You are saying exactly what I do. All Dominican Republic is about freedom (for men mostly). Yes, life here is substantially more expensive than in USA. Things like health, education, infrastructure and personal security - are practically non-existent.
But I will never trade Sosua back for USA. To return again to the ranks of millions of rats, ants, rich-looking slaves? To be harrased and scared 24 hour a day by tickets, fines, letigations,propaganda? To be arrested and to have your car impounded in a sting operation just for talking to a girl?
Yes, we have to pay almost twice here for everything than it would cost in NY.
Listen, man, but freedom is worth it. We live once only. You cannot bring your dollars with you to the grave.
But I will never trade Sosua back for USA. To return again to the ranks of millions of rats, ants, rich-looking slaves? To be harrased and scared 24 hour a day by tickets, fines, letigations,propaganda? To be arrested and to have your car impounded in a sting operation just for talking to a girl?
Yes, we have to pay almost twice here for everything than it would cost in NY.
Listen, man, but freedom is worth it. We live once only. You cannot bring your dollars with you to the grave.
I'm your same age and live and work in Santo Domingo. It's true that my standard of living is not the same as it was in the United States. I pay basically the same amount at the grocery store as I did in NY and way more at the gasoline pump. Next to rent, gas is my biggest monthly expense. When you take into account a lower salary than compared to the US, your standard of living goes down.
I really cannot complain as I am afforded some basic luxuries in life, but for the most part, I find it amazing how many Dominicans get by. The average salary in the country is around RD$8,000 per month. This is what I pay in gas monthly and many Dominicans have to live on this and support a family. They are miracle workers.
In regards to standard of living, yes, mt standard has gone down financially and materialistically. This doesn't bother me much though, if it did, I would be back in the US. I always felt like another rat in the race living in NYC, another ant in a line of thousands. That feeling is not so in the DR, and in that sense, my standard of living has gone up.