Newbie - First Full Day In La Republica - Some Thoughts

[AlexMitchell]

A lot of you chimed in to my previous thread. It is now closed. Here are some thought after 24 hours in the DR.
First, I commented in the last thread that I look Dominican. Well, it is confirmed. They are surprised when the find out I am American. I do speak decent Spanish, but being here tells me to keep pushing to get better.

-There is a lot to like and a lot to dislike

--Like
---Cheap Transportation From City To City
---Perople Friendly (So Far)
---Generally cheap - so far
---People like to have fun. Went to the Malecon the first night. Had fun, felt perfectly safe. They had kareoke, people were really getting into it. Little kids riding around on power wheels. Was nice.

--Dislike
---All my contacts have to worry about using up their cell minutes
---Cant drink the water from the tap
---Apparently not safe. I havent felt danger - but all the warnings from EVERYONE is a bit much
---Trash in the streets
---The poverty that is apparent.
---Cant use my credit card nearly as much as in the states.

--Still Deciding
---Traffic patterns. Not Sure if this is good or bad
---Dogs in the streets, I hate to see dogs in cages. The dogs on the streets dont seem to bother anyone


Those are some initial thoughts. Today is New Year's Eve. We will see what the day brings! Thanks all for the support and commentary.

Btw. Arrived 12/29 to Santo Domingo about 6pm. Went to the Malecon about 8pm - back to the hotel about 10.30pm. Day 2 went to Santiago early. Got there at 11am. Stayed till about 4pm. Back at hotel in Santo Domingo about 6.30pm. Stayed in last night.

 

[dulce]

It looks like you are easing your way into your surroundings. It also sounds like you listened to some advice from DR1.
Have fun! Thanks for the update.

 

[Givadogahome]

Dogs on the street in cages? In Sto Domingo?

 

[Jenny429]

Dogs on the street in cages? In Sto Domingo?

I think they meant they were still deciding if they LIKED to see dogs on the streets, because they hate to see them in cages.

 

[Jenny429]

I like your update... Your insight is cool and you can look back at it in a few months (if you are still here?)

 

[AlterEgo]

Your contacts are worried about using their cell minutes? Bear in mind that incoming calls do NOT use minutes, they are free. Only the person initiating the call uses minutes.

Happy New Year, this is the first one in several years that we haven't been in Santo Domingo, I'm jealous!

 

[AlexMitchell]

Thanks for the replies. Yes - I meant I see dogs on the streets roaming freely here. Its cool to not see them in cages. However, they tend to look malnourished.

As far as the minutes go - I was no able to buy minutes with my credit card. My phone came with like 14 minutes worth of call time. So I havent really been able to call anyone.

We'll see what tonight brings. I know it may get crazy. But, everywhere is crazy during New Years Eve!

 

[SKY]

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You can charge your phone with your CC with this.

 

[beastwood]

This is a third world country....the dogs and cats breed freely and are indeed malnourished, often wild and abused. I love SD but the culture for humans here is not one of condoms and sex education (the resulting massive numbers of illegitimate kids is proof) ....and pets are afforded far less services than the humans. I have (in only a little over a year of frequent visits), seen dog and cat poverty that is indeed heart wrenching.

Thanks for the replies. Yes - I meant I see dogs on the streets roaming freely here. Its cool to not see them in cages. However, they tend to look malnourished.

As far as the minutes go - I was no able to buy minutes with my credit card. My phone came with like 14 minutes worth of call time. So I havent really been able to call anyone.

We'll see what tonight brings. I know it may get crazy. But, everywhere is crazy during New Years Eve!

 

[dv8]

recarga? very simple. go to colmado or pharmacy or helado shop, really, you can top up your phone everywhere. give them your number and state the amount of money you want to put in. no need for credit card, you can pay in dollars, i am sure you have small bills. the exchange rate will be bad but you'll have it done. normally you'e get 35 pesos to a dollar or so, when you change 5 or 10 bucks it really makes no difference. beware that larger bills may not be accepted (there are lot of fakes circulating around).

as far as animals... it is heartbreaking, really. i feed few "homeless" dogs (in reality they have owners but they do not give a s**t). i noticed they sometimes leave the food and ask for a pat/scratch first...

 

[AlexMitchell]

Happy new year! Didnt eat much yesterday -drank 2 tall (not grande) Presidentes - spent New Years Even in the hotel sick.

Today I didnt do much - but I DID have the chance to go back to the Malecon and view a movie - Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol. The movie was good - in English with Spanish subtitles. The movie theater was modern and comfortable. Tickets for 2 cost me 250 pesos - which is about $3.25 apiece. Nice!

I have met a few amigas since I have been here. Every one of them has traveled between 30 minutes to 1 hour or more to see me. None of them have asked me for a dime, and they have ALL declined my offer to pay for travel, or refreshments, or something. I have not felt used, or that any of them were looking to use me. So many warn me to look out for gold-diggeres, but I have not felt any one of them has been in my pockets at all. Perhaps that is part of the game, but I have not felt going out here is any different than in the states. In fact, on the whole, it has been more enjoyable.

 

[bizzyboneizo]

wish i was there for the new years i know you are hung over now when i get there the 4th i should have a orange phone ill leave the number in the pm

 

[La Verdad]

I have met a few amigas since I have been here. Every one of them has traveled between 30 minutes to 1 hour or more to see me. None of them have asked me for a dime, and they have ALL declined my offer to pay for travel, or refreshments, or something I have not felt used, or that any of them were looking to use me. So many warn me to look out for gold-diggeres, but I have not felt any one of them has been in my pockets at all.

Alex,

Happy New Year! Sorry you got the gripe on vacation. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps your new "amigas" just want to get a little? These girls are not traveling an hour to see a movie and drink refrescas. If you don't put a move on your new amigas they are going to think you are "odd". These amigas want sex and/or money not Ghostbusters. You are letting us down here.

L.V.

 

[AlexMitchell]

Alex,

Happy New Year! Sorry you got the gripe on vacation. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps your new "amigas" just want to get a little? These girls are not traveling an hour to see a movie and drink refrescas. If you don't put a move on your new amigas they are going to think you are "odd". These amigas want sex and/or money not Ghostbusters. You are letting us down here.

L.V.

I dont want to derail the thread, but lets just say that all the women acted respectfully. No one "got some." They all traveled at their own expense to see me. We just went on regular dates. They all seemed to like me, but of course - some dates were better than others. Just normal dates. Go figure!

 

[Doc T]

Happy New Year. Glad you like El Malecon. Are you doing this all on your own? Nice. Be sure to hit up a few bars or lounges in La Zona Colonial if you're still in Santo Domingo. If Doubles is still open, it's a great spot. Hard Rock Cafe is decent buuuuut there are way better places. There are also a few dive bars around where HRC is.

 

[AlexMitchell]

Happy New Year. Glad you like El Malecon. Are you doing this all on your own? Nice. Be sure to hit up a few bars or lounges in La Zona Colonial if you're still in Santo Domingo. If Doubles is still open, it's a great spot. Hard Rock Cafe is decent buuuuut there are way better places. There are also a few dive bars around where HRC is.

Thanks man. Will check it out

 

[Criss Colon]

Your Dominican "Amigas" will soon think that you are "Gay" if you don't make a move.
If you are "Gay", the DR can help you out there too!
Cris Colon

 

[DRob]

Your Dominican "Amigas" will soon think that you are "Gay" if you don't make a move.
If you are "Gay", the DR can help you out there too!
Cris Colon

CC is right, Alex. I tried the same thing when I first got there, dating by "traditional" US standards. The vast majority of women you will meet at the onset are used to getting some food OR going dancing OR sharing a Grande, followed by an invitation to the nearest flat surface. Sounds like you're doing the first three, and failing to finish the evening properly.

Sounds terribly forward by NA standards, but you're not in NA right now. Again, the ones you meet (which may eventually be different than the ones you'll want on a LT basis) expect you to make a solid move by the second date, assuming it takes that long. If you met them online or in a tourist area, that goes triple. If they're not interested in you, they'll let you know fast enough and you'll have every opportunity to be the proper gentleman and pursue their even-finer friends and cousins. :bunny::bunny::bunny:

If you don't try, however, they'll think you're not interested or gay, and take your lack of, erm, "enthusiasm" for them as an insult.

 

[DRob]

On another note, would love to hear more about your efforts in getting settled into the city. I think it could be very instructive for folks to learn of what it's like for someone "brand new" to settle into life in SD.

 

[abretusojos10]

hey glad you love the island so far... sad to say but at first thats how the game isplayed, give it a couple days, maybe weeks .... if they are still this way youre good, if not... move on.. and yeah you need to get it in or they will say youre gay, guys here are very forward and women are used to it. im used to it, even though i absolutely hate it 99% of the time. so just loosen up a bit , you though, not your pocket. never your pocket.