OP, maybe you could/should get back to us when you have your camping business up and running. Thanks
- Thread starter MoJoInDR
- Start date
Camping, Campgrounds in The DR?
Damn, that's the same beer that Mr. Ken offered me Keepcoming. These guys just don't keep their promises. 
Overall a good discussion to see some
Positives and negatives. Both are worthwhile.
I hope it doesnt go downhill as many do.
Positives and negatives. Both are worthwhile.
I hope it doesnt go downhill as many do.
Damn, that's the same beer that Mr. Ken offered me Keepcoming. These guys just don't keep their promises.
Is there a store I could pay for it online for you and have it delivered to your abode (or you could pick it up). Or I could just Western Union the money to you. And going to all that trouble, how about I make it a six-pack?
I'm not talking budget beer, but neither super premium... Just a good ol' affordably priced brand.
And this would just be to keep you happy until I'm actually in the DR, at which time we can meet face-to-face and say, "...Salud!...".
Let me know.
Unfortunately, it's par for the course on online forums... We just need to take the good with the bad and be happy we have such a thing as the internet.
Thanks though for the positive response, I appreciate it. And yes, I also hope it doesn't go downhill.
Being the adventurous type I have (mostly) enjoyed and followed this thread so thought I'd add my 2 cents. First let me say kudos to you MoJo for keeping your civility in the face of naysayers and denigrators, you are a welcome member of the community and I wish you the best in whichever endeavor you choose in this phase of life.
The DR is indeed a beautiful and diverse country, and if people had seen what I have they would certainly want to explore more and stray from the AI that most park at while there. One member here, Cobraboy, had a business (not sure if he's still around or the biz is still up) which took people on motorcycle tours to various parts of the country and it always seemed a great business model to me. If advertised and marketed to the right demography I'm sure something like you envision could be done, certain people are always looking for a different type of vacation/adventure.
Most people who camp are either young or have their own RV, thus most is done in their home country. As many have stated comfort and safety while in another country is important. It is one thing to pack all you need into a vehicle, drive for miles to the beach/mountains, and visit a park or campground. Doing these things by flight is a whole new ball game While I understand all these amenities can be provided it takes a certain amount of enjoyment and adventure from the process.
In order to offer this as a full country immersion would be a logistical nightmare. You would need transportation for large groups, camping gear for each location or more vehicles to haul gear, people to set up, etc. I understand and admire your objective to employ young disadvantaged folks for this but supervision, translators etc. would be a must, even if done locally and not on a country-wide scale. And security if not in a very isolated and secret place would be imperative, unfortunately.
In my late 40's and 50's I had an inflatable kayak I would vacation with but never took it to the DR . If I had known what I know now I would have vacationed more in my early years with one, paddled the coasts of places like CR, Mex Belize etc. and camped on public beaches, no problem. Sweating in a tent with a young companion would have been more fun Now more into comfort but still like adventures lol. Best of luck again!
The DR is indeed a beautiful and diverse country, and if people had seen what I have they would certainly want to explore more and stray from the AI that most park at while there. One member here, Cobraboy, had a business (not sure if he's still around or the biz is still up) which took people on motorcycle tours to various parts of the country and it always seemed a great business model to me. If advertised and marketed to the right demography I'm sure something like you envision could be done, certain people are always looking for a different type of vacation/adventure.
Most people who camp are either young or have their own RV, thus most is done in their home country. As many have stated comfort and safety while in another country is important. It is one thing to pack all you need into a vehicle, drive for miles to the beach/mountains, and visit a park or campground. Doing these things by flight is a whole new ball game
While I understand all these amenities can be provided it takes a certain amount of enjoyment and adventure from the process. In order to offer this as a full country immersion would be a logistical nightmare. You would need transportation for large groups, camping gear for each location or more vehicles to haul gear, people to set up, etc. I understand and admire your objective to employ young disadvantaged folks for this but supervision, translators etc. would be a must, even if done locally and not on a country-wide scale. And security if not in a very isolated and secret place would be imperative, unfortunately.
In my late 40's and 50's I had an inflatable kayak I would vacation with but never took it to the DR . If I had known what I know now I would have vacationed more in my early years with one, paddled the coasts of places like CR, Mex Belize etc. and camped on public beaches, no problem. Sweating in a tent with a young companion would have been more fun
Now more into comfort but still like adventures lol. Best of luck again!Nice short article by local DR person on hiking, with info on tour guides/companies...
jessieonajourney.com
Dominican Republic Hiking: 12 Amazing Trails Not To Miss
Dominican Republic hiking is amazing! Don't miss these 12 local trails featuring stunning waterfalls, beaches, and panoramic views.
jessieonajourney.com
Hey these are my domes
Glad to see someone found us, opened in July, the only domes in miches... for now... #LosDomosDeMiches is our tag 
I think you have some very noble thoughts and plans on trying to help unprivileged youth.
But…
Why Haitians? (I think very few Haitians dream of moving back personally).
Who’s going to pay for it?
Are you sure you could handle situations among young people from barrios where some might be used to solve discussions with violence?
Great question for MoJoinDR. Housing illegal aliens could also cause some issues with the DR government. People that want to help Haitians should do that IN HAITI!
Other excellent questions that are no small issues. Illegal aliens should be deported.
Been a while... But glad I'm back... Although I never really left, as I have been taking a monthly look-see at the forums since withdrawing from forum participation.
Okay...Thanks, Fulano2, for your very relevant questions... Why Haitians?... Who's going to pay for it?... And can I handle situations among young people from barrios that may be inclined to solve discussions with violence?
I'll address the last question first...
I live in the US, a country that has suffered thirteen mass killings in less than four months... And more than 600 for each of the previous three years.
Additionally, I grew up in Jamaica during the 1970s and was there when Jamaica had a higher per capita murder rate than New York City (circa 1980 if I remember correctly). It was in Jamaica, at age twelve, when I saw someone, a young teenager, shoot and kill an old man for his bag of groceries. During my teens, it was not uncommon to see dead bodies on the side of the street during my drive to and from high school. On two separate occasions, we saw the body of a person who had been dumped right in front of our home's gate. One night I woke up to sub-machine gun fire in an area just below where my family lived... Noise rises, so it sounded very close. I was able to walk up the 60' verandah that all our bedrooms opened onto, get to my parent's room, and look down at where we heard the gunfire coming from before it stopped. That could easily have been around 30+ seconds of continuous gunfire... And yes, some people died as a result. And to top of my experience of violence, when I was nineteen years old, seven gunmen broke into our home and ransacked it for an hour. I was almost killed, and I won't go into details regarding a family member.
So why am I presenting all of this... I didn't run away and hide back then, and I hope that I won't do it now... I have always been someone to go and help, which is why I was almost killed during the break-in.
People need help, Fulano2... And I feel that if I'm in a position to help I have a moral duty to do so. And I don't place this burden on anyone else... It's just how I see things.
My stepdaughter worked with mentally challenged people for over ten years (State Hospital), and today works with young people (under 20) who are very socially challenged. She has said she'd like to be a part of the project, and I hope she will be.
Now... Why Haitians?
My wife is Haitian... And she has a heart for Haitians... I'm someone who has always felt a calling to help others.
When she first started speaking with me about moving to the DR it was with retirement in mind. I ignored it for a while, but then late in 2022, I felt a leading to take a look at what moving to the DR would entail. My wife has been pursuing a more healthy lifestyle — better food — and so she wanted to look at a property that would allow us to grow our crops. Long story short, I came across a property... A rather large property, that intrigued me... And so, being a Christian believer (and this is not me trying to sneak religion in), I began praying about what I was feeling... This led to me seeing the possibility of something I had not previously considered in any way, shape, or form... Which then led to more research on the matter... This then led to an idea forming in my mind (I'm a product development/marketing professional) related to Haitian kids in the DR, a trade school for them, and the possibility of repatriating them after, with the purpose of agricultural development in Haiti.
And look, I'm giving you the elevator pitch... All this took maybe six or more months to work through... And it's still a work in progress.
Long term... I hope that the project can help both Dominicans and Haitians in the areas of agriculture, hospitality, and forestry... While possibly developing off-shoot businesses that include the development of non-agricultural products related to the overall theme of the project.
And don't think I'm not aware of the scope of undertaking that I'm speaking about... I can't tell you how many times in the last year both my wife and I have said that maybe we should just buy an RV and go driving around the US.
And yet... Here I am... Back on the DR1 forum... Talking to you about this project.
Who's going to pay for it?
God.
Seriously... It's His project... The financing is His responsibility... Just being as honest as I can be.
And again... Please don't see this in a religious way, or turn this into some sort of religious inquiry... I am a Christian believer, but I am NOT a religious person... My wife and I have limited financial resources, so we certainly cannot fund it.
Now, perhaps some members of DR1 may take the opportunity to make sport of what I've written above, and that's fine... To each their own.
You asked me some questions, Fulano2... And although I took my time... I've tried to give honest answers to them.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to do so.
I'm pretty sure there are many, many, many Dominican citizens who have been educated in other countries... My wife's niece is one of them.
Often, here in the US, I have heard of a person's illegal status being turned into legal status, through various established efforts/resources... Are Haitians beyond this grace being offered to them?... What if some organization that focused on legitimizing their immigration status was introduced... Would you be against it, windeguy?
Nothing that I said suggested housing illegal immigrants... And neither did I suggest doing anything apart from the DR government... In fact, the DR government would be a part of what would be developed (not as a government-overseen entity, just a working relationship established).
This isn't about overstaying visas, windeguy... It's far more than that.
Hope that clears a little up for you.