Love it, Hate it, Miss it....Expats in DR

I love the sense of community and family,  I love the music and dancing.

I detest the electrical system

I miss smartie blizzards at  Dairy Queen!!!! 

I love the people, weather, beaches and food

I hate the so call electric system and corrupt providers

I miss...nada from the US or at least not very much

Bob K

I love the people & their loyalties to family & friends, weather, cost of
housing & local good service to me, almost anywhere, at no extra cost, REALLY!

I do hate the price of locally grown food, often the same was cheaper in Canada.

I miss my kids & grandkids, & snow! "Just kidding"

Like most of the people except the criminal elements which sadly seems to be multiplying of late and who are pretty merciless with knives and guns readily used.   Like the sense of freedom with no CCTV watching my every step soon as I go outside, like in some European countries these days.

Hate the constant power cuts, no water for hours at times, overpriced rip off supermarkets, the corruption, suicidal drivers- and living near a road the crazy noise some people make- one particular idiot springs to mind- drives around in a red SUV with bank of loudspeakers hanging out the back. When he goes past the windows literally shake in the frames and its so painful people in the street cover their ears as he passes.
Hope the Morons wheels fall off one day!
Well, there are supposed to be new laws against excessive noise as its so bad,government now classes it as a health hazard, but this is DR and of course no one takes any bloody notice!

Miss? Utilities that work. Post that works. Decent cheese.  even cold weather at times when its steaming hot and humid :-)

tp3813  I am wondering if  you made the right choice in living here??


Bob K

1 last thing I don't like here....
The huge unexpected potholes between Rio San Juan & Nagua!
VERY dangerous!

@Bob... >I am wondering if  you made the right choice in living here??

yeah well, no great problem really .  I always bitch about something :-)...you cant beat a good old moan :-)

Normally when something happens like no power etc,.. get all fuming mad ...then have a beer or two -and relax again...

Well, DR is a pain at times, but been to worse places...thats life :-)

although have to admit sometimes do think is it the right choice here , -like after I got robbed and stabbed in PP some months back!
But then again that can happen in other countries too, as we know.

Anyway travel a lot, so eventually will leave here in any case...thought something bit off the beaten track next for a bit of adventure- like Macedonia, Montenegro or  Kosovo....and then maybe back to DR again later.

Oh yeah forgot another "Like"- the ease of staying here long term! Thats a definite advantage and probably the best thing about DR.
Most other countries have a lot of restrictions with Visas and other bureaucratic hassles, but here is nice and easy   you pay your exit fine and everybody is happy :-)

Actually looking back on all the travels last 20 years, DR is probably the easiest place in the world to stay long term.

Good to hear.  A good rant is good for the soul.  I know I swear at ede Norte every time the power does it's off and on thing.


Bob K

@Bob >A good rant is good for the soul. 

Yes indeed :-)

>I know I swear at ede Norte every time the power does it's off and on thing.

well electrics been OK last few days since the numerous outages few days ago...but its turn for the water now  Not had a drop all day since getting up this morning. Just what you need with this heat.

So excuse me, must sign off for a good rant...kick some chairs, stamp my feet and have a proper old tantrum :-)

tp, don't forget the beers!

Lots of beer solves pretty much everything........... 

my wife made me quit drinking

Energy is still my biggest complaint. I can Handle everything else. I am easy.

Hola ns143
1. No PC here, very, very little interference by officials, only tax is the VALUE added and the climate suits my health.

2. The noise, vehicle drivers and having to go sometimes to Santo Domingo.

3. Fish & chips, Tripe & onions , black pudding & kippers.

Hi,

My husband and I have lived in DR for 3 year.  We have lived 2 years in La Vega and 1 year in Santiago. Here are the answers to your questions.  Hope it helps!

What do you love the most about living in the DR:
Weather
Fresh fruit
Cost of living (Except the cost of groceries. If you buy the same things you buy in the US, your bill will be the same or more than the US.)
Being able to afford someone to clean my house.


What do you hate the most about living in the DR:
Lack of customer service.  In my experience, the customer is always wrong. 


What do you miss the most from your home country:
Variety of food like thai, vietnamese, bbq, etc. Outside of Santo Domingo you will not find much variety.
Customer service
Cheap internet
Decent healthcare (My husband had a serious accident on a scooter and lost his scooter. He lost his heel.  They do not have the technology needed for saving limbs here.  I tell you this to say that you should be prepared to return to the US in the case of a serious health issue.  We had to go back to the US for a year for his treatment and recovery.  We did return because we like living here, but it is something to keep in mind.)


Additional advice: Never pay anyone any money in DR until you have received all of the services your have agreed upon.  Don't give any money in good faith.  Good faith is not a concept that Dominicans understand when it comes to the combination of  money and foreigners.

As for electricity, get an inverter with 4-6 batteries and you will still have lights, internet, and the ability to run a fan.  It makes a world of difference.

additional advice: Never pay anyone any money in DR until you have received all of the services your have agreed upon.  Don't give any money in good faith.  Good faith is not a concept that Dominicans understand when it comes to the combination of  money and foreigners.

that's true in the USA also. I trust Dominicans as much as North Americans. I never pay until finished. we just spent the last 3 years rebuilding and never paid in advance unless we paid the supplier of material. Good Faith in USA can get you burned as well.

What do you love the most about living in the DR:
A/ Mangoes, as simple as it sounds LOL

What do you hate the most about living in the DR:
A/ Not really focused on this.

What do you miss the most from your home country:
A/ Niente, Nada, Rien, Nothing at all.

"that's true in the USA also. I trust Dominicans as much as North Americans. I never pay until finished. we just spent the last 3 years rebuilding and never paid in advance unless we paid the supplier of material. Good Faith in USA can get you burned as well."

I agree with you.  I said that because some people come to DR with the thinking that it is a paradise in every aspect of living here.  The weather is warm, the beer is flowing, the bachata is blaring, and well they let down their guard down.  It is a beautiful island, but you should never let your guard down when it comes to money.  It's not something everyone thinks about when moving here. 

yes.its a good policy. I have a Dominican wife  and family so I do not experience the same things others do so I forget. Getting money away from my wife is chore for most workers jajajajajaja

Welcome CakeDreams - good post!    So true  - we pay for materials up front OR buy them ourselves and pay the labor when it is done or as it is done.......

Your wife is a smart lady texasdonkey! 

CakeDreams wrote:

Your wife is a smart lady texasdonkey! 

yes she is. She is a mean Dominican jajajajaja She worked for years at Kuki Silverio Constructors and dealt with hundreds of workers in payroll

IF she dealt with Kuki  for years then  you would be an easy one.....LOL   Good for her!!!!

yes I am the easy one. She and kuki went to same school growing up She worked  for  him like  20 years and he worked her like a donkey. I  met him once at work.

He has a reputation that is for sure.

These are all great responses, keep em coming. So far the clear winners in the "love" department are the people and the weather. The "hate" department is hands down the electricity situation and "miss" department is all over the place as I expected. We are coming back over the July 4th holiday so we can experience what it's like there during the summer with the heat. We've only ever visited during our winter months.

ns143

I forgot, I love Their Barceló Rum and the Café Santo Domingo!  I get drunk just to think about it... LOL

The energy situation in dom rep is crippling  the country. have fun when you come

It is a bit of a pain to always have to calculate the money, percentages, bills, invoices, etc. on every little thing.

In regards to an attorney creating a company, don't you have to give some money up front to get them started?

I can give you a rookie perspective since we have only lived here for 3 1/2 months, from USA.

Love: Sense of family, more laid back style of parenting and less pressure (more in line with my style...love that my 5 year old spends countless hours outdoors). Very similar to how I was raised with my parents and grandparents (all from Puerto Rico), but of course very amricanized :-)

Also love: The weather, duh!!! We moved here mostly for the outdoor lifestyle. Windsurfing in Cabarete, paddle boarding and swimming in Sosua (where we live), breathtaking sunsets, and al fresco dining!

Hate: The dangerous driving! I quickly got the hang of it, but It can still be frustrating...for such a laid back culture they are always in a rush on the road!! Know several people who have been involved in fatal accidents with motos at night (who rarely have proper lights, and there is no liscence requirement for motos)

Miss: Not too much yet! Except the nice cushy high end vehicle I used to drive...way too expensive here because of the import tax, and you have to pay in cash...but of course that is a silly superficial reason. The 11 year old car we are driving is just fine

New Expat it sound like you are making the adjustments and "fitting in"

good post

Bob K

Ns 143 It will be hot!

Bob K

Don't forget when  you are paying for materials many times you will need to add gas money

Bob K

Oh yes! I forgot how great it is to afford daily house keeping.

Yes house keepers and gardeners are soooo cheap here.  If we ever leave we will have to figure out how to get our housekeeper packed in to a suitcase and take her with us.

Bob K

Yes, hi Bob!! Thanks. We are adjusting very well. I think it helps tremendously that I speak almost fluent spanish, with no american accent. Several people have assumed I am Dominican. I have not (yet) felt taken advantage of. Helps to be street smart too, which we are. Like you have all advised on this forum, do not come here with naive expectations. It is not for everybody, but for some of us it is just right.

newExpats6676 wrote:

Yes, hi Bob!! Thanks. We are adjusting very well. I think it helps tremendously that I speak almost fluent spanish, with no american accent. Several people have assumed I am Dominican. I have not (yet) felt taken advantage of. Helps to be street smart too, which we are. Like you have all advised on this forum, do not come here with naive expectations. It is not for everybody, but for some of us it is just right.

Yes Dominicans love that you speak Spanish, I  mean it. my daughters do not speak to me in English. unless they want dinero.
Unless you speak Dominican they will know you are not Dominican.. they have  thousands of made up words I call  them.they do not even translate. You have to live here to learn them. My wife is always telling me, "this is purely Dominican word"  Spanish people do not even know what they  said. its like any country, new Yorkers cannot understand many southerners.

Thanks newExpats, your perspective is of particular interest to me as I try to wrap my head around what steps I should take to leave NYC and get started in DR. If it's alright with you I may send you some questions on PM as to not go off topic here on this post.

ns143

Thanks Bob K, we don't mind hot, I'm assuming in the 90's with a light breeze, correct ? How's the humidity then ?