If I were a single guy, I would have moved on years ago.
I remain here because I have 4 kids to raise.
We Could move to the USA anytime we want.
I choose to raise my family HERE!
Having their maternal grandparents living with us for the past 10 years has been FANTASTIC!!!
Even had Great Grandma for about 5 years before she died at 104!!!!
"Tios Y Tias", and a ton of cousins, live nearby
We ahve many of them here on a daily basis.
Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much love and support does not happen in ,"So Called"
,First World Countries"!
Crime,corruption,electric/water, Dominican Mentality, high prices, and/or availability,high taxes,poor education and lack of "First World" health care,are all considerations, but for me at least, are NOT Deal Breakers.
My kids are both Dominican, and American, citizens.
When the time is right, they can live anywhere they choose.
For me, "All-Of-The-Above Negatives"are only tolerable if you have the money available to "BUY" both the necessities, and
luxuries in life.
Being poor in the DR, WOULD be a deal breaker for me.
Better to be poor in a social welfare "Nanny State" like the USA, Canada, or England.
Now, many who call themselves "Expats", are in reality, just "Snow Birds", or part time visitors here.
They MAY own a home, or condo, or just rent,but if they have a home, or home base elsewhere, they are really just "Visitors".
I don't mean that in ANY negative form.
It's just that when you have a "safety net" to return to, the DR is kind of like "Going Camping"!
It's "Cool", fun, different, you expect to "Rough it",but, you can leave whenever you get tired of it, and go "Home", for a "Hot Shower", and a "Gourmet Meal", and a "QUIET Nights REST!"
I have, over MANY years, told friends who fell into the above, "Category", that until you live here "24/7/365", you can NEVER Really KNOW what "Life In The DR", really means.
The "DR", "Warts $ ALL", I've got a "Niche" in the Family Crypt with my name on it!!!!
I DO enjoy VISITING, family & friends in Boston, but I choose not to live there.
When I first moved here in 1995, after only Visiting since 1986, people in Boston would ask me when I was going to move back "HOME"????
At first I used to say, "I don't know about that."
For the past 10, or more, years I tell them that the DR is our "Home"!
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