
Dominicans of upper income living in DR are pro-DR,
Disenfranchised Americans living in DR are pro-DR,
and disenfranchised Dominicans living in US are pro-US.
Does anyone see what I see?
-NAL:classic:
We get to see the good, bad, and ugly of DR and US.
So, let me get this....
Americans living in US are pro-US,
Dominicans of upper income living in DR are pro-DR,
Disenfranchised Americans living in DR are pro-DR,
and disenfranchised Dominicans living in US are pro-US.
Does anyone see what I see?
-NAL:classic:
azb azb azb.....it really is comical how you put the pakastani twist on every thing.........do you think i came looking for LOVE in the DR?. hardly. I was living the life of rieley baby, there and here. As much as you think you can pick someone to fall in love with out of a catalog of "nice families" it dont happen that way
how long has it BEEN since you hav been in love. I couldnt CONVINCE myself to not be crazy for this grl, no matter what roadblock I could come up with what reason of sanity that could possibly tell me this is stupid, it didnt matter it grew its own life... and for a girl like the one I have I would go to Iraq every other month if i had to....BUT YA KNOW WHAT...you will never understand.....so what my life was , is or will be in america has nothing to do with what pulls me back to the DR. i was happy to go just once a year or so, before......now i cant go enough...it sure isnt the economy, or the beaches... and no matter how much strife I have been through including the grief you give me here is it not enough to keep me away for now..
So the better life issue, in either country , has nothing to do with why i come down there. If it was calcutta, and i felt the same id be there to see this woman.......the only effect, being miserable in american would have on my relationship, is that i possibly couldnt come down as often.......no trouble I have had so far would keep me away...havent you been listening I like it there...........I can say that, and still believe its better someplace else...cant I?..........bob
how long has it BEEN since you hav been in love. I couldnt CONVINCE myself to not be crazy for this grl, no matter what roadblock I could come up with what reason of sanity that could possibly tell me this is stupid, it didnt matter it grew its own life... and for a girl like the one I have I would go to Iraq every other month if i had to....BUT YA KNOW WHAT...you will never understand.....so what my life was , is or will be in america has nothing to do with what pulls me back to the DR. i was happy to go just once a year or so, before......now i cant go enough...it sure isnt the economy, or the beaches... and no matter how much strife I have been through including the grief you give me here is it not enough to keep me away for now..
So the better life issue, in either country , has nothing to do with why i come down there. If it was calcutta, and i felt the same id be there to see this woman.......the only effect, being miserable in american would have on my relationship, is that i possibly couldnt come down as often.......no trouble I have had so far would keep me away...havent you been listening I like it there...........I can say that, and still believe its better someplace else...cant I?..........bob