Don't know why I bother...........
OK Chad,
The reason that several expats living here are painting a not-so-rosy picture is because living in the DR will take a strong commitment on your behalf.
You stated in post #20 ?And.. I will start dipping into too much savings if I choose to stay in Ontario for more than 3 weeks..?
You will dip into your savings while living here. However, while in the DR living off your savings you can seek ways to secure something that may be longer term. This is what the other posters imply when they state to just come on down, live here and get a clear idea as to how things are here. Chris couldn?t have stated it better than when he posted ?For a year or so.. heck yes! come on down.. you'll have loads of fun. If you decide to stay, you'll at least know what you're in for?
You stated in post #23 ?I do many things aside from the computer field.. but.. that is a very easy and guaranteed business to get into... and.. good money wherever you go to be honest... I can work for a large hotel.. or a small one.. or.. open my own computer business.. or.. work for an educational institute and teach computers?? All these must be a decent living.. Afford a house maybe even some day... a boat or sea-doo.. jeep.. or motor bikes.. I want to have an easy life.. be successfull and enjoy life and the enviroment and people around me..?
IT/computer work goes almost entirely to local talent who are fluent in Spanish as well as another language, usually English. The jobs that foreigners have in areas such as Cabarete are in the tourist industry. Most home owner expats in the DR were able to purchase their home (plus a few thousand $ extra to ensure electricity) and auto before moving there. Those I know who?ve started from humble beginnings spent a few years working/networking before they were able to make large purchases. I know of nobody who moved there without having already secured a good job who makes decent wages right off the bat, and that includes several Dominican and US physicians who were away doing their specialty training in the US before returning/moving to the DR. Carina summed this up well in post #27 ?There are people in your age doing fine here, both locals and expats. It has for sure taken them alots of money and years to reach that point.
They know the culture, they are fluent in Spanish.?
You stated in post #25 ?I would be happy.. if I woke up everyday to warm sunshine.... I'd start the day with a smile.. and breath of fresh air not to mention.... ?
Yes, you probably would be happy. Thus, move on down and test your fortunes.
You stated in post #25, my responses are in parenthesis ?here are some examples.... just examples.. please let me know if they are true or not..
eg.
Pro:
-Weather is beautiful 99% of the time it is 29-32 degrees celcius. (quite true).
-Air is clean.. ( Yes, the air is clean except when you find yourself in traffic while in Santo Domingo).
-food is healthy and fresh. (??.every salad that you yourself do not prepare is a roll of the dice. You will probably get intestinal parasites at some point. Fresh? ?.Chris? post (#30) regarding the state of electricity/refrigeration sums it up).
-surf is good??.(yup)
-not concrete village. (that would be Santo Domingo).
-not fast paced. (this is something that you will only truly appreciate when living here. The slow pace of services can be maddening).
-not "stress" city? (this depends entirely on how your head is screwed on. Your post #49 causes me to wonder).
You stated in post #31 in response to Carina, who was being helpful ?How do you like it? How are you surviving?? What's in your fridge.. do you have a fridge? How does your stuff stay cold when the power goes out?
Wait.. do you have a house / apt? Do you even have walls around you??
Do you live on the street?? How (seeing there are nooo computers there.. it seems like you are doing pretty good at reading these and replying???
Chad, don?t be an ***. CColon, Escott and Scandall are the live-in asses. They work diligently to maintain their status. Larry is their apprentice.
You stated in post #49 ?Im fursterated and scared..?
Not good. The DR is a place for folks who can tough it out. Very few things that are routine day-to-day are as simple here as in Ontario. Example, I chose to have a cell phone that uses pre-paid cards even though it is a bit more costly. Why? Because I detested waiting in line for the incredibly slow, inefficient cashiers at the Verizon center.
Is this helpful? Your questions haven?t been specific.
Again from post #49 ?I'm asking people to make me a list of do's and don'ts.. What to watch out for.. how NOT to get taken for a ride.. How to go about finding work...?
Specifics are needed. A list of do?s and don?t?s would be very very long. Networking while here is how everyone here has learned many of the do?s and don?t?s. If you ask specific questions, you?ll get specific answers. And stop being an ***.
Post #49 once again ?They only want to tease me that they know all... and laugh.. and say I will fall flat on my ***!! Yet.. they still say.. COME..and ENJOY.. fall flat on your ***.. and enjoy learning all the things we already know and have already experienced.. but.. Nooooo... we aren't going to tell you about them.. find out for yourself and fall flat on your ***..?
I?m sure that no more than a few dozen posters want you to fall flat on your ***. The point they make is that much of what you need to know but do not yet know, can only be understood by living in-country. Build some relationships. Make your questions specific and you?ll probably get better answers. And don?t be an ***.
Post #49 blah ?if you don't have the time to help me... maybe you have a similar organization (like the Tourism London here) but in DR .. that will actually help me get settled in DR??? if so.. just send me their contact info....???
That is a joke, correct? An agency that will help you get settled? In reply, I?d say extremely doubtful. Did you really step off the resort property when you visited?
Regardless, good fortune. I hope my post was useful. Tony
