It can be hard to give up what you have in the first world to live in DR

[sunshine_79]

You can look forward to living EXACTLY as your parents do!

Now THAT is "HAPPY"??????????????????????????????????????
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I definitely see your point if we are talking about expats enduring these standards, or lack thereof.

But for the Dominicans who have never known life with 24-hour electricity, money on hand for medical expenses and a garbage-free existence, perhaps it doesn't bother them so much. If a person is accustomed to something - and has never known a better life - perhaps these factors aren't such a hindrance to happiness. It is hard to "miss" something that you've never had.

 

[miguel]

Exactamente!!

This: "Poor But Happy" garbage is just not so!

"Poor And Stoic" is more like it!

Imagine being poor in the DR??

Can't get a good education for your children!
Can't get good medical care for your children! Need a "Bone Marrow Transplant"?? See Ya Later!
Kidney dialisis? Bye-bye
Cancer? Not Here!
House on Fire? Buy Marshmallows!
Thieves stealing your belongings,Call the POLICE! Oh! The Polic are the thieves stealing your belongings!

"Hot"? Turn on a fan! Sorry no electricity!

Take a bath to cool off! Sorry again,NO WATER!

What is that horrible stench?? Could it be the communal garbage dump in front of your house???

Well,we can always get drunk,dance,and make some more "Poor But Happy" Dominican babies!!

You can look forward to living EXACTLY as your parents do!

Now THAT is "HAPPY"??????????????????????????????????????
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EXACTLY!!.

I think that the term: "Poor but happy" was "invented" by an expat who relocated to the DR, saw himself/herself living worse than a poor Dominican and out of shame came up with that term, LOL!.

 

[HOWMAR]

EXACTLY!!.

I think that the term: "Poor but happy" was "invented" by an expat who relocated to the DR, saw himself/herself living worse than a poor Dominican and out of shame came up with that term, LOL!.

More likely the term "Poor but happy" was "invented" by an expat who relocated to the DR, saw himself/herself living worse then his previous first world existence, but still alot better than his Dominican counterparts. The word poor is relative. We are all poor relative to Bill Gates, Donald Trump, etc, etc.

 

[AZB]

CC brings up a good point. What can you expect, he is a genious in his own ways. What is happiness? Drinking a beer on malecon or living in a shack without money or electric city and eaten up by mosquitos? Not having money to buy a car or to travel freely anywhere? Living in a barrio among other people are more poor than you? If this is the standard to compare to, then I guess one can live happily anywhere. I like to say, wouldn't you be more happier if you have lights 24/7 (thanks to inverter), sleep in a/c, have a fridge full of fancy food, money to blow on weekends, kids going to good domincian schools and visiting USA every few months to see family? Now you can still have your beer on the beach with friends and still dance in bachata discos. So must we always settle for the least minimum to consider ourselves happy? I think I would rather be happy living in ceros de gurabo then in cien fuego.
AZB

 

[Criss Colon]

Dear "Sunshine" You Are The DR1's "Eternal Optimist"!

I think you are "Ex-Military"? Good For You! But,now try and stay with me here,life is hard in the DR1 The Dominicans are poor,aand un-educated,but not deaf or blind.They can see on TV what they are "Missing"!

You can't stand by and watch your child die of leukimia,or any other chronic,yet very treatable,disease without feeling sad and hopeless! That is what you do if you are poor here! You get to watch your child die.Like in "DEAD"! Like in they will never see them again!

Even poor people know the value of EDUCATION! They DO know what they are missing and can't give to their children!
Yes,they are poor,and stoic,and can "Put on a Happy Face",and drown their troubles in "Presidente",but they know a dead kid when they see one!!

I had to give my brother-in-law 2,000 pesos so the hospital where his newborn baby died would release the body so they could bury him!!
I can tell you,he and his wife,and our entire family,were NOT HAPPY!
POOR yes,HAPPY,NO!

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[miguel]

But....

More likely the term "Poor but happy" was "invented" by an expat who relocated to the DR, saw himself/herself living worse then his previous first world existence, but still alot better than his Dominican counterparts. The word poor is relative. We are all poor relative to Bill Gates, Donald Trump, etc, etc.

The point is that SOME (NOT ALL, mind you) are not only worse than their "previous first word existence", but are living worse than SOME poor Dominicans.

Please, DO NOT misunderstand my post. I am not saying that ALL expats live that way, no, no ,no, all I am saying is that there are a few that are much worse than SOME poor Dominicans. Especially SOME of the ones that were hit with the "Poor Dominican LOVE Machine", lol.

Colon (thanks) made me think of something:

Why is it that MOST expats think that just because a poor Dominican gives them a smile and "put on a happy face" that all of a sudden that poor person is happy in his/her everyday life?.

I will say it again, SOME of us better start looking for our "lost clue". I'll keep on looking for mine, eventually I will find it, please, you do the same!!.

 

[Criss Colon]

Thanks AZB! I Think I Just Had An "Epiphany"!!

While trying to "define" "Poor",or "Rich" or whatever "Label" we chose to use!


The word is "Opportinity"!!!

That is what you lack if you are "POOR",and have if you are "RICH"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


A poor person lacks opportunities in life.The opportunity to provide his family with healthcare,education,or even the basics such as food and shelter! A "Rich" person can provide for his family,because he has the opportunity to control his surroundings,not be controlled ,by, his surroundings!!!He has the opportunity to become educated,get health services when needed,and to work hard/smart and make money,to give him what? You guessed it! "OPPORTUNITY"!

Say what you will about the USA,it remains the "Land of Opportunity" ,to those willing to work hard. If a person wants to work 80 hour weeks to provide more "Opportunities" for his or her family why should we criticise,or, glorify them.Let THEM decide how to spend their lives.

Someone once said,"I been rich,and I been poor,and rich is better!

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[palmiche]

Sorry dude but we cubans freaking own this place. Come and visit, i'll give you a tour. I'll take you on my friends boat around the port, then i'll give you a ride on my GSXR. I sence you are jealous but it ain't my fault i happen to live better than you. (while spending 7 days a month in DR with transportation, food and a 5 star hotel included)

Thanks Dude!

Smoke and mirrors!

There are some Cubans with money in Miami but the majority just "pretend" they do have money. I do try to avoid Miami everytime I do fly down south. The city sucks and the beaches are "garbage".

When I used to be an executive of a major Danish company in Toronto, I always sent the juniors on those overseas business trips.

Yes, for most Dominicans are for all "cubans" in Cuba you must be a "made man" You're just plug into the "Consume society" and perhaps a middle class as per "miami standards".

 

[HOWMAR]

Thanks Dude!

There are some Cubans with money in Miami but the majority just "pretend" they do have money. I do try to avoid Miami everytime I do fly down south. The city sucks and the beaches are "garbage".

When I used to be an executive of a major Danish company in Toronto, I always sent the juniors on those overseas business trips.

I guess a flight over Lake Ontario can qualify as an "overseas business trip."

 

[NALs]

CC brings up a good point. What can you expect, he is a genious in his own ways. What is happiness? Drinking a beer on malecon or living in a shack without money or electric city and eaten up by mosquitos? Not having money to buy a car or to travel freely anywhere? Living in a barrio among other people are more poor than you? If this is the standard to compare to, then I guess one can live happily anywhere. I like to say, wouldn't you be more happier if you have lights 24/7 (thanks to inverter), sleep in a/c, have a fridge full of fancy food, money to blow on weekends, kids going to good domincian schools and visiting USA every few months to see family? Now you can still have your beer on the beach with friends and still dance in bachata discos. So must we always settle for the least minimum to consider ourselves happy? I think I would rather be happy living in ceros de gurabo then in cien fuego.
AZB

The alternative is to suffer in comfort, which still sounds good!

-NALs

 

[Don Juan]

Pobre pero contento!

EXACTLY!!.

I think that the term: "Poor but happy" was "invented" by an expat who relocated to the DR, saw himself/herself living worse than a poor Dominican and out of shame came up with that term, LOL!.

How did this thread turn into " rich is better than poor" debate?..The OP's question is whether you're willing to give up what you already have in the "first world" and move to DR, presumably without it. I, for one, would not bring my family to live there without the certainty of comfortable housing, health care, good teaching institutions for my children.etc. And these are just the basics. I want much more!
Who says I want to be poor? I'd be crazy to blow all I worked so hard for and risk my children's future! That would be dereliction of duty as a father, child neglect and endangerment, etc.
What the gist of this thread is, and what some of us posters are lamenting most of all, is that the quality of life here in the US, all things being equal, can not compare to DR's magnificent way of life. Again, understand me well. Being poor sucks! No matter where you live. But the great difference in first vs. third w.c. is that in the former you're an slave and in the latter you can afford to have slaves!

 

[LoveMyDRHusband]

[QUOTE=El_cubano
lol, my car is new and it doesn't overheat. I've seen VERY few cars overheating here but in case they do there is a free service on state roads that help you with car problems FREE OF CHARGE!.{QUOTE}

Sorry friend not free as you say we all pay for it with taxes.

 

[El_cubano]

"There are some Cubans with money in Miami but the majority just "pretend" they do have money."

Not only we live better and have more $$$$ than any other hispanic group (puerto ricans included) but also A LOT more political power. There are only a bit over a million cubans in the USA and yet we have two senators (one cuban-american) and several "congrecistas", those are facts.

"The city sucks and the beaches are "garbage"."

That's just your opinion and i couldn't care less for it. Numbers don't lie and Miami's beaches get more visitors than any other beach in the country.

"Yes, for most Dominicans are for all "cubans" in Cuba you must be a "made man" You're just plug into the "Consume society" and perhaps a middle class as per "miami standards".

Thank you, that made me feel pretty good. It is not my fault i live better than you (and get laid a lot more than you as well, lol).