Seriously consider Jarabacoa. Small, beautiful, and somewhat safer than other cities. Write Bob Saunders about his wife's school there.
- Thread starter mariainspain
- Start date
Single Mum Needs Help To Relocate
Maria, read this thread about schools all over the DR.
I second the Bob Saunders suggestion. He is a DR1 member whose wife owns a school in the mountain resort town of Jarabacoa - search for one of his posts and send him a private message.
The best choice of schools is in the two main cities - however - they do not offer the lifestyle you seem to be after. Santo Domingo especially is fast-paced and materialistic, with a rising crime rate. The only places I would recommend living in outside Santo Domingo and Santiago tend to be the sort of expat enclaves you want to avoid. Jarabacoa might be an exception, and you might still want to consider Santiago (the country's second largest city).
Have you considered other parts of Spain? I know the Costa de la Luz (the stretch between Tarifa and C?diz) quite well and it seems like a good place to live - there are some expats there but nothing near the the scale of the Med costas.
I second the Bob Saunders suggestion. He is a DR1 member whose wife owns a school in the mountain resort town of Jarabacoa - search for one of his posts and send him a private message.
The best choice of schools is in the two main cities - however - they do not offer the lifestyle you seem to be after. Santo Domingo especially is fast-paced and materialistic, with a rising crime rate. The only places I would recommend living in outside Santo Domingo and Santiago tend to be the sort of expat enclaves you want to avoid. Jarabacoa might be an exception, and you might still want to consider Santiago (the country's second largest city).
Have you considered other parts of Spain? I know the Costa de la Luz (the stretch between Tarifa and C?diz) quite well and it seems like a good place to live - there are some expats there but nothing near the the scale of the Med costas.
rest of spain
believe me i have looked and looked all over spain to find it again.
building everywhere without restrictions, cranes and concrete everywhere, high house prices and overpriced international schools.
the spanish are better of than ever.
they have the bmws and mercedes from selling their land, to greedy ignorant intolerant brits who live of benefits and dont know a word of spanish and who dont want to know a word of spanish, obviously not all are like this but hell theres a lot of them.
i have lived in spain on and off for 22 yrs and its changed.
i want something differnent or a change x
believe me i have looked and looked all over spain to find it again.
building everywhere without restrictions, cranes and concrete everywhere, high house prices and overpriced international schools.
the spanish are better of than ever.
they have the bmws and mercedes from selling their land, to greedy ignorant intolerant brits who live of benefits and dont know a word of spanish and who dont want to know a word of spanish, obviously not all are like this but hell theres a lot of them.
i have lived in spain on and off for 22 yrs and its changed.
i want something differnent or a change x
Try maybe La Romana.
It's on the south-east side of DR.
Not too big, not too small. Infrastructure comparable to Santo Domingo. All small luxuries of life you may need (restaurants, mall, large supermarkets and stores).
It's 20 minutes to the beach (Bayahibe) and 1 hour to Santo Domingo (driving).
It is not a campo and it is not a metropolis. Just something in-between that has a pieco of the two worlds.
It's on the south-east side of DR.
Not too big, not too small. Infrastructure comparable to Santo Domingo. All small luxuries of life you may need (restaurants, mall, large supermarkets and stores).
It's 20 minutes to the beach (Bayahibe) and 1 hour to Santo Domingo (driving).
It is not a campo and it is not a metropolis. Just something in-between that has a pieco of the two worlds.
Hi Maria
I have only lived here for 10 months so am not as qualified as others on the board to give you information but I do have an 8 year old son who although does not have a learning disability as such has a problem with attention and has always been quite challenging and has always struggled with his behaviour in school. He attends the International school and as far as I am aware they do not have any special needs assistance they do have a school counseller who I have found excellent at settling my son into school and also very patient at dealing and trying to help with his behaviour problems. He attended school in England for his initial 3 years of schooling and to be honest they just labelled him a trouble maker and made no effort to help me or him sort him out. Since he has been at the International school we have had a fantastic teacher who has helped him come on in leaps and bounds. He does seem very happy here and we have made some great friends. I do have a friend whose child attends the Learning Centre in Cabarete, which is a cheaper school but as I understand from her still very good, if you wanted any more info about the school pm me and I can call my friend and ask her any questions you may have, I think there are quite a large proportion of Dominican children there. I have no idea what the Costa Brava brigade is but I have a nasty feeling that if I don't know what it is I may be one of them!!!
One other thing I have to mention is the crime here. We were recently robbed which was pretty traumatic, I know it is quite common here but the robbers did not touch or wake up my son and left his bedroom completely alone so I did feel that they would not harm him (naively maybe, but it makes me feel better!) I am still happy to live here despite the robbery but I have a husband and we have put a lot of money into making our house secure, I don't know how I would feel about living here alone but then you sound a pretty independent and confident lady so maybe you would feel ok! I don't know too much about safe areas but I do know that the only place which is pretty much the safest in the area is Sea Horse Ranch, we certainly can't afford to live there and the other gated communties do seem to still have a lot of robberies.
You won't have the challenge of the language and I have to say without being insulting to Spanish people that my sister in law lived in Spain and found it incredibly hard to make friends with any local people despite having young children in school, they just weren't interested in her (she spoke Spanish). I have already made several Dominican friends and found them lovely, so friendly and welcoming.
I really don't know enough about this country to say whether it is a good idea for you to move here all I can say is that I am cautiously optimistic about life here after 10 months and not ready to leave yet!
Good luck Maria and do not hesitate to PM me if you have any questions.
I have only lived here for 10 months so am not as qualified as others on the board to give you information but I do have an 8 year old son who although does not have a learning disability as such has a problem with attention and has always been quite challenging and has always struggled with his behaviour in school. He attends the International school and as far as I am aware they do not have any special needs assistance they do have a school counseller who I have found excellent at settling my son into school and also very patient at dealing and trying to help with his behaviour problems. He attended school in England for his initial 3 years of schooling and to be honest they just labelled him a trouble maker and made no effort to help me or him sort him out. Since he has been at the International school we have had a fantastic teacher who has helped him come on in leaps and bounds. He does seem very happy here and we have made some great friends. I do have a friend whose child attends the Learning Centre in Cabarete, which is a cheaper school but as I understand from her still very good, if you wanted any more info about the school pm me and I can call my friend and ask her any questions you may have, I think there are quite a large proportion of Dominican children there. I have no idea what the Costa Brava brigade is but I have a nasty feeling that if I don't know what it is I may be one of them!!!
One other thing I have to mention is the crime here. We were recently robbed which was pretty traumatic, I know it is quite common here but the robbers did not touch or wake up my son and left his bedroom completely alone so I did feel that they would not harm him (naively maybe, but it makes me feel better!) I am still happy to live here despite the robbery but I have a husband and we have put a lot of money into making our house secure, I don't know how I would feel about living here alone but then you sound a pretty independent and confident lady so maybe you would feel ok! I don't know too much about safe areas but I do know that the only place which is pretty much the safest in the area is Sea Horse Ranch, we certainly can't afford to live there and the other gated communties do seem to still have a lot of robberies.
You won't have the challenge of the language and I have to say without being insulting to Spanish people that my sister in law lived in Spain and found it incredibly hard to make friends with any local people despite having young children in school, they just weren't interested in her (she spoke Spanish). I have already made several Dominican friends and found them lovely, so friendly and welcoming.
I really don't know enough about this country to say whether it is a good idea for you to move here all I can say is that I am cautiously optimistic about life here after 10 months and not ready to leave yet!
Good luck Maria and do not hesitate to PM me if you have any questions.
My 5yr old daughter attended The Learning Centre from Sept to Jan, prior to joining The International School. The Learning Centre had recently moved to bigger premises. I was happy with the standard of teaching there and there were many more Dominican children attending the school which had a very nice atmosphere. What I grew frustrated about was the lack of facilities (no decent library, dedicated computer room, sports field etc). There were promises made to get things done, but I understand there were problems because the school had increased it's fees substantially from what had been charged whilst in Sosua, so some of the parents were having trouble paying. We were told after Christmas that the sports field hadn't been completed because of lack of funds due to some parents not paying their fees. I didn't want my daughter to suffer through lack of facilities. The International School was much nearer and much better equipped with a beautiful campus, very good teachers and a real 'feel good' atmosphere.
With regard to 'Costa Brava Brigade'. The term 'Costa Brava' in reference to a group of people is mentioned earlier in the thread, but I can only say that this was my way of referring to the expats who only mix with other expats and whose sole purpose in life is to sit drinking in the bars all day (normal topic of conversation - the price of a Presidente!.....). Anyway I'm sure it doesn't apply to you Frankie....
Re: Crime. There was a robbery recently, in Encuentro I believe and when it was mentioned at The International School, everybody seemed to have their own 'robbery' experience! Bit scary really, but it does happen. However, everybody who's been robbed seems to remain very upbeat! Nobody's running to go home. I'm not being blase about it because I don't know how I'd react in that situation. However, as you're aware, crime happens everywhere. Security (guard and/or dog, bars etc depending on where you're living) is key, but I'm sure that would be your first priority anywhere being on your own with young children in tow.
To Maria. Perhaps have a look at Las Terrenas. I was really interested in this area when I researched before I came as it seemed to offer everything I was looking for and seemed to fit the description you gave. I did have email contact with a lovely lady with children who lived there and had a Dominican husband (I'll see if I can locate her address). She said they were keen for more families with children to settle there and integrate with the local community (i.e. speaking the language and mixing with the locals) I only moved to Sosua initially because already had in-laws here but Las Terrenas was somewhere I really wanted to explore. Perhaps somebody with children who lives there could advise.....
thanks sharlene
if anyone has advice on las terrenas schools safety etc i would appreciate it, thanks again
maria x
if anyone has advice on las terrenas schools safety etc i would appreciate it, thanks again
maria x
With regard to 'Costa Brava Brigade'. The term 'Costa Brava' in reference to a group of people is mentioned earlier in the thread, but I can only say that this was my way of referring to the expats who only mix with other expats and whose sole purpose in life is to sit drinking in the bars all day (normal topic of conversation - the price of a Presidente!.....). Anyway I'm sure it doesn't apply to you Frankie....
I know exactly what it means now! Lets me off the hook, I hate bars!!
Re: Crime. There was a robbery recently, in Encuentro I believe and when it was mentioned at The International School, everybody seemed to have their own 'robbery' experience! Bit scary really, but it does happen. However, everybody who's been robbed seems to remain very upbeat! Nobody's running to go home. I'm not being blase about it because I don't know how I'd react in that situation. However, as you're aware, crime happens everywhere. Security (guard and/or dog, bars etc depending on where you're living) is key, but I'm sure that would be your first priority anywhere being on your own with young children in tow.
It was our robbery in Encuentro that they would have been talking about at the school. It was a very scary experience, there were guys with guns and we were tied up, however I have to say that while we were experiencing it it just felt surreal, I think it sounds worse when you hear about it then when you experience it. It sounds crazy but it is a bit like childbirth, the idea is terrifiying but when you go through it you take away the fear of the unknown !
I am not trying to play down the experience and I am still feeling a bit wobbly about being here but I am just trying to give an honest idea of what it feels like. It is not the end of the world. It would be very interesting to know if any stastics exist as to how many robberies actually result in injury or death. I have no idea if such infomation exists but if anyone knew, it may put the robberies into perspective of how many are actually violent.
I know exactly what it means now! Lets me off the hook, I hate bars!!
Re: Crime. There was a robbery recently, in Encuentro I believe and when it was mentioned at The International School, everybody seemed to have their own 'robbery' experience! Bit scary really, but it does happen. However, everybody who's been robbed seems to remain very upbeat! Nobody's running to go home. I'm not being blase about it because I don't know how I'd react in that situation. However, as you're aware, crime happens everywhere. Security (guard and/or dog, bars etc depending on where you're living) is key, but I'm sure that would be your first priority anywhere being on your own with young children in tow.
It was our robbery in Encuentro that they would have been talking about at the school. It was a very scary experience, there were guys with guns and we were tied up, however I have to say that while we were experiencing it it just felt surreal, I think it sounds worse when you hear about it then when you experience it. It sounds crazy but it is a bit like childbirth, the idea is terrifiying but when you go through it you take away the fear of the unknown !
I am not trying to play down the experience and I am still feeling a bit wobbly about being here but I am just trying to give an honest idea of what it feels like. It is not the end of the world. It would be very interesting to know if any stastics exist as to how many robberies actually result in injury or death. I have no idea if such infomation exists but if anyone knew, it may put the robberies into perspective of how many are actually violent.
Hi Frankie
I was told about the robbery in Encuentro from Annie, a Dominican/New York mum at the International School who's just returned to Montreal - a lovely lady who I'd just made friends with only to find that she was going back - typical. That's the trouble here sometimes - you meet great people, only to find they're leaving in a couple of weeks! You must be her friend. She was telling me about you the Friday before the robbery saying she'd introduce us, then she came into school on Monday and told me what had happened.......I'm assuming I've got it right.......
I was told about the robbery in Encuentro from Annie, a Dominican/New York mum at the International School who's just returned to Montreal - a lovely lady who I'd just made friends with only to find that she was going back - typical. That's the trouble here sometimes - you meet great people, only to find they're leaving in a couple of weeks! You must be her friend. She was telling me about you the Friday before the robbery saying she'd introduce us, then she came into school on Monday and told me what had happened.......I'm assuming I've got it right.......
US rather than DR?
Just wondering how you came to the conclusion that Maria as a citizen of Spain could easily move to the US (she would not get a Green Card, would she?)? Moreover, to my knowledge the cost of living in Florida is much higher than the cost of living in the DR (correct me, if I am wrong).
Like Maria, I am a European citizen as well and have been thinking about a possible move to the DR for quite some time. If it was possible for a European to easily get a Green Card and to relocate to the US, I would go to the US without further delay (not necessarily to Florida though)!
Maybe, you or other forum members can advise me how to get a permanent residency in the US (without marrying of course ). Any informational help or assistance would certainly be appreciated!
Thanks + regards, Bachatero
Just wondering how you came to the conclusion that Maria as a citizen of Spain could easily move to the US (she would not get a Green Card, would she?)? Moreover, to my knowledge the cost of living in Florida is much higher than the cost of living in the DR (correct me, if I am wrong).
Like Maria, I am a European citizen as well and have been thinking about a possible move to the DR for quite some time. If it was possible for a European to easily get a Green Card and to relocate to the US, I would go to the US without further delay (not necessarily to Florida though)!
Maybe, you or other forum members can advise me how to get a permanent residency in the US (without marrying of course
). Any informational help or assistance would certainly be appreciated!Thanks + regards, Bachatero
Not Really
Wrong.
At least if you want to maintain the same standard of living, you'll find that life in the Dominican Republic is more expensive.
There are several threads on this subject....
m'frog
Wrong.
At least if you want to maintain the same standard of living, you'll find that life in the Dominican Republic is more expensive.
There are several threads on this subject....
m'frog
B
batich
Guest
Just wondering how you came to the conclusion that Maria as a citizen of Spain could easily move to the US (she would not get a Green Card, would she?)? Moreover, to my knowledge the cost of living in Florida is much higher than the cost of living in the DR (correct me, if I am wrong).
Like Maria, I am a European citizen as well and have been thinking about a possible move to the DR for quite some time. If it was possible for a European to easily get a Green Card and to relocate to the US, I would go to the US without further delay (not necessarily to Florida though)!
Maybe, you or other forum members can advise me how to get a permanent residency in the US (without marrying of course
Thanks + regards, Bachatero
1. REgarding cost of living in Fl and DR.
Just give my (or to any other DR resident) any price for any goods or services in FL and I give you the price for it in DR and you compare. I am very much familiar with both markets.
2. Regarding US residence.
FRom many people from European Union who freely enter US and stay here for as long as they please I draw a conclusion that for Western Europeos US is wide open.
I may be mistaken though, if so , please correct me.
If you feel that you have enough personal freedom and enough women in the place that you live in now, stay where you are.
DR has nothing else to offer now (even beautiful naturaleza is deteriorating rapidly because of unregulated overdevelopment of those few desired areas by greedy RE people and builders and because of the current influx of NA crowd with subsequent trash and pollution).
Several years ago I moved from Boca Chica area to Sosua/POP area because of dirt , crime and pollution in BC. Now I witness the same things in North Coast here and consider other parts of the country to move further. Like my many friends too. But choice is very limited here.
182
Unless you have a Green Card your stay is limited to whatever period is stamped in your passport by the immigration officer.
I think the maximum for this length of time is 182 days, but this may be obsolete info.
m'frog
Wrong conclusion.
Unless you have a Green Card your stay is limited to whatever period is stamped in your passport by the immigration officer.
I think the maximum for this length of time is 182 days, but this may be obsolete info.
m'frog
B
batich
Guest
Maybe, you or other forum members can advise me how to get a permanent residency in the US (without marrying of course
Thanks + regards, Bachatero
Win GC lottery or get a work visa and then convert to permanent residency
Heading for the Americas
That's exactly the crux of "easily" relocating to the US. However, if you are a so-called celebrity (e.g. movie star etc.) and / or just bring lots of cash, then of course it is a completely different ballgame. Then, you are more than welcome and regardless of a stamp in your passport you can stay as long as you want until your wealth will be exhausted.
Since I am not a movie star with money galore, the only feasible way for me seems to be looking for a job as Alyonka mentioned. I will try it in the not too distant future (both in the US and in the DR). A multilingual European with a degree in Economics and experience in international business management / marketing and sales should find something decent (at least in the US).
Saludos, Bachatero
PS: A stay in the US would anyway be for a limited period of time only. In the longer run, I would like to settle in a latin country (preferably the DR), because of a wide array of aspects (people, climate, nature, language, food etc. etc.)!
That's exactly the crux of "easily" relocating to the US. However, if you are a so-called celebrity (e.g. movie star etc.) and / or just bring lots of cash, then of course it is a completely different ballgame. Then, you are more than welcome and regardless of a stamp in your passport you can stay as long as you want until your wealth will be exhausted
.Since I am not a movie star with money galore, the only feasible way for me seems to be looking for a job as Alyonka mentioned. I will try it in the not too distant future (both in the US and in the DR). A multilingual European with a degree in Economics and experience in international business management / marketing and sales should find something decent (at least in the US).
Saludos, Bachatero
PS: A stay in the US would anyway be for a limited period of time only. In the longer run, I would like to settle in a latin country (preferably the DR), because of a wide array of aspects (people, climate, nature, language, food etc. etc.)!
You might want to check out IMF or WB. They have some internships and other programs for young professionals. It is very hard to get in but don't be afraid to try
Fyi
Thank you for your kind answer! You are right, I am still young, young at heart, but my passport tells otherwise. After more than twenty years in international business, I don't think IMF or WB would still consider me for an internship or any other program for young pros, hahaha. Anyway, thanks again for your reply!
Saludos, Bachatero
By the way, are you from Eastern Europe (judging from your nick)?
You might want to check out IMF or WB. They have some internships and other programs for young professionals. It is very hard to get in but don't be afraid to try
Thank you for your kind answer! You are right, I am still young, young at heart, but my passport tells otherwise. After more than twenty years in international business, I don't think IMF or WB would still consider me for an internship or any other program for young pros, hahaha. Anyway, thanks again for your reply!
Saludos, Bachatero
By the way, are you from Eastern Europe (judging from your nick)?