Sad situation

[gringo in dr]

I'd like to know how anyone with next to no education can goto the US for 2 years and come back, "driving the latest Lexus' and Mercedes".

If they are lucky they will get paid minimum wage. Many because they are illegal will be paid less than that.

Maybe 1 out of 100 comes back with a decent amount of cash, ie more than $10,000 USD. 1 out of 100 might be too high.

I've have friends living in the tri state area that have college degrees and are scraping by at just couple of notches above minimum wage. Actually they aren't even making ends meet, parents are helping them along.

 

[Chirimoya]

If I cast my mind back to the winter of 1988/9 I was living and working (ahem, unofficially) in New York City as a waitress. The pay was crap but the tips were marvellous. The staff were mainly Latinos, including two wonderful Dominicans - the first I'd ever met - on the deli counter.

At the bottom of the pile was the kitchen porter who was actually Mexican. It was said that in his hometown, where he had been a policeman, he was a real big shot in absentia, he had built a mansion for his family, while working in this awful job and sleeping 12 to a room with another bunch of immigrants. He was spending the minimum on himself and sending almost all his salary home. I bet his family in Mexico imagined him living a life of luxury in Nueva York.

That's what motivates Mexicans to crawl through sewers, and Dominicans to set sail in rickety craft.

Chiri

PS I left after two months. Too bloody cold.

 

[Pib]

Re: Some thoughts on this

As for sustaining a family of three on "Pulling weeds" ? Yes, you can. You get RD$175 a day and breakfast if the farmer has any sense....

Educate me please. Just how can you support two people (forget about a family of 4) with 175 pesos/day?

 

[MONCHI8]

Question???????????

How many people on this board have actually seen a dominican working abroad send money home?

Something that makes me mad is when I see someone make it here and instead of sending a sufficient amount of money home to help the people they left behind they try to keep up with the Joneses (big chains, fancy clothes, expensive cars) and actually just send a miserable amount home. Then when they go back home everyone thinks they're great when in fact they were just selfish ass***es who only though about themselves. I've seen it happen a million times here.

Ramon

 

[Chirimoya]

Well, remittances are one of the most important sources of US$ going into the DR, so someone must be doing it. Ever been to Tenares or Janico?

Chiri

 

[suarezn]

I'd like to know how anyone with next to no education can goto the US for 2 years and come back, "driving the latest Lexus' and Mercedes".

If they are lucky they will get paid minimum wage. Many because they are illegal will be paid less than that.

Maybe 1 out of 100 comes back with a decent amount of cash, ie more than $10,000 USD. 1 out of 100 might be too high.

I've have friends living in the tri state area that have college degrees and are scraping by at just couple of notches above minimum wage. Actually they aren't even making ends meet, parents are helping them along.

Gringo: Out of the thousands, from my hometown, who have made it I would say more than 70% are "in the business" if you know what I mean. There's a town around there called La Soledad. About 15 years ago this was just a little dusty, miserable looking town...then a couple of guys from there made it to Philadelphia. Somehow one of them got a real good connection to bring people into the US. Anyone who wanted to go to the US he would take...he would even "lend" you the money if you didn't have enough for the trip. To make a long story short, everyone and their mother from that town is in Philly...Most of them have built newer houses for their parents and a ton of them have houses in the capital in such areas as Arroyo Hondo, La Castellana, etc...One of the families from there owns one of the largest auto import businesses in the capital. This is where it started at in that area, but it spread to the surrounding towns (including my hometown). If you go to North Philly is like a little Cotui.
In all these towns you see tons of brand new jeepetas, luxury cars, etc...You know there's only one way these people could ever afford these vehicles. I even saw a brand new hummer in this tiny town, this past December, completely hooked up...even with Sprewell rims. A Hummer for god's sake...Do you know how much those things consume just in gas alone? How then do I convince my nephews to stay in school, get good grades and all that good stuff, when they see this happenning all around them?

 

[Forbeca]

Good point,

I'd like to know how anyone with next to no education can goto the US for 2 years and come back, "driving the latest Lexus' and Mercedes".



An exaggeration, of course, there is no way illeterate people can achieve all that in such limited timeframe.

As for the ones that are "in the business" that's a horse of a different color. Not everyone trying to get to the US goes into that line of work.

 

[linamia]

How then do I convince my nephews to stay in school, get good grades and all that good stuff, when they see this happenning all around them?

You show them the lives these people really live, they can't go anywhere without looking over their shoulders, they trust no one and they usually don't die of natural causes (if you know what I mean). What good is a son to a mother who gives her all those luxuries and has to pay for them with his life?

 

[jmaz98]

Re: Question???????????

How many people on this board have actually seen a dominican working abroad send money home?

Something that makes me mad is when I see someone make it here and instead of sending a sufficient amount of money home to help the people they left behind they try to keep up with the Joneses (big chains, fancy clothes, expensive cars) and actually just send a miserable amount home. Then when they go back home everyone thinks they're great when in fact they were just selfish ass***es who only though about themselves. I've seen it happen a million times here.

Ramon

My Dominican born wife sends half her take home pay to her mother living in San Pedro de Macoris. From what I see here in NYC, money is wired home all the time by working class people who send what they can afford.

 

[gringo in dr]

Suarezn, I've seen that side of life up close before. It's kind of like staring the devil in the eyes and hoping he blinks first.

No one can make decissions for others, only give them advice.

 

[pati]

I think you just have to recognize that everyone is different. It seems foolish or even selfish to us because we've probably never been in his situation. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I also believe that a lot of people who live in the states (legal or illegal) fuel the fire. A lot of them go back and make life in the states appear better than what it really is for them. I know a few people who live on welfare but when they go to DR they buy all new clothes. They get the hair and nails done and they spend money like it's water when they get there. Meanwhile, back in the states their getting eviction notices from their landlord because they haven't paid their rent in 3 months.

I don't know. I shake my head in disbelief that someone would be foolish enough to take such a risk. Yet, I also sympathize with them.

 

[NALs]

Funny people mention that!!

I know of many people that live just above the poverty line, in Connecticut, USA. Of course, they live in apartments like sardines in a can and they only dream of Santo Domingo. Thats all you hear, Santo Domingo this, Santo Domingo that, but they live pretty miserable lives here. Then when they go back to Santo Domingo, they suddenly become the big shot. Parties all the time, fake jewelry here, beautiful house over there, etc. etc. etc.

So, on my last trip I decided to give some people in the DR a glimpse of what lifestyle is wating for them in the NY metro area. I obviously only showed pics of the "ghetto" and projects and of poor areas with a Manhattan skyline to prove that it is New York. You'll be surprised on the faces of many people. Many people even called me a liar, that those photos were probably taken in Santo Domingo somewhere, but not in New York. Aaah, ignorance is an incredible thing. If people only know.

 

[Chris_NJ]

My friend's husband was equally surprised when he arrived here last year - he said he always imagined NYC was prettier.

 

[Chris_NJ]

So Danny, it has been a few days - any word as to if he made it safely to Puerto Rico? I hope all is well.

 

[kjdrga]

My husband's cousin (legally) arrived in NYC (Bronx) in Jan. and she thinks it's very ugly. This wouldn't have been the ideal place for her to live, but seeing that it's where her husband has a job, it's her only choice at the moment.

I know a couple of educated people who made the trip to the U.S., but they don't go via yola, they fly to mexico and then on up across the border. It cost a lot but the payoff is better then seeing their degrees waste away because there are no jobs that pay enough to live a substandard means of life.

But the majority of the people I've heard of making these trips are older, uneducated (let's just say haven't gone beyond high school) and are older than 20. But like others have said they all imagined a goldmine and people living in palaces when they got here. Not sharing beds and working 2-3 jobs for peanuts. At least their families back home eat.

 

[Danny W]

No word yet on whether this guy made it. The mood of the family is quite depressed and no one has any expectations one way or another. I'll let you know more when I hear something. - D

 

[Criss Colon]

My Dominican wife has traveled to the US with me twice.

We were in Boston and surrounding towns,and spent a week on Cape Cod.She had a great time! Her cousin is a carpet installer in New York City/Queens.He lives with his wife,who also works full time. He wanted to "Show Off",and my wife wanted to see New York,so he sent her a round trip ticket! She hated NewYork! She sat in their apartment all day,afraid to go outside! The "Best/Worst" part of her trip was visiting the site of "Ground Zero"!
She couldn't believe how the Dominicans live there!She liked "Yankee Boston",but not "Dominican York"!
Cris Colon

 

[suarezn]

Yes it's nice to come to the US with all expenses paid (that's how I came). Nobody likes The Bronx, Queens, Harlem, and other ghetto areas when you've been introduced to other nicer areas of the US, but you must understand that if you just came from El Capotillo or a small campo in the DR, these you don't know any better and these areas won't look that bad to you.
I know people who had never left the campo (never even been to The Capital) before they made the trip to the US.
If you were making 3000 pesos/month in the DR and you got a job washing dishes making 4 USD/hour you will probably think you're doing great and the truth is that you really are, at least compared to your old life. Everything is a matter of perception.

 

[Hillbilly]

there was a news item

20 of 23 lost at sea.

I do not know the details but suffice it to say it was a yola.

HB

 

[Fonseca799]

A truly fascinating and thought provoking thread!!!!