Hi everyone,
My wife and I love the DR...still considering moving their on a full-time basis. First time we spent one month, next time we spend 2 months...when we go again its going to be 4-6mths as the 'final test'.
Question (or more to get a general feeling)...what does a typical week/month 'look like' from an expat perspective? We found (having spent 2months in a Cabarete condo) its not lying on the beach every day...having said that we 'struggled a bit" with filling our day with more productive/meaningful purposes.
Living in a big NA city now we certainly have our 'routine' just wondering what that looks like in the DR.
I suppose living their would change things in terms of looking to make longer-term connections, social networks etc.
Anyway...that's our biggest 'concern'...what do you folks do to keep community up, socialize, volunteer, keep mentally and physically active, etc.
Thanks
A week or a month in the life of a DR expat
your concerns are very valid!!!! We all need to fill our time and feel productive. I think everyone falls into a type of routine and the longer you are here the more solid it becomes. For those who need or want to work, then everything else revolves around a work schedule.
For those who don't then you will find ways to fill your days. For some it is socializing, meeting other expats and chilling. For others it can involve some form of volunteer work or assistance here. Visits to a gym, classes in Spanish or giving classes in English or something.....
Lets see how the others fill their time!! For me - I work - sometimes 30 hours a week sometimes 70 hours a week.....LOL My schedule will revolve around my work needs!
thanks planner...we are not planning on working so it would be more focused on volunteering...I like the idea of teaching English classes...I helped a local Dominican with math when we were last there.
no matter where you 'hang your hat' the obvious stuff fills the week (i.e. grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, housework...oh...and laundry) all things we do not mind doing ourselves + typically in the condo after 6ish, chill-out....cook some dinner, watch a bit of tv...bedtime and get up relatively early (ie. 6 or 7ish to enjoy the sun).
there is so much one can do here.........volunteering is awesome. The DREAM foundation is a good place, Monkey Jungle is another good one......
yes...we are familiar with those...again...you could do that 2 or 3 times/day per week the question for us...what about the other 4 to 5 
we like to workout and one thing lacking is a gym...although Sosua has a decent one.
Planne has some good ideas.
Once you start to develop a"circle of friends" they will tak up a lot of time. Sometimes too much of your time.
Today for example was to be day of selfish relaxation. So now here at 2:30 I am finally relaxing. Someone once asked me what I did all day and my reply was "I don't know but it took all day to get it done".
As you settle into your life here you will find that the days fill up and you will wonder where the day went.
Bob K
ah...well said Bob.
cheers
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