Cautionary Tale of dealing with Haitian "family".

[josh2203]

er, first, I live in a ghetto in Puerto Plata. I'm comfortable among the poor and I enjoy the constant life.

I've lived in various barrios in Puerto Plata, and exactly due to this I did not first understand why would you leave your furniture inside something you rent out. Now you responded, thank you.

Cistern - it's single gravity feed cistern on the roof for 4 apartments. Anyone of us could drain it just by leaving a tap open for a few hours or overnight. Unless it's setup with active monitoring (doubtful) or somebody checks it ever hour, I don't think anybody would know until it's all gone. Again, this is the ghetto.

That's not called cisterna, cistern is usually a concrete well below the house or the garage to store water. The tanks you refer to are called "tinaco". And again, I've lived in various locations throughout DR, and not sure why this "setup" has anything to do with this thing "ghetto" (barrio??)? It's pretty normal practice almost anywhere, unless you live in a place with real 24/7 pressurised tap water...

If I were you, I would try to get more tinacos onto the roof, the maximum I have seen is one tinaco for 2 apartments, best would of course be 1:1.

 

[bob saunders]

I've lived in various barrios in Puerto Plata, and exactly due to this I did not first understand why would you leave your furniture inside something you rent out. Now you responded, thank you.



That's not called cisterna, cistern is usually a concrete well below the house or the garage to store water. The tanks you refer to are called "tinaco". And again, I've lived in various locations throughout DR, and not sure why this "setup" has anything to do with this thing "ghetto" (barrio??)? It's pretty normal practice almost anywhere, unless you live in a place with real 24/7 pressurised tap water...

If I were you, I would try to get more tinacos onto the roof, the maximum I have seen is one tinaco for 2 apartments, best would of course be 1:1.

I have three tinacos on my roof, one for each floor. If the water goes out on the street it takes about two days minimum to empty a tinaco, but we don't wash clothing.

 

[GringoRubio]

You chose the lower class parasitic culture to live among.

I definitely haven't decided to climb into the gutter.

As I mentioned earlier (somewhere), I choose to live among the poor because I'm most comfortable among them. 98% or better are hard working good people that struggle with life and are closer to god than any people that I've ever met. I choose to use a small portion of my expendable income to help the poor, and not a day goes where I am not repaid for my kindness.

I've had complete strangers in the street thank me for my kindness to their grandmother. I assume it's one of several people that I routinely talk to and help with their diabetes care as Alzucar is such an efficient killer here. I've learned to keep some basic medical equipment with me for blood pressure and sugar levels, wound care, sutures, etc. I can tell you that it's a very sad state of affairs when I'm their first line of medical care, but it's literally me or nothing.

I've stepped off the plane to give insulin to a neighbor. I recovered it (illegally) from a relative's death, but unknown to me, the neighbor was on her deathbed. We had her back on her feet in two days and she's still with us. This scenario may seem outlandish, but I've just learned to accept them because it keeps happening. It tends to bind me to the people that live here.

I really feel sorry for the people that live in luxury condos overlooking the sea, etc. To me, I just see that as an amazingly impoverished and narcissistic lifestyle. I'm not going to judge people, but it's not for me.

There's a European guy that lives in a gated community not far from here. He's had a really tough go here in the DR. He's been robbed numerous times. He bought a dog for protection, but the thieves just poisoned the dog and robbed him anyways. I compare that to my experience and it's completely different. I haven't been robbed a single time (touch wood). The Barrio knows me and people actively look out for me.

I have long term plans to retire into either working with charities or as a school teacher. (I might get stupid and open a restaurant too). I definitely struggle with the street language, so where best to learn it than in the street.

 

[GringoRubio]

I've lived in various barrios in Puerto Plata, and exactly due to this I did not first understand why would you leave your furniture inside something you rent out. Now you responded, thank you.

Sigh. It's not a rental. At least, to us, it's not a rental; the owner that we rent from may differ. We rented it unfurnished for more space without any expectation of further people (good or bad) showing up. Obviously, it's turned into a disaster.

Sounds like you have cistern/tinaco under control. Thanks for clarifying. We have a concrete monstrosity on the roof and not the usual black plastic tank. Isn't that also a cistern? Or, am I mistaken?

 

[GringoRubio]

I hope this includes a serious Come To Jesus with the GF. She is complicit in the shenanigans.

Yes, indeed, it's your life and your decisions.

Oh yeah, that's in progress....

 

[josh2203]

Sounds like you have cistern/tinaco under control. Thanks for clarifying. We have a concrete monstrosity on the roof and not the usual black plastic tank. Isn't that also a cistern? Or, am I mistaken?

I wasn't trying to be "smart" here or talk about terminology, my point was merely that what you said did not make sense to me. As cisterns are usually those buried under the ground, they simply won't just drain without a pump. If it's on your roof, that again explains everything. I have no idea how is it called, I just wanted to understand the situation...

 

[josh2203]

I have three tinacos on my roof, one for each floor. If the water goes out on the street it takes about two days minimum to empty a tinaco, but we don't wash clothing.

My FIL owns a building with 3 aparments. The building has 4 tinacos (the largest available locally), one for each apartment and one for washing (washing facilities provided on the roof), and under the garage the building has the largest cistern in the street. The water comes 3 times a week, so it's practically impossible that any tenant would ever be without water. You need at least 2-3 weeks without water from Coraaplata...

 

[wuarhat]

My FIL owns a building with 3 aparments. The building has 4 tinacos (the largest available locally), one for each apartment and one for washing (washing facilities provided on the roof), and under the garage the building has the largest cistern in the street. The water comes 3 times a week, so it's practically impossible that any tenant would ever be without water. You need at least 2-3 weeks without water from Coraaplata...

I like that. I don't mind the lights going out, but when the water stops running I turn into a grumpy old man. That's from my experiences ten years ago. I wouldn't want to see me now.

 

[malko]

I like that. I don't mind the lights going out, but when the water stops running I turn into a grumpy old man. That's from my experiences ten years ago. I wouldn't want to see me now.

My first year here, I thought I would break down and cry when I opened a tap and there was no water.
We had the worlds biggest*cistern built under patio/house....... but if no*luz then no*bomba = no water
First "investment" in the dr was a huuuuge*tinaco and a "tower " for it to sit on.
No one in their right mind, and if they have the possibilty , would put it on the roof of the house. Just imagine 1 billion gallons of water pouring aroumd and through your house

 

[drescape24]

The apartment is rented as furnished? Other than tourist areas, I've never seen that, nor do I know any landlord willing to do this..

Secondly, do the tenants have direct access to the cistern? Or how is it possible that the cistern was drained without nobody noticing?

Easy, leave the kithen sink tab running.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[bob saunders]

My first year here, I thought I would break down and cry when I opened a tap and there was no water.
We had the worlds biggest*cistern built under patio/house....... but if no*luz then no*bomba = no water
First "investment" in the dr was a huuuuge*tinaco and a "tower " for it to sit on.
No one in their right mind, and if they have the possibilty , would put it on the roof of the house. Just imagine 1 billion gallons of water pouring aroumd and through your house

I have three tinacos on a flat concrete roof. There ia a roof drain and a lip of about 4 inches. Qith the torrential rainfalls qe have here I have no problems.

 

[wuarhat]

My first year here, I thought I would break down and cry when I opened a tap and there was no water.
We had the worlds biggest*cistern built under patio/house....... but if no*luz then no*bomba = no water
First "investment" in the dr was a huuuuge*tinaco and a "tower " for it to sit on.
No one in their right mind, and if they have the possibilty , would put it on the roof of the house. Just imagine 1 billion gallons of water pouring aroumd and through your house

My wife said no problem we'll just haul it out of the hole in the front yard in buckets. It shows what perspective means in a conversation. She had to walk half a mile with a bucket on her head every time water was needed as a kid.

 

[malko]

I have three tinacos on a flat concrete roof. There ia a roof drain and a lip of about 4 inches. Qith the torrential rainfalls qe have here I have no problems.

I was thinking more of earthquakes and/or structural failure.

 

[wuarhat]

I have three tinacos on a flat concrete roof. There ia a roof drain and a lip of about 4 inches. Qith the torrential rainfalls qe have here I have no problems.

You also have, I believe, a new engineered roof. I wouldn't want to be putting three tons (assuming 250 gallon tinacos) of water on anything else but that.

 

[JayinRD]

Note to self...there ought to be a Forum subcategory called "Gringo Ripped off"

 

[pkaide1]

I definitely haven't decided to climb into the gutter.

As I mentioned earlier (somewhere), I choose to live among the poor because I'm most comfortable among them. 98% or better are hard working good people that struggle with life and are closer to god than any people that I've ever met. I choose to use a small portion of my expendable income to help the poor, and not a day goes where I am not repaid for my kindness.

I've had complete strangers in the street thank me for my kindness to their grandmother. I assume it's one of several people that I routinely talk to and help with their diabetes care as Alzucar is such an efficient killer here. I've learned to keep some basic medical equipment with me for blood pressure and sugar levels, wound care, sutures, etc. I can tell you that it's a very sad state of affairs when I'm their first line of medical care, but it's literally me or nothing.

I've stepped off the plane to give insulin to a neighbor. I recovered it (illegally) from a relative's death, but unknown to me, the neighbor was on her deathbed. We had her back on her feet in two days and she's still with us. This scenario may seem outlandish, but I've just learned to accept them because it keeps happening. It tends to bind me to the people that live here.

I really feel sorry for the people that live in luxury condos overlooking the sea, etc. To me, I just see that as an amazingly impoverished and narcissistic lifestyle. I'm not going to judge people, but it's not for me.

There's a European guy that lives in a gated community not far from here. He's had a really tough go here in the DR. He's been robbed numerous times. He bought a dog for protection, but the thieves just poisoned the dog and robbed him anyways. I compare that to my experience and it's completely different. I haven't been robbed a single time (touch wood). The Barrio knows me and people actively look out for me.

I have long term plans to retire into either working with charities or as a school teacher. (I might get stupid and open a restaurant too). I definitely struggle with the street language, so where best to learn it than in the street.

That is very generous of you. Just be careful. One thing is trying to help people and the other one is people seeing you as a sucker or trying to take advantage of you.

NICE RELIGIOUS REFERENCE BUT NOT ALLOWED IN REGULAR FORUMS

 

[Kantana]

It appears to me that your girlfriend is not Dominican. Haitian "cousins"?*

What an ignorant comment, to say the least!
There are many Dominicans married to Haitians and Haitians married to Dominicans. Offsprings from such marriages will have cousins on both sides of the island.

ktn...........:rambo:

 

[cbmitch9]

To a pig, a sty is a palace and a palace is a sty...It's all relative.

 

[GringoRubio]

I wasn't trying to be "smart" here or talk about terminology, my point was merely that what you said did not make sense to me. As cisterns are usually those buried under the ground, they simply won't just drain without a pump. If it's on your roof, that again explains everything. I have no idea how is it called, I just wanted to understand the situation...

Sorry, I was being a little twiquey. No excuse, just stressed.

 

[GringoRubio]

Just an update. But, we got our "house guests" out. As expected, they tried to rob everything they could get their hands on. It's truly incredible behavior considering that they know the whole family (including their father) is watching them and telling them to behave. Henceforth, I'll refer to them as "las diablas".

We're in the process of repairing the house and changing the locks, etc. With the diablas gone, the owner asked us to stay, but as they had keys and nothing is apparently beneath them, changing locks seems like a prudent investment.