Specifically to Sosua. Hope you all like it. I wonder if other Americans have the same concerns about the US that I do -
- Thread starter A.P.Colorado
- Start date
I made a short video about why I'm moving from USA to DR
Colorado to Sosua.... Ill give you six months.
I tend to agree with you but maybe you could tell him some specific reasons?
For example, I don't think the DR is safer than Colorado and that seems to be one of the OP's main concerns.
Also, the electricity and internet kind of sucks, which might impact his online work.
Why do YOU think he will only last 6 months?
My biggest question would be: does he have any experience living in the developing world? I think that is a useful metric.
And...he states that retired ppl live on $1200 a month. HE, is not retired, nor does $1200 a month insure a "Colorado life-style" (or anything close). Additionally, the violence in the states is predominately in the larger inner cities not in the analogy made in the Colorado cities. Does he speak the language? And, and, and ....its a HUGE jump and shift.
Hola AP,
Sosua is a great place to live. I have been here for more than 10 years. When do you arrive? Feel free to get in touch!
I moved to Cabarete from the Silicon Valley/San Francisco Bay Area to live less expensively in retirement when I was 48. Been here 17 years. .
One of my best friends is in the Boulder, CO area. Lots of smoke lately.
As long as you can get paid in US dollars on line, you should be OK.
Otherwise I don't recommend it to anyone that needs to work locally.
You will face some interesting differences as others have pointed out. Language, culture, internet reliability.
Power, water, foods you will never eat again, etc. Power will be off at least 7 hours today for "maintenance" for example .
Are you going to get a residency visa in your passport and then plan to start legal residency here?
One of my best friends is in the Boulder, CO area. Lots of smoke lately.
As long as you can get paid in US dollars on line, you should be OK.
Otherwise I don't recommend it to anyone that needs to work locally.
You will face some interesting differences as others have pointed out. Language, culture, internet reliability.
Power, water, foods you will never eat again, etc. Power will be off at least 7 hours today for "maintenance" for example .
Are you going to get a residency visa in your passport and then plan to start legal residency here?
WIll do! I've always wanted to try Scuba diving. I'll be landing on Monday.
Awesome that's good to hear! I'm in a town in between Boulder and Denver; about 20-30 minutes to either city. The smoke has been pretty rough. On some days it's fine, other days you can only see a few thousand feet in front of you. It makes everybody cough and lethargic. On the bad days, the sky literally looks amber-red. We've had a few days where Denver has had the worst air quality in the world; worse than anything in China or India. A cold front just moved in, but we need precipitation more than anything else.
All my money will be earned online via pay pal in USD. Also got a Visa CC with no foreign transaction fees and a Charles Shwab checking account with no foreign ATM fees. Hopefully, I'll be squared away on banking.
I'm looking forward to the challenges - part of moving is to expand my horizons and get out of my comfort zone. I've heard a lot of Americans missing peanut butter and ranch dressing when they go abroad. Truth be told my health and weight would probably benefit from going off of the American diet : )
I'm not planning on getting a residency visa for now. My long term plan is to move to another country in the spring. If I decide to stay in the DR longer then that I'll look into getting a residency visa. My understanding is that I'll just need to pay a $100 exit fee for not getting a Visa for a 6-8 month stay.
Thanks for the insight!
Ok! You don't like the Police or civil unrest and you are going to live on 300 dollars a week. Let me change that. I give you 4 months.
There are Island Countries whom are offering a one year at a time residences (Barbados for one,I used to live and work there.
If I'm around people with your attitude, I'd only give myself 1 week 😜
Oh mon ami , you have mentioned Civil Unrest, Environmental (smoke) issues and Politics. I should warn you from someone who has experienced similar issues. Regardless of the country /culture,ethnic origins of the people I have never been able to escape me. My issues are always there as I ;looked for ''Paradise''.
Paradise I found out, lives within and I needed to embrace it and overlook the other influences as being just that, only influences and not issues that cause me to pull up roots .
I have experienced all of the above while living here in the DR...But learned to accept the world as it is and enjoy myself.
So do come here, then elsewhere and become a citizen of the World, and above all Identify and enjoy your own personal Paradise.
I woke up again today ''NOT DEAD'' tremendous experience considering the alternative.
Live well and prosper.
Keep in mind more than your possessions may be at stake. Criminals in the DR do not like witnesses. Be careful.
As a Canadian snowbird and after many winters in the DR, I’ve gained what I think are realistic expectations of life in this culturally diverse and beautiful country. My only advice is take some Español lessons so you can communicate at a basic level and resist the urge to buy until you decide on your long term future. Renting gives you the ability to live in and experience different DR communities or pack up and easily leave if you think there are greener pastures elsewhere. Also buy a good private hospital insurance package when you arrive. Best of luck in your new adventure.
I wish you the best of luck in your efforts to leave the American lifestyle/culture behind and explore the world. The DR is not much of a hotspot for digital nomads - I suspect this is because of poor infrastructure, high crime rates and a relatively high cost of living compared to, say, Thailand (which might be a great option after the DR).
Regarding living in the developing world.... I don't know exactly how to say this, but as an American, if someone tells you that your new apartment has 'guaranteed 24/7 electrical'... it doesn't mean the same thing in the DR. It means that the landlord WANTS to offer this, and KNOWS it's important to people, and TRIES to have electricity as much as possible....
Same thing with security - at the end of the day you will be responsible for, and paying for, the peace of mind/security of an internet connection as you see fit. This is an important difference between the developed/developing world.
Although, as you say, writing doesn't require much in terms of internet capacity.
I'm all for leaving the rat race behind, but be aware that you will be trading one set of problems for another - hopefully the trade offs will be worth it for you. There is a reason many Dominicans are desperate to emigrate to the US and elsewhere and not vice versa.
I am my own landlord and haven't been out of power or water since I bought my house, almost two years ago. I have security too where I live.
I really have found my paradise and I am very happy. Hopefully it will last many years more. Freedom to do what I want is what I appreciate most, beside the clima
I really have found my paradise and I am very happy. Hopefully it will last many years more. Freedom to do what I want is what I appreciate most, beside the clima
Technically, I suppose there is no such thing as electric 24/7. Nit picking aside I live in a place with 2/4 luz but how do you count the 1-2 minutes for the inverter
to kick in and then kick off? I admit it may only happen once a week OR 3x when I was cooking dinner a couple of night ago. lol. One boiling pot of water with pasta in it, one sauce pan with shrimp and garlic, one electric stove, no lights and I'm cooking with a book written by Ray Charles.
to kick in and then kick off? I admit it may only happen once a week OR 3x when I was cooking dinner a couple of night ago. lol. One boiling pot of water with pasta in it, one sauce pan with shrimp and garlic, one electric stove, no lights and I'm cooking with a book written by Ray Charles.