- Thread starter usa2dr
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what are somethings you gave up
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I haven't spent enough time in one stretch to really miss anything yet. (Still in the "several vacation / year" stage, with "snowbird" stage to follow in a few years.)
BUT, a few of the things I'm sure I'll miss in the future will be:
GOOD deli... (I even miss that here in PGH, compared to "back home" in Philly)
REAL maple syrup
COSTCO
my vast collection of power tools (and other tools) for DIY (I only keep one drill in the D.R.)
an endless array of stuff to buy, (but the up-side is that I'll just spend less money on $hit I don't really need or even want)
I guess the list is really yet to be determined.
BUT, a few of the things I'm sure I'll miss in the future will be:
GOOD deli... (I even miss that here in PGH, compared to "back home" in Philly)
REAL maple syrup
COSTCO
my vast collection of power tools (and other tools) for DIY (I only keep one drill in the D.R.)
an endless array of stuff to buy, (but the up-side is that I'll just spend less money on $hit I don't really need or even want)
I guess the list is really yet to be determined.
"Kowloon" but only if you want to get Totally Blasted", on "Mai Tai's", which is necessary if you want to choke down what they call, "Chinese Food"!
Go to Boston's "China Town", at 3am, then eat where the Chinese Cooks and waiters are eating when they finish working!
"Ding How"
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I miss "Chowda"!!!
And NOT that "Red Stuff" they pass off as "Chowder" in New York!!!!
Go to Boston's "China Town", at 3am, then eat where the Chinese Cooks and waiters are eating when they finish working!
"Ding How"
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I miss "Chowda"!!!
And NOT that "Red Stuff" they pass off as "Chowder" in New York!!!!
One more thing I have for the OP:
You will hear all sort of stuff in regards to family, unity, neighbors helping each other etc, but if you get into major trouble in regards to money, NO DOMINICAN, NO EXPAT, NO TOURIST, NO HAITIAN will come to your aid, the only people that will stop what they are doing and help you out are the GREAT people of the United States of America.
People in DR will come of very friendly, helpful,and cozy until you get into major trouble with money and by your other threads you may need help at some point in DR.
I receive text messages and phone calls from Dominicans and Haitians all the time asking for help because there is not much help going around in DR these days.
True helpful FRIENDS and FAMILY that will die for you if need be will be a major asset that you will leave behind in the USA and then you will see how important the American flag really is.
You will hear all sort of stuff in regards to family, unity, neighbors helping each other etc, but if you get into major trouble in regards to money, NO DOMINICAN, NO EXPAT, NO TOURIST, NO HAITIAN will come to your aid, the only people that will stop what they are doing and help you out are the GREAT people of the United States of America.
People in DR will come of very friendly, helpful,and cozy until you get into major trouble with money and by your other threads you may need help at some point in DR.
I receive text messages and phone calls from Dominicans and Haitians all the time asking for help because there is not much help going around in DR these days.
True helpful FRIENDS and FAMILY that will die for you if need be will be a major asset that you will leave behind in the USA and then you will see how important the American flag really is.
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"JMB", one exception.
Dominican families will pool ALL their families assets/cash/ and what ever they can "Pawn", or borrow, to pay for hospitals, and medical treatment for a family member.
Because the DR doesn't provide any real health care resources.
However, if the person survives, they will still steal a thousand pesos from their wallet, if left unattended!
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Dominican families will pool ALL their families assets/cash/ and what ever they can "Pawn", or borrow, to pay for hospitals, and medical treatment for a family member.
Because the DR doesn't provide any real health care resources.
However, if the person survives, they will still steal a thousand pesos from their wallet, if left unattended!
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- Running water
- Family
- Walking on the street without getting run over
- Safe electricity (high voltage entered our building twice in 3 months)
- Best Friends (kind of hard to have "real" friends here)
- Tender red meat
- Bath tub
- Windows without bars
- Common sence
- Feeling safe
- Kraft peanut butter!
- Family
- Walking on the street without getting run over
- Safe electricity (high voltage entered our building twice in 3 months)
- Best Friends (kind of hard to have "real" friends here)
- Tender red meat
- Bath tub
- Windows without bars
- Common sence
- Feeling safe
- Kraft peanut butter!
But fewer than humping while driving...
............ a motorcycle in the DR and talking on a cellular:surprised
You are talking from your posterior orifice!
In 2008 I was seriously injured in an auto accident in the DR. My co-workers, all Dominican, went with me to the hospital and stayed with me while emergency treatment was administered. An expat friend, hearing about the accident, came immediately to the ER to be with me and accompanied me home. She returned the next day, after going grocery shopping for me, to help me take a shower since that was something I was unable to do for myself.
My maid came every two days to change the dressings on my injury and help me shower and wash my hair. She fixed food for me (something she normally does not do), combed my hair and did all that I needed. When I was readmitted to the hospital with gangrene, she came with me and STAYED ALL NIGHT IN THE ER with me so that I would not be alone. She went to my apartment and packed a bag for me with my toiletries, nightclothes, towels, etc. Every other day, after my daughter arrived, my maid came to the hospital to get my soiled clothing, washed it and returned it the next day.
When I experienced a hemorrhage from the wound, and had a pool of blood three feet across on my kitchen floor, my landlord (a Dominican-American) sent his employee to clean it up and sanitize the area with bleach - at no charge.
Lambada (RIP) did my grocery shopping and a third, a medical doctor, came to my apartment each day to check on my progress and administer heparin injections.
Another expat friend, Joanne (RIP) of Sam's Bar in Puerto Plata brought food from her restaurant to my apartment and to the hospital when I was readmitted. Lambada visited me in the hospital, as did my doctor friend, so many Dominicans I cannot even count them and other expats as well.
Perhaps your experience was different; perhaps you are jaded and bitter - but your words are definitely not in tune with my personal experience.
I agree with LaProfe, my experiences with my Dominican in-laws in SD has been 99% positive (I have one BIL who will always be a problem). If we needed ANYTHING they would be there for us.
What I give up in our DR home:
1. Comfy reclining sofa/home theatre chairs....but found out they sell them at Plaza Lama so we'll fix that problem soon.
2. Good steaks
3. Security - no bars, doors open without worrying someone will come in, no locked front gate to keep undesirables out, local police who actually will show up if alarm goes off
4. Atlantic Ocean on my corner
What I give up in my NJ home:
1. Soft breezes blowing through palm & coconut trees
2. A yard full of fruit trees
3. Vegetables picked the same day
4. Free range chickens killed the same day we cook them for 50 pesos a pound
5. Caribbean Sea on my corner
What I give up in our DR home:
1. Comfy reclining sofa/home theatre chairs....but found out they sell them at Plaza Lama so we'll fix that problem soon.
2. Good steaks
3. Security - no bars, doors open without worrying someone will come in, no locked front gate to keep undesirables out, local police who actually will show up if alarm goes off
4. Atlantic Ocean on my corner
What I give up in my NJ home:
1. Soft breezes blowing through palm & coconut trees
2. A yard full of fruit trees
3. Vegetables picked the same day
4. Free range chickens killed the same day we cook them for 50 pesos a pound
5. Caribbean Sea on my corner
Everytime somebody gives an example it as to be an EXTREME!!!! If the samething happen to you in Moscow I pretty sure Russians would have helped you in a similar fashion.
Give me an example of a story similar to yours where Haitian people allowed someone to die because no one could be bothered. Everybody in every country around the world would have assited you in this type of situation.
I am talking about someone in trouble, NOT some near death experience. Where did I ever state " a Dominican will leave you on the side of a road to bleed to death" I was talking about MONEY situations and you knew that, but a group of Dominicans that saved your life sure does TRUMP most post LOL
BTW That same accident in Jalisco Mexico would have had the same outcome.
But fewer than humping while driving...
that depends on how GOOD the humping is! LOL
;-)
Also something that I find very baffling. In your 3rd paragraph you stated " my landlord sent his employee to clean it up and sanitize the area with bleach- at no charge"
Tell me the reason you felt compelled to type the words " AT NO CHARGE"??? because you could have ended the sentence without using " at no charge" Nobody anywhere would feel they need to charge for something like this, but you in DR you know very well Dominicans charge for EVERYTHING
Why would he feel the need to charge you for something like this?
If you read your post again you will see there was no reason to use those three words" at no charge" but because you did it made your entire post look like Dominicans want to be compensated for EVERYTHING just by using those 3 words which totally changed the point you were trying to make.
You proved my point THANK YOU
yes, JMB, but get sick in the DR and you will get a taste of what concern is really about. i got sick in my apartment one day, and the guy who lived in front of me was aware of it, and never offered to go to the pharmacy to get me aspirin. nobody did. one day, i heard a knock on my door, and when i opened it, there stood two girls whom i had never seen before, holding a bowl of soup. they had just moved in to an apartment on the top floor, and my neighbor told them that there was a sick guy in my apartment. i am not so sure any of the "good people of the USA" would have bothered to make me a bowl of soup, especially never having even seen me before. they came back for two more days, to see how i was doing. i offered them a little money for their expenses, and they were highly offended.
I have had numerous Dominicans give me a hand doing something that required more than one person or carrying or moving something was too heavy, moving a moto blocking my way, ...etc more times than I can count. As far as your original statement that La Profe took umbrage to, Americans are not more helpful or generous than any other countries citizens, especially when it comes to the almighty dollar.
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