That is mostly true in the whole Peninsula, as I can see from my side of it, in the las Terrenas area...
That is mostly true worldwide, but especially in Latin America, and of course down here in "Coconut Paradise" !!!
- Thread starter eastcoastmike
- Start date
The Bad Guys Won!!!
Think About It !!!!!!!!!!!!
When the native dominicans are fleeing this country in make/shift rafts/boats to get out of here,no wonder expats are fleeing too.I think the people on this site slaming the op,have never experienced or had any problems here, and probably dont even live in the DR.They probably never leave their hotel rooms when they are here .Even the critical expats on this site that do live here;are living a lie, and trying to convince thereselfs there still in paradise.Yes this country has some good points,but bad outways the good by far at the moment.All the dreams of leonel turning this place around;forget it,not going to happen in my life time,more chance of hell freezing over.Dreams they are and dreams they will stay :surprised not !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
When the native dominicans are fleeing this country in make/shift rafts/boats to get out of here,no wonder expats are fleeing too.I think the people on this site slaming the op,have never experienced or had any problems here, and probably dont even live in the DR.They probably never leave their hotel rooms when they are here .Even the critical expats on this site that do live here;are living a lie, and trying to convince thereselfs there still in paradise.Yes this country has some good points,but bad outways the good by far at the moment.All the dreams of leonel turning this place around;forget it,not going to happen in my life time,more chance of hell freezing over.Dreams they are and dreams they will stay :surprised not !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
The DR is out of control again.
Further (STRENGTH) to my post above ,i just read a post from hillbilly (kiddnapping)CARRYING A HAND GUN FOR DEFENCE.I would just like to point out,it is not just dominicans subjecting expat/gringos to thier wrath of greed /torment;they treat each other with the same contempt ,and i have witnesed this first hand.But remeber not all dominicans are bad,just the majority:bunny:
Further (STRENGTH) to my post above ,i just read a post from hillbilly (kiddnapping)CARRYING A HAND GUN FOR DEFENCE.I would just like to point out,it is not just dominicans subjecting expat/gringos to thier wrath of greed /torment;they treat each other with the same contempt ,and i have witnesed this first hand.But remeber not all dominicans are bad,just the majority:bunny:
Speak for yourself !
DR might not be the Garden of Eden, but I am still having a great time down here, after 10 years, and I have never set foot in an hotel room !!!
Did you forget that there is no crime or problems in First World countries?! :cheeky:Speak for yourself !
DR might not be the Garden of Eden, but I am still having a great time down here, after 10 years, and I have never set foot in an hotel room !!!
Just ignore the daily reports of kidnappings and murder, female genital mutilation in Britain, the presence of child molestors, bandits who go "green" in disguise, illegal prostitution, annual threats of power blackouts and brownouts, shootings in casinos, racial insecurity and political correctness; the list goes on and on and on.
Ignore all those pesky reports of the First World and such place may just be seen as paradise too.
-NALs
Ignorance Is Bliss
As my post suggested ;probably you have never had, any such problems as the op ,when you do,and you will;i wonder what your stance on the DR will be !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Speak for yourself !
DR might not be the Garden of Eden, but I am still having a great time down here, after 10 years, and I have never set foot in an hotel room !!!
As my post suggested ;probably you have never had, any such problems as the op ,when you do,and you will;i wonder what your stance on the DR will be !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did you forget that there is no crime or problems in First World countries?! :cheeky:
Ignore all those pesky reports of the First World and such place may just be seen as paradise too.
-NALs
Great point NALS.....I don't think a day goes by that I don't here about a multiple homicide,stabbings,robberies or gang violence.
And I live in the so called first world of Canada.
hifiman
good vs bad
No one suggested first world countries are not without the same problems as the DR;per person 5 times as bad in the DR;The op feels his standard of life would be better ,back where he came from.Most expats i think that experience bad times here, question this.MOST OF US ARE FROM THE US/CANADA/UK we have left fairly safe and stable countries to live here for whatever are reasons;and most will return to there original country of origin when the crap hits the fan (FACT):bunny:
No one suggested first world countries are not without the same problems as the DR;per person 5 times as bad in the DR;The op feels his standard of life would be better ,back where he came from.Most expats i think that experience bad times here, question this.MOST OF US ARE FROM THE US/CANADA/UK we have left fairly safe and stable countries to live here for whatever are reasons;and most will return to there original country of origin when the crap hits the fan (FACT):bunny:
My impression is that the ex-pats that are the loudest at complaining are the ones that have been the most disillusioned.
What I mean is that they forget when watching the 6 o'clock news from Detroit, New York, or elsewhere the amount of stories heading the news of shootings, stabbings, kidnapings, etc. are the norm. Each day.
Then when a little piece of their paradise is infringed upon - thinking it is the garden of eden, and the 'how dare they ruin my day' or infringe on 'my paradise' they shout the loudest at how bad it is in the RD.
I can understand complaining about it and even getting upset about it but where's your head?
Just because of the countries beauty and the fact that you have money and are of the top 5% of the wealthy in the country you feel you are immune to trouble?
Common sense, actually get to know your neighbours-at least who or what they are about, add a little to the community, and enjoy your life there.
What I mean is that they forget when watching the 6 o'clock news from Detroit, New York, or elsewhere the amount of stories heading the news of shootings, stabbings, kidnapings, etc. are the norm. Each day.
Then when a little piece of their paradise is infringed upon - thinking it is the garden of eden, and the 'how dare they ruin my day' or infringe on 'my paradise' they shout the loudest at how bad it is in the RD.
I can understand complaining about it and even getting upset about it but where's your head?
Just because of the countries beauty and the fact that you have money and are of the top 5% of the wealthy in the country you feel you are immune to trouble?
Common sense, actually get to know your neighbours-at least who or what they are about, add a little to the community, and enjoy your life there.
1. Keep this in mind:As my post suggested ;probably you have never had, any such problems as the op ,when you do,and you will;i wonder what your stance on the DR will be !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Crime occurs everywhere, people are killed everywhere, and the police ALWAYS arrives after the act has been committed, rarely during and never before!
That's also a fact whether its the National Police of the Dominican Republic or the police of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA!
As for whether cases are solved in one place more often than in others, well that would be a different topic; but as of yet, neither the Dominican or British or American or where-ever police arrives before an act is commited and much less has the ability to undo whatever was done.
2. With all of that in mind:
There are only two possible reactions that Squat will choose to accept if he ever becomes a victim of a crime.
After the shock factor subsides, he can:
1. Be rational and realize that sometimes bad things do happen to good people anywhere on earth. With that in mind, he would be reacting much like the parents of this innocent upwardly mobile woman. I'm sure they are not going to flee the U.S. just because this horrible crime has occured to them in a place where they thought their daughter was safe. With the high technology, low corruption, effective police departments, etc and stuff like this still manage to occur.
Or
2. He can be completely irrational and paranoid, unfairly stereotype all Dominicans and the entire country to be something that its not, and leave the DR to "the real paradise" of some First World country, which again, such "real paradise" mentality can only be maintained if one ignores the daily gruesome reports.
Take it from me, at least in the US, even the best of neighborhoods are not exempt from crime and when it does occur, the police always arrives after the act has been commited, rarely during and never before!
If the act is a murder, guess what? Even the best police department in the world won't undo what was done!
With that in mind, the only thing people can do to keep themselves and their families safe is to:
1. Don't make enemies, period!
2. Take your usual normal precautions, nothing out of the ordinary for your place of residence.
3. Enjoy life!
The chances that something bad will happen to you are relatively low if you take your usual normal precautions and, if something bad does happens, its usually something relatively harmless to one's own life.
This is true everywhere on earth!
-NALs
Choices
It is not just about the crime eastcoastmike was on about but the whole thing.COST OF MEDICAL,ELECTRIC,FOOD,GAS ECT ECT.He feels better off elsewhere,and good luck to him.One mans medicine is another mans poison.The DR is not for everyone,and if i felt i had a better life elsewhere i would be gone, as would most expats; at the moment i am 50/50 torn between .GOOD LUCK TO SQUAT 10 years and no probs,hope you get another 10 years:bunnyS STATS FACT MOST EXPATS RETURN HOME ;70 TO 80 % IN THERE FIRST YEAR WORLDWIDE
It is not just about the crime eastcoastmike was on about but the whole thing.COST OF MEDICAL,ELECTRIC,FOOD,GAS ECT ECT.He feels better off elsewhere,and good luck to him.One mans medicine is another mans poison.The DR is not for everyone,and if i felt i had a better life elsewhere i would be gone, as would most expats; at the moment i am 50/50 torn between .GOOD LUCK TO SQUAT 10 years and no probs,hope you get another 10 years:bunny
S STATS FACT MOST EXPATS RETURN HOME ;70 TO 80 % IN THERE FIRST YEAR WORLDWIDEThat's exactly it, Squat. They are challenges and we've all had them. I truly empathise with eastcoastmike's experience but it isn't mine. However, I think most long term expats suffer severe disappointment over the drugs/crime issue because it isn't how it was when we first arrived. Then it was a lot safer here in DR than in many of our countries of origin. Now the DR is catching up & it is probably that change which compels some people to leave.
My criteria for leaving would not be to do with crime, which is everywhere (just back from UK where there may not be a gun culture but there have just been a series of nasty knife deaths among teens). My criteria for leaving would be more along the lines of when revolution breaks out so that any foray on to the streets would be risky. And I still think that is quite a long way off. Mind you, if I thought it would be a revolution of short duration I'd hunker down & stay..........
During my recent time in UK I couldn't wait to get back home. For me the good here outweighs the bad. Whereas British Bulldog is 50/50 I'm 90/10 in favour of staying (& the 10 represents an open mind to consider a plan B for another country, not an active desire to move). I wonder..........maybe it would be illuminating to have a graph which we all fill in once showing where we are on this scale? With reasons given in explanatory posts below?
I'm sure British Bulldog can quote the source of his 70-80% returnees in the first year worldwide, & I don't disbelieve it, but in my view much of that is due to bad or no planning. I wouldn't even define someone as an expat until they've been living away from country of origin for at least a couple of years.......
I've lived in Florida for 37 years. Do y'all have ANY idea how many fol;ks from up north I've seen come down here for a few years, can't take it anymore and leave?
Happens all the time.
The OP had a problem with ~some~ folks in Samana. That may be a reason to leave Samana, but not an indictment on the entire island.
Sometimes it sucks to have the fantasy bubble burst.
Happens all the time.
The OP had a problem with ~some~ folks in Samana. That may be a reason to leave Samana, but not an indictment on the entire island.
Sometimes it sucks to have the fantasy bubble burst.
I wouldn't even define someone as an expat until they've been living away from country of origin for at least a couple of years.......[/QUOTE]
I realise I don't qualify yet as have only been in DR for 1 year and a month but I don't miss the UK at all and feel very 'at home' here. Of course I miss my sons and grandchildren and my old friends a little but not enough to entice me back to Britain long term. Guess we have been lucky so far but the fate which has befallen my son's 27 year old friend in Baltimore, US (ex geordie boy from England) outweighs any threats we could have here. He is likely to be a quadraplegic for the rest of his life and I just pray that his wife and 2 little boys can cope with it.
I realise I don't qualify yet as have only been in DR for 1 year and a month but I don't miss the UK at all and feel very 'at home' here. Of course I miss my sons and grandchildren and my old friends a little but not enough to entice me back to Britain long term. Guess we have been lucky so far but the fate which has befallen my son's 27 year old friend in Baltimore, US (ex geordie boy from England) outweighs any threats we could have here. He is likely to be a quadraplegic for the rest of his life and I just pray that his wife and 2 little boys can cope with it.
I was borned and raised in Canada and I do live in Canada now from mid May till mid November and in the D.R. from mid November till mid May. I have never been robbed in Canada but I have been robbed at gunpoint at 4 P.M. in my own property in the D.R.
There is a big difference between hearing or reading about homicide, robberies... and being a victim of gunpoint robbery. You have to be a victim of it to fully understand it.
Fortunately, there are always exceptions, whirleybird.
I saw some of those UK Place in the Sun TV progs whilst in UK & can understand British Bulldogs statistics.......... the denseness of some of those folks who were moving to sunny climes only 'because it'll be nice for the kids to play on the beach'..........left me speechless. I guess there are some people who'll fit in anywhere, some people who'll fit in nowhere and some people who'll fit in in some countries.
And yes, La Mariposa, I'm sure what you say is so and being a victim alters one's perception. Except that not all victims react the same way........we've had gunpoint robbery victims post on this board - some want to leave as a result, and others don't.
Where the F to you get off making an animal cruelty accusation to this person?
He left someone in charge.
How could he possibly expect the guard to not feed them?
Bad enough the guy lost his beloved dogs, and his security perimeter along with it, without some fool accusing him of animal cruelty.
Methinks you've lost your mind.