It's a wonderful LIFE !!! Santiago de los Caballeros

Fear always has been, and always will be an adversary of a worthy war. For those who venture beyond their borders, they leave baffled and confused the masses that would think of us as betrayers of a cause. They scoff at the few who rise up and defy the normal positioning of domestication. Those who reject fear and face the headwinds of ridicule and the opinions of others will rise up and become the leaders of the many who at this very moment feel rejected within their own personal borders, and who doubt that an opportunity will provide them relief from their own personal hell. Denouncing fear and moving forward with an attitude of adventure will produce warriors of a worthy cause, LIFE.

AT LAST! A brother in arm.  I salute you Mon Capitain!  To horse,  to horse we cry.  The downtrodden have always been to slow to join or to slow to get out of the way..  Both are man kinds sin.

Have you noticed the different parts of me?  Gypsy 401,  the Tinker,  the tuba & the farts? They are just a few of the parts of self.  We all have parts,but don't always let them co-exist. We stifle them, adhere to just one part in a linear path to the destruction of all the other parts. A tragedy of no little import It curtails individual growth of these parts. It is similar to making a savory stew.  Without the simmering of many diverse ingredients we are left with a tasteless sludge.  Instead of a night in the woods or on a lonely beach it would be easier to take a side country road & spend a couple of hours having beers or R/C's at a roadside clmado or tki bar. Very soon local will come & new friends made. By bein quiet & respectful you will begin to see some corallation between you all.  Remember a smile ids multy lingual all over the world.  Buying them a beer or two worksaso. BUT. only a beer or two. More than that makes you a "mark". Rrelax, laugh & enjoy the basic goodness of the people. A small adventure can grow ino a much more exciting & full life. You may even find a heretofore hidden part of yourself. Just another frt from the Tinker gypsy401, The Tuba has sneezed. .

Part 29

La Puerta de la Republica Dominicana 03

In leaving the idea of reinforcing the gate to my house in the barrio, I leave you this thought: There are many gates that lead to nowhere, and many never opened. There are many that lead to incredible wealth and health beyond ones capacity to fathom, yet……we leave them be…assuming….that another will pass and encounter what we have,,,,a gate that's lifeless. To forget rejection and take a stand against opinion, will provide the strength to at last, push against that which has held you so pathetically captive, and venture beyond its captive depression and start to live. This is what defines a true expat.

Fear always has been, and always will be an adversary of a worthy war. For those who venture beyond their borders, they leave baffled and confused the masses that would think of us as betrayers of a cause. They scoff at the few who rise up and defy the normal positioning of domestication. Those who reject fear and face the headwinds of ridicule and the opinions of others will rise up and become the leaders of the many who at this very moment feel rejected within their own personal borders, and who doubt that an opportunity will provide them relief from their own personal hell. Denouncing fear and moving forward with an attitude of adventure will produce warriors of a worthy cause, LIFE.

My new acquired friends here on this site, have moved ahead. Their stories, ha ha, mine pale in comparison. Their insight and faith that I will not lead those who care to read this script astray, has provided the inspiration to all who have thought about launching their lives into an abyss of the unknown.

The Dominican Republic has something for anyone with desire for change. Never would I claim my life in the barrio to be only way to understand this place, no, only you may decide on which parallel you want to be established. My desire to share and be open might be the benefit of not having a vast surrounding of expats or English speaking people to reflect with very often. With a little investigating and confident thinking, one can rise above the myths and voices of doubt.

Coming down into the barrio from a trip to downtown, we bore down a narrow road where the doors to the houses were only feet away from where we passed. A small naked child was suddenly in front of the transport car as we skidded and somehow, miraculously the child arrived at the other side of the road unharmed. The tall pieces of tin roofing were stacked across the street from the houses and the dwellers were taking refuge in the provided shade from the hot sun of the late afternoon. The children had their loot from their trip to the dump site not far from their home. The parents and family taking what they could, that would provide them something to make it another day. A plastic arm of a doll was wired to another broken doll, and the child was now engaged in carrying out their own personal dream with their new find. A mom found use of a broken plate to provide the ability to chop the covering off of a platano. The kids were kicking a ball made from a remnant of clothing and plastic sacks. 

Upon returning to my home in the barrio, as I entered the room to engage myself in the evening news on the television, my attention was once again directed, to another truth. When they give you 8 lag bolts for the wall mount to support your flat screen, use more than 3,,,,,please!!!

So while the gate stands steadfast and swings wide for all to enter, the pixel-ed images that have provided me with truth and untruth will now take their respectful sabbatical until my will is weakened once again. Once again I will tire of inspired thought, full of adventure, full of learning and full of love. I will retreat to my self once again, and bring back to the barrio, the connection to millions of agreements, and trust my ability to select my level of attachment to them.

I am starting to really enjoy my morning coffee.  Thanks for a breath of fresh air to start my day.

Bob K

You know Bob, this is what I do too, handle the immediate work issues. Get my coffee and look for an update here to read while I  settle in...............

Thanks Groby!   Thank you for your insights, your commentary and for your kind words.

Yes Greg & Gypsy, for sharing a tiny piece of your
lives with your friends here. Everyone has their own
little storybook lives. Few share as you guys do with
total strangers, which we really are. Until we meet
in person, which we will, keep it up guys!

Part 30

Los Tablets

While conversing to the senora before making a return trip to the DR, I mentioned the possibility of bringing Android tablets for her daughters. We exchanged the idea a little and then she suggested that I resist this generous idea and wait until I arrived, as the prices there would be considerably cheaper and the tablets there in the DR would have more bells and whistles. My agreement was noted and I was left wondering about the details of this arrangement.

Sometimes when we take inventory of the stuff we possess, do we appreciate it or do we fear that one day it will demonstrate it's potential to introduce us to its rebellious nature. The demise of treasured attachments leaves us either thankful or frustrated. This would depend on our level of attachment and the agreement we make to our possessions. Most of them are managed by our agreement toward them. This being said, I hadn't made an attachment to the inquired tablets so again I put it out of my mind, until, I arrived at the DR.

After unloading my maletas of household treasures as is the custom in our home here in the DR, I was aware of an advertisement on the table. It had a selection of Tablets and many colors to choose from. Of course the daughters were accustomed to seeing white Samsung's as the color of choice, via the programs and novelas of television.

The next day we headed off to an electronic store. Upon entering I was aware of the gentleman who opened the door for us and smiled as we entered. Having had a short grip shot gun in his other hand, he managed to blend in with the full sized sports figure display in the entry, just fine.
Navigating to the glass display case, the senora was instantly fixated on the neatly staged Tablets, and of course they were white. Positioning myself out of view of the man behind the glass counter, I watched as the senora began her smooth and calculative interest of the white tablets. She had the gentleman at the counter open a fresh box and introduce the tablet into her hand. Carefully she looked at the front and the back and even the sides. Then she had him plug it in and continued through the initialization of the Android process and the charging confirmation. Upon being satisfied with the results, she again went through this process two more times. After this, she had him carefully repack the tablets into their individual boxes and then, began the negotiation of the prices. She was buying three, so in her mind, there was going to be a generous consideration for this purchase. After about a half hour or so, she finally agreed to the purchase price as did the vendor, and paid him only after he wrote an guarantee statement and signed it himself on the receipt. There was the look of conquest on her face as we exited the store and entered the transport car for the return trip to Rafey.

The next morning upon passing through the comedor, I took notice of two of the tablets on the table. Alongside of them was the receipt with the guarantee, and if I recall correctly, a wrinkled tissue of sorts. Seeing the senora approaching the table, I tried not to make acute eye contact with her, yet was aware of her serious look and demeanor when she said, “vomos a la tienda Goyo.”

After navigating through the concrete jungle of chaos and terror, we safely arrived at the store of where we purchased the tablets. As the senora exited the car and made her way toward the entrance de la tienda, I understood the concept of descuento as I surrendered the contents in my hand to the conductor of the taxi.

Of course to return the two,get the $$ back & retain the one at the greatly reduced price.  A very smart woman.

Greg, better hurry up & marry that smart Lady!

Sometimes it is all about how you "play the game"

Bob K

Yes Thomas, I agree.

So true Bob. There is more to this story. Stay tuned!!!

Yes Gypsy there is more than one way to look at this I guess. There is more to this story, stay tuned.

Ok waiting the next installment

Bob K

Part 31

Solucionar (resolving)

Standing there in the heat of the sun, feeling the humidity, watching traffic and giving notice to a truck loaded with personal items and the Haitian family or group headed back to an unknown future, I was  sensing a change once again. Where I was accustomed to seeing people demonstrating adamantly their disappointment of things not working out the way they envisioned that they would, and knowing the anger and anxious dynamic present when expressing their frustration, I realized I had to make a choice.

Already I had reasoned within myself that a portion of the discount, of the original purchase of the tablets, was now in the hands of the conductor of the transport car, and that I now needed to release any idea that this venture was going to have a rose colored lens finish. The door of the store closed behind the senora as she entered, and I myself decided that I would follow and perhaps position myself close to one of the wall mounted air conditioners that was on display inside the store.

Again Yve proceeded to follow the same routine that she had previously performed and before long we were headed back out the door to try to flag down another transport that would take us back to the barrio.
By that same evening it was evident that our gallant efforts to provide her girls some kind of connection to a world swirling with millions of voices, it now was being challenged at best. As I passed the table this time, the little white tablets were assembled along with the chargers and the boxes. They were not repacked or returned to their respective boxes. Now I was sensing the unspoken and hidden frustration of the senora. With no emotion or regret she simple said, “Manana, vomos a regresar a la tienda”. Tomorrow we are returning to the store.

The next morning as the heat of the day began to work its way through the metal roof of the house and suggest another challenge ahead for us with an open environment for living, I was again beckoned to follow the senora for another trip to the store. We traveled in silence as I could see her focusing on her presentation and finding a solution to this little inconvenience. As we navigated through the streets, others were entering and leaving the transport car, as they themselves were connecting their lives to the act of survival. On this same day we were trying to resolve a more unrealistic escape from the hardships of staying connected to the lifeline of our own survival.

After some very quick negotiating the senora was given the money of the original purchase, and that is to say the discounted sum. Including the three trips to the store it is safe to say we had not fared so well after all in our quest for volume purchases. As I reentered the car, there was a determined look on the face of Yve as we began our return to the barrio. There was a sense that already she was formatting another plan and one that most likely would find me not included.
Knowing that at least 5 lag bolts would have made a difference, or maybe bringing some Samsung tablets from home might have eliminated all the emotional and inconvenience of our now self-inflicted dilemmas, I now was ready to take a short sabbatical from all of this and just think.

My sabbatical was short lived, as entering the entrance of the house was the senora, with a set of keys in her hand. She simply said, “Manana vomos a manejar el carro a la playa.” Tomorrow we are driving to the beach. Noting that the “we”, was really “you”, my palms instantly began to sweat and I now was aware of the adrenaline pushing its way into my somewhat tranquil state that I was enjoying even if for a brief moment. Peering outside I gave notice to a nice Kia automobile, tinted glass, nice tires, air-conditioning, cruse, stereo and way above the average for this particular adventure, especially because I had never driven as of yet in the DR. Noting now that we had acquired this attachment, I began to give count to some agreements that I was going to need in the very close future.

So good to  hear from you again... and the beat goes on

Bob K

Well Greg. it is kinda meeting an old friend you haven't seen
since childhood! Welcome back!
How long are you here for?

Part 32

Los varios sonidos ( the various sounds)

Laying my head down that night after finding some resolve in the crises of the tablets, and of course the realization that tomorrow would bring to me a dimension never once even entertained, I was now ready to unplug from the events of the day and recharge or reboot. You see, Yve had seen the various buses that I had driven and in her thinking, if he can navigate lo mas grande, then he can navigate lo mas pequeno. True, if only I had a bus to drive tomorrow. I could move an entire intersection and own the topography of fame and fortune. My fantasy of grandeur was dissipating very quickly as I returned to reality.

Inserting the foam earplugs into my ears, they formed to the walls of my ears and soon the only thing I was aware of was the steady rhythm of my heart. Like a kinetically mechanized machine my heart was giving life and in reality I had never given attention to the ability to hear it so acutely, especially when inserting the ear plugs. As I began to navigate the car, timing my turns and lane changes, all while being surrounded by 6 to 8 motos, I then felt a sense of peace and knew that I could do this. The only thing I was not sure of, could have been the other driver's respect of my new entry into their system of transportation. Again the spirit of heroism was diminished by the consumption of tryptophan rushing through my body to take me into the various cycles of sleep for that night.

The bleeding of sound through the convenience of the earplugs brought to me the certain beckoning of the various roosters that had their timely announcements beginning at 3:30am. I quickly dismissed them and returned for a couple more hours of sleep before awakening to begin a new day, a new experience and more adventure.

Removing the earplugs, I reached for my flip flops which are always inside the net at night, as to not collect the innocent multi legged vagabond, who might get lost also in the darkness of the barrio. After having secured them on my feet, I fed my legs through the net and then backed out from under its position surrounding the entire bed. Entering the area de la cosina, I gave notice to the noise of the metal roof contracting as this was the coolest part of the day just before the sunrise. Performing the ritual of making coffee, I soon was sipping and considering where I would be in the next few hours or so.

Soon the household was bustling with activity. Of course there was a festive attitude from everyone, for today would be a day of firsts in many aspects yet to consider. One by one the participants of this day's journey were opening the doors of the car and exploring its various accessories and of course the primary concern would be the stereo system. Somehow someone had managed to find the power button and soon the batchata was echoing through the barrio, and for now the household of Yvelise had in its power, the control of the morning music. Standing on the front porch and in the street by the car, peering into the window at their reflection, donning their lentos obscuros, they began the rhythmic response to a now resounding raggaton.

Oblivious to my more serious consideration and my pre-trip analysis, the group was now laughing and acting almost hysterical as they now together were firing the raggaton dialogue in perfect quantization of the music, now reaching a crescendo of adrenaline and finally almost hypnotic in its finality.

Looking up over my own sunglasses at the group, I was aware of the urge to end this ridiculous demonstration of unbridled passion for life, then again my eyes disappeared behind the darkness of the lenses, and I understood just a little more, how precious life is.

Ahhh yes, it is a different life for sure!
Better.

Hello Greg   
I sure enjoyed your stories  from the front end 1 -17 they were you just telling your journal of Dominican experience. I look forward to your 2016 journaling . I do notice you don't say much about your lady , have you fallen in love , does she wait for you when coming back to the states , are you supporting the Dominican  family somewhat , did you buy a motorcycle so you can go anytime around town ect?
You like myself are an adventurer and just went by the seat of your pants ... I love it ! I I have.visited D R  3 times two places   Andre and Boca Chica .I have  been invited to go a small town near Azua .
Your stories have ignited my interest in D.R again . My friend in Andre has invited me to the mountains where he finds Indian artifacts .
I continue to learn the bachata Dominican style "which is the best style in the world".

Greg you  live just below me in Oregon , I'm up in Seattle and we both left the northwest for adventure culture sunshine and of course most beautiful lady in el mundo . The beauty is in the third world culture , the poverty , the appreciation of simple things , the struggle . The Dominicana is clever sexy strong romantic caring conciderate compassionate with strong family values.....
Reading your experience has made me want to take a dual trip. ... First to Haiti and then over the boarder into D.R.

Guyana welcome to the forum.  We look forward to your contributions.

Bob K

Guyana
Thank you for sharing your dominican experience in brief. Every participant of adventure has in their possession, a dynamic only they, can begin to share with others. Read 18 - 33 and you may find some answers as to how life is developing for me, in the DR. Please share your adventure.

I really shared any stories yet Greg, just asked you a few questions about your wonderful stories I read them all and still have a few questions still  , hope you don't mind but you are putting your business out here for all of us to read  and I'm rather enjoying your style of writing .... Well up to the 28 chapter or so later on you seemed to get more esoteric,flamboyant and philosophical . I do hope you go back to the adventure stories just plain telling them in the moment  , like walking into the alpha pack of dogs and being engulfed by cheap melting Dominican plastic chairs .
Here are some  unanswered questions Greg :

Are you living in her home with just her or her whole family?

Do you stay more than a month or a few weeks per visit ?

How many times a year do you go?

Have you gone into the prison to visit  and if so are there any Americans or Europeans in that prison?

My friend in Azua pays 600 a year for his rental house in the rural area is your gf home comparable ?where does the water come from , you said you showered with a bucket .

He told me a police officer makes 90 a month US dollars

Greg You asked me to share a D.R. adventure . Here is one of many then ...
My dominihatian was making dinner for us , a wonderful chicken with sauce , green peppers , potatoes and deep fried plantains
I dipped the plantains in ketchup like French fries ( she laughed and made fun of this) I liked it though I call them Dominican French fries there very good

Anyway while making dinner I was called to stop by quickly and see my 75 year old Italian friends blue prints for his building in Andre
On the first floor a tienda  ,second floor dentists officina and third floor his new apartment   . She did not want me to go , I told her I will be back in 15 minutes for dinner. I walked  down the street and decided to turn back halfway to be courteous to her desire for me not to go and when I got back the food was turned off and she was gone I looked around the courtyard walked around the block asked people if they've seen her and she just basically disappeared so I went down to the beach didn't find her there went to the local restaurants and nothing. So I went back home and was worried hoping  for the best before I knew it was 3 o'clock in the morning and I received a knock at my apartment/hotel  door it was a stranger with a note that he handed me it said please bring my visa/passport  to the jail I've been arrested 
i'm trying to figure out how in the world  my pretty woman  got arrested for anything !
I flagged  down a Motoconcho and  it took me  into dark back streets between buildings and finally the jail . She was not there .....so I asked the driver is there some other place he nodded yes and for the next ten minutes I was zigzagged at 3 in the morning every dark street and alley finally ending up at the back of a main disco in town up on the top floor or I should say rooftop is where I saw my girlfriend and five other girls handcuffed to a makeshift bamboo bench and 4 or 5 police lingering around watching tv .... She was a firecracker making all kinds of verbal noise , I wanted to leave her there overnight just  to cool down
I spoke Spanish with the important looking captain who had sunglasses on his eyes  to look cool and important   I was negotiating  her release while she's over there saying in Spanish that her dad's a lawyer ect   nothing to  help the situation, he said I will keep her for another day until she is quiet , but I gave him some payola (money)  asked her to please hush,  so I could get her released by four 430 in the morning ... (Which meant unlocking the handcuffs attached to the bench ). Lol
I was told that they arrested her or any other women that was walking at night  around the streets without a man  , that there is a strict curfew for this  .  . Anyway I got her back home and of course had no dinner that night or anything else  . That was her first and last time in a jail let alone handcuffs .
The Incredible Dominica republic.

Update soon.

Guyana  Great jail story.  Did you ever get to the bottom line???

Bob K

And police make closer to  US 200 a month to start.  Although I believe they just got a raise not that long ago  maybe all the way to US 250 a month,.  Its not very much money.  Unfortunately  police are often untrained and uneducated.

Hmmm looks like i posted twice. Sorry.

It happens honey....

Headed downtown Santiago to get photos of some of the Carnival activities today.

Posting it twice just made it twice and nice to read

Bob K

Yes Bob I  got to the bottom line
we laugh about it now  ,but for a while she was really embarrassed for getting arrested  for her  first time .she is a good woman  and was in the  wrong place wrong time ....

The Wonder of Life always has and always will, go on. Thats what liviing is.
We observe, we offer our experiance, then soon it becomes evident we are never alone in our quest for adventure and a greater understanding of life its self. The DR has its place in each of its participants. My only hope is, that its characturistics and culture can be preserved for all to personally partake of.

Part 33

Adelante - going forward

Soon the passengers boarded the rented car, and slowely we made our way to the main street in reverse. In 90 feet it was neccesary hold for an un supervised toddler who had wondered away from the watchful eye of his mother, and now had entered the small passageway utilized for the habitats of its position. Aside from a few non inspired canine friends and an inquisit rooster, we finaly arrived at the main street, finding it neccesary to back onto the street at a sharp angle, as to not inflict an event requiring the passengers to disembark the vehicle  due to the extreme offset encountered at the juction of the street and passageway.

Navigating through the city seemed less eventful compared to the first part of our trip. When arriving at the traffic signal in front of the downtown mall, the seňora guided us into an underground parking area, and leaving the car we once again entered the mall and once again became captives of the conveniences it provided.
Arriving at a corridor of many various Kiosks, I was encouraged to remain invisable as the seňora once again was inspired to put the connection of millions of pixels and social supply into the hands of her daughters. From a distance I gave a watchful eye to another attemp of negotiation. Soon I had began to give notice to the ice cream dispensary located in the food court. After about 30 minutes or so, the seňora and her hijas were at the table indulging in some icecream and sharing their optimism as they introduced me once again to their newly aquired treasures. Utilising the avaliable wi-fi in the court area, everyone, self included, was occupied in their favorite genre of avalible connectivity to a world of information or entertainment.

As the participants were indulging into their ice cream and data provided journey, they were unaware of their surroundings as the señora managed to extract from her occupied lips of sabroso icecream, "dios mio". Looking up I took notice of the gentleman of whom we had negotiated twice before at a different location in purchasing the previous tablets. He approached a narrow closed rollup door and unlocking it; he lifted it displaying neatly stacked boxes of various sizes. Reaching inside, he removed two small boxes, pull the door down, locked it and turned to walk away. Making a recognizable acknowlegement  of the señora and myself, he now smiled and nodded his head as walked by our table. With a seemingly conquering swagger, he walked into the corridor containg the various kiosks, then to the one of which the señora had just purchased the two white tablets. Handing the agent inside the kiosk the boxes, the agent then placed them into the glass display, once again occupying the void that was created by our purchase. Standing to her feet the señora commaned "vomanos!!", and moving quickly we departed the mall.

As our expedition progressed, there now was a different enviroment present in the car now. The tablets were now as if connected to a heart monitor or life support system. Every hiccup was bringing us closer to the destiny of ones decision to never give up.

My attention was now quickly challenged, as I became aware of a group of "motos" now closing in on us from the rear view mirror. In a matter of seconds they were on both sides and front and back. They were all conversing and trading positions as we continued to advance forward toward our destination.

Thank you again to those who have sent me various PMs and emails over the last few weeks. I do agree that people are looking for information and that the true expat comunity is a unique compilation of people living away from their original frontiers. Inspiration led me to share various events of my visits and stays. Some of my stated observations were simply events that left an impression forever implanted in my existance never to be forgotten. Others were inspired by personal growth and  daily commitment to change. On the occasion when I stepped outside of my commitment to not engage in informative exchange, I feel that I strayed from my original intent of simply sharing. Many have their vision, their struggle, and their motives in life and they share them. For the most part only those who have known me for much of my lifetime can really understand my motive for sharing my experiences in the DR.  In truth I never intended to engage in the area of informative exchange that is provisional in this forum. When I did, it was obvious I should not be so bold as to venture outside of my intent. My personal journey will go on. My life lessons on occasion I will reflect with pen. The few who understand my intense respect for love and life, they will silently acknowledge with respect my departure from this thread. As the many who seek good information from this site, I will also position my self as the uninformed, and respectfully acknowledge the advice and guidance of the many who by experience are qualified to guide the many who seek a place called paradise. Blessings to all.  greg

Well said Greg.
Someday we will share a few Presidentes at Mannys Bar here in Cabrera. On the Malecon. Take care chum!