- Thread starter kbaley
- Start date
What's it *really* like in the DR?
- Status
For Me..... I was in Roatan Honduras before I came here... Diving and liming their...Running an American Sportfish Boathere till recently.. I would much rather be here.. People don't outright steal from you, and the crime rate is WAY higher there.... Can't leave your flip flops on the beach for a minute.. And I have had personal friends killed there...
Here, I imagine I could live to a ripe old age..... As long as I have a little income, and learn to live within my means.... I can ignore Obuma and all the latest Bull from the US..... Look forward at nite to a Presedente, Pescado dinner and maybe a rerun of the "Game Of Thrones"... Fan blowing and a possible bonus of hot water....... all good....
Here, I imagine I could live to a ripe old age..... As long as I have a little income, and learn to live within my means.... I can ignore Obuma and all the latest Bull from the US..... Look forward at nite to a Presedente, Pescado dinner and maybe a rerun of the "Game Of Thrones"... Fan blowing and a possible bonus of hot water....... all good....
by the way, how long have you been living here? you better not get into the habit of leaving your possessions unguarded, unless you are wealthy enough to replace them daily. people don't outright steal from you? so how do they steal?
Ha Ha.... Roatan was a great place to visit.. I was there a little over 6 months..... Have a lot of friends who like it there and have business... But no work for American Boat Captains there.... Picked up a Job on an American Boat here...
I live currently in the gated Punta Cana Resort.. Marina Property.... Nice.. safe by all standards... No thievery here...
As for Stealing... I have spent and lost a lot of money being a newbie here... Being over charged because of my blond hair.. Footing the bill for all my friends.. American and Dominican..... Spending money unwisely..... on all sorts of activities... Car rental going round the country is expensive, hotels, restaurants, Bars etc. Rent here is way too expensive.. $1200.00 per month.. LOL. now no Job, so I will be moving soon to a smaller quieter part of the country.... Came from the US by boat so I brought stuff for an extended stay..... Will be liquidating some of the more expensive possessions.... Have a lot of stuff I was going to use long term.... But things change.... Now I am interested in staying here as long as I can till the season kicks back in for Boat Deliveries.. Or something comes up for me to do... Open to suggestions....
I live currently in the gated Punta Cana Resort.. Marina Property.... Nice.. safe by all standards... No thievery here...
As for Stealing... I have spent and lost a lot of money being a newbie here... Being over charged because of my blond hair.. Footing the bill for all my friends.. American and Dominican..... Spending money unwisely..... on all sorts of activities... Car rental going round the country is expensive, hotels, restaurants, Bars etc. Rent here is way too expensive.. $1200.00 per month.. LOL. now no Job, so I will be moving soon to a smaller quieter part of the country.... Came from the US by boat so I brought stuff for an extended stay..... Will be liquidating some of the more expensive possessions.... Have a lot of stuff I was going to use long term.... But things change.... Now I am interested in staying here as long as I can till the season kicks back in for Boat Deliveries.. Or something comes up for me to do... Open to suggestions....
Why us Dominicans stay in the D.R?
Many stay because they can`t find a way to leave. They can`t get a visa, but they would leave in a heart beat and never look back if they could.
Others stay because they really like the DR and make enough to live a decent life and enjoy certain "luxuries". This may be a surprise to some of you, but many Dominicans don`t really like living abroad. They don`t like the cold, the system, how many things work abroad. I know many people for whom the U.S. only means $$$, and perhaps the opportunity to come back home in the future to retire with a U.S. pension. That explains why you can hear Dominicans who don`t live in the DR but still talk passionately about the country.
A lot of people critizice locals for leaving and not staying and working hard here. The fact is that there are many jobs that pay almost nothing here that abroad can make you earn enough to make a decent living .......and send money home. For example I know someone who had a college degree here, went to the U.S. and took a home aide course, now takes care of old people and is making more in a week that they used to make in a month here.
There`s also people who lived abroad briefly legally, didn`t like it and came back. I know a couple of people with U.S. residencies who came back to the D.R and never went back to the U.S. Of course, these are fewer cases.
It doesn't matter whether a person lives some place else. Bring up their country of origin and they will defend it. Same with Americans wherever they live, let someone say something about the USA and they will attack, like sharks in a feeding frenzie!
Dominicans, Americans, Canadians, etc. all tend to be patriotic.
Dominicans, Americans, Canadians, etc. all tend to be patriotic.
"...There`s also people who lived abroad briefly legally, didn`t like it and came back. I know a couple of people with U.S. residencies who came back to the D.R and never went back to the U.S. Of course, these are fewer cases...."
My wife could probably get a visa for the US. She don't care. We lived in Germany for a year, she didn't like to be there and wanted to go back to DR. That's why we are here...
My wife could probably get a visa for the US. She don't care. We lived in Germany for a year, she didn't like to be there and wanted to go back to DR. That's why we are here...
One brother-in-law and two sisters-in-law voluntarily turned in their 'green cards' and took a 10 yr visa instead. Aguaita is right - not all Dominicans want to live in the US. They live pretty great lives in SD.
Let me help you a bit with that!
It's relaxed enough so that they can spend time going on a online forum each day and write endlessly about anything and everything... Something they could never do back home.
That should clear a lot for you!
It is very true that many Dominicans live abroad in order to make enough money to retire in their homeland. My spouse has family members doing just that. One of the cousins had US residency. Came back to DR about 3 years ago and has not returned to the US. Just has no interest in living in the US (although I suspect its mostly due to him being lazy and not wanting to work). Just like anywhere else, there are good days when all is lovely on the island and then there are those days where you want to catch the next flight out.
The DR is no more "one thing" than your country is.
If you live in Santo Domingo it's diffeent than San Jose de las Matas, which is different than Hato Major, which is different than Santa Barbara de Samana, which is different than Barahona, which is different than Santiago, which is different than Cabarete, which is different than Dajabon, which is different than Jarabacoa, which is different than Azua...etc., etc., etc.
This is a country of amazing contrasts in people, culture and topography. Each place can be completely different from another.
It really comes down to what kind of baggage YOU bring to the country...
So go out and create something.
If you really want a serious project, I have just the ticket in mind...
We are all our own jailkeepers...
If it makes you feel any better, locals get overcharged too if they don`t know the real prices of things. I am Dominican, don`t look foreign, and it`s happenned to me too. You can learn how not to get overcharged!
If you need a service, call different providers and get a quote. If you need a taxi, call several companies and ask them what their fare is. Once you get a fare from the company, the taxi driver can`t try to charge you more.
For example, I once attended an event in a hotel in Santo Domingo. I had paid $150 from Caribe Tours to the venue. After the event, I asked a taxi driver outside how much it would be to go to Caribe Tours and he said $275, I was like "Are you kidding me? I paid $150 to get here." He replied that his was a "touristic taxi". I said thanks but no thanks, called Apollo Taxi and they came in like 4 minutes. The fare?$150!
And also, if you are going to a market to buy souvenirs or you go to a small clothes shop, it`s very likely that people are waiting for you to bargain. They usually set a higher price so that, after the bargaining process, they`ll still make a profit. If you have a good friend that knows how to bargain well, ask them to come over with you. I`ve helped friends get items for a lot less that what they were initially being charged.
By the way, regular Dominican people avoid buying stuff at tourist places. If you go there, they are going to charge you a lot more, wether you are blond or not.
yes they could. many are retired, and earned a decent pension, and SS. many made a decent penny in their working lives, and have the kind of nest eggs wherein they can live off the interest (unless, of course, they meet some local here who decides to relieve them of their hard earned money. one guy comes readily to mind). all my friends of my age are either retired, or on the verge of retirement, and they will be living a life of ease.
then i will pm you. you already know my bonafides. i do want to get into a serious project, but some of us do not have the contacts.
funny you mentioned that, Aguaita. i once took Caribe Tours to the capital, and asked a taxi driver to take me to the nearest inexpensive lodgings. he said he knew of one, and we rode around for a while, until he finally got to the joint. it seemed a little far away, so i did not make too much of a racket when he hit me up for 250 pesos.
next morning, i asked a guy where i could get a carrito or a bus back to Caribe tours. the guy asked me why i wanted to get the bus. he then took me outside, and showed me exactly where Caribe Tours is. but not for a slight curve, you can see it from the hotel. a few minutes walk, at best.
- Status