The word "Republic" is used in majority of the countries around the world. If you go to Panama the stamp in your passport will state the " Republic of Panama" not just Panama because the " Republic of Panama is its official name. Have any of you heard someone say " I am going to the Republic of Kenya" or I just got back from visiting " The United States of Mexico" because this is the official name for Mexico. How about Madrid is the capital of the " Kingdom of Spain" the official name for Spain.
Dominican or the Dominican Republic is the EXACT same thing!!! Everybody on the planet know or should know what the word "Republic" stands for.
Most people in the USA with a Dominican background refer to it solely as "DR" but when they hear people say " the Dominican" EVERYBODY knows exactly what country they are referring to.
The official name for Japan is "Japan", Jamaica is "Jamaica", Grenada is "Grenada" so you can't call these country anything but its official name.
The Dominican Republic, the Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo( which is DIFFERENT from the Congo) and the Central African Republic, but these countries are all new I think they back to as early as the 1960's, but the Dominican LOL!!! goes all the way back to the 1885 or something. I have NO IDEA why people car it the Dominican Republic and it is NOT because of the Commonwealth of Dominica aka "Dominica"
BTW Seattle will be GREAT for Cano new place new challenge.