Why do you live in the DR?

Those who need what they had before to be content will never be satisfied, might as well go back. If you are able to Adapt, you will grow beyond your imagination. He is right, adaptation is what has enabled mankind to evolve. Much to the dismay of many, the present evolution is too close to disalution (sp) of the decent qualities mankind once possessed.  Enough of my pontification & back to the nitty-gritty.  The people, the climate, the food, the glorious smiles & generosity of the Dominicans are but a smidgeon of why I live here. The  cost of living allows me to live how & where I want. AND I'm at the low end of the economic scale of Gringos.  This is my home. I'm lucky to be here.

Great post!

Tinker... love it

Bob K

Thanks you two. Both of you have through your knowledge have enhanced my pleasure. Welcome back into my life.

It feels good to be back.  A break once in a while is a good thing.

Bob K

MaxGis wrote:

I have seen many posts on how poor the medical care is, how Gringos are treated poorly by the legal system and the police, how locals sue Gringos for frivolous incidents, how many of you won't drive after dark and high crime rates etc.
My question, why do you live there?

There are expats, and there are true expats and there are wanna be expats.

The palm tree beach brigade are generally attracted to DR because it is the cheapest option in the Caribbean with the now established foreign communities on the North and East Coasts. They want to live a secure hassle free life with as many of the western comforts they had back home. Beach, restaurants, leisure time and the 'Bicardi ad.'beach life ideal, and in some cases an expanded love life too. Some make it in DR, some don't. Too often these are the wanna be expats and those that magnify the negatives mentioned in the quoted post above.

Now to answer the thread question, I have traveled and lived in some 50 countries and I found myself in the Caribbean on a number of occasions but on smaller and often idyllic islands. But those islands can be costly and limiting. So when I came across DR, an island considerably bigger and more populated, and saw the wonderful and varied geography, I found a livable Caribbean home with a diverse people embracing a challenging life with time to smile and party.

I lived my first years here away from expats and within a rural community and that grounded me in true Dominican life. A sometimes hard and a thrifty living style with a strong community spirit is evident. I never felt anymore threatened than in my former western life and I wasn't perplexed about health care or any health risks. Why should one be if you have your expat medical insurance package with air ambulance evacuation? I traveled wide and far around the country without inhibition and have seen and continue to discover the true beauty of this country. I curse at the failures of government at all levels but I didn't come looking for a fully regulated life. Living now in Santo Domingo can be bruising but it is just another big sprawling poorly regulated developing city with horrendous traffic, but in the main often safer than many big western cities or world capitals when you get outside the main centres if you are street wise. This life works for me and my Dominican wife right now being in the heart of the Caribbean and a short flight away to other smaller limiting islands where I do business and a few hours drive to get away and relax to beautiful beaches, rivers and mountains to the north, east and west. I see new opportunities in other quite beautiful parts of this country all the time and won't think twice about relocating back into 'campo' life.

I do believe being away, or rather at arms length, from the insular, seemingly never happy, expat cliques is a good thing for those of us with the true expat blood running through our veins.

DominicanadaMike wrote:

Just my 2 pesos...

Moderating is not an easy job.  You must first have a vision of what you would like to achieve through blogs and commentaries......

Some moderation on this forum is highly inconsistent and inauthentic. Moderators contradict one another and they hardly take a step back to see their own fallibility:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 86#4455524

I suggest they should have a look at this:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/201 … individual

The question raised in this thread will always be highly relevant to expats wishing to relocate to DR and should always remain open, but to try and inject another discussion within it from afar about moderation in this forum is another separate subject.

One would expect moderation would delete the last and any other diversionary posts on a good discussion topic.

Sometimes an unplanned side trip produces unexpected beauty as well as disaster.  Right now I'm in the middle of the latter.  I'm searching for the former.  Memories are not enough to assuage the the condition. But, being a tough old geezer, I shall survive this too.  To be a real ex=pat there has to be that atavistic trait of the wonder of exploration of the world & of self. It is pretty amazing when you think about it.  Good luck & keep it 'Balls to the wall"!  Look up the origin if you think the saying is obscene,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Expat is singular.  It defines people who decide to move away from their mother country.  True expat or wannabe expat.  We are all from another land.  We are all expats and need to respect everyone who comes here to live, with respectable intentions. 

I'm OK.  You're OK!

It is not necessary to "do lunch".  We don't even have to know or agree with one another.  We are all expats.  Respect every expat regardless of race, religion or the "why" they are here.

Respectfully submitted.

Moderators here are unpaid volunteers.  Each forum and or country has their own moderators.  Not all are the same.  Do not compare this  forum on DR to forums on other countries.

We try to be fair and reasonable while at the same time creating a safe pleasant place to discuss  issues and ideas while respecting differing opinions.  This is often a thankless job that often pisses me off. However, there is much more good then difficult here.

Planner, I have over the years watched you suffer through redunacy & inane requests. You have a diamond hard ability to withstand assaults on your patience. I salute you!  ( Hey folks, we sometimes butt heads)  Normal  of course.

It is sad that someone posting from Vietnam has ruffled feathers here in DR!

I am happy with the manner this forum has been moderated to focus on questions raised and input by by resident expats, without the extended personal conflicts that have afflicted other DR forums over the years. It ain't perfect but it is far better than elsewhere and the content is good and growing.

Planner carry on as you do and thanks for your time, contributions and balanced approach. To this end, you have a forum of contributors who generally understand how to moderate themselves and get in line when there are issues.

The unique positive is that expat.com has face to face meet ups and so the contributors get to know each other rather than challenge each other.

Now let's get back to the original question ' Why do you (we) live in DR? (this best of venues imo)

I moved here because I was introduced to my now wife  by her sister whom I met while working security at the plant where her sister works. However, , that was only partially the motive. First, I really liked the beauty  and varied landscape here in the DR. As with others, I have been to and "lived" (6 to 7 months at a time) in other locations in the world where it was not so peaceful. Combined with liking the land, loving my wife and massive new familia and being ready to adapt is also the fact that I can live here on my pensions far far better than I can in Canada. Had I not moved here it likely would have been Costa Rica where I have a large family connection ( an uncle of my mothers moved there around 1910)

I've posted on this several times over the years. Many reasons all for my personal benefit, comfort, ease of climate& affordability. An unforeseen, unexpected & most of all, unwanted need arose due to becoming blind. (90%)  now. I desperatly (SP) help for my daily life. A miracle occurred, the first helper had documentation problems & vanished. A friend suggested a woman who is a god given angel.  The basic goodness & caring of the locals is beyond belief. Yeah there are the bad ones like anywhere else. but the maority are wonderfull. A new reason to add to all the others as to why this has become my home for many years.

Tinker.

I was saddened to read about your eyesight.  I cannot imagine walking in your shoes.  Is there anything that would make your life easier or better?

Responding to your comments about the people of the Dominican Republic.  Let me add, 4 years ago, I came here in December, 2014 to develop a business.    One man I met who worked for the realtor I originally came to see who had died, after I made my airplane reservation and before I arrived, wrote me.  I never met him before.

He introduced himself after he came across my emails to the realtor.  He told me the realtor died.  I told him my air reservations were made and I was still coming.

He met me in POP at the Airport, and made reservations at a small hotel in Luperon.  It was December 25th, Christmas day.  On December 31st, he invited me to join his extended family at his Aunts house at 11 a.m. to watch my first pig roast.

His family treated me as one of them, knocking down coconuts and serving me fresh coconut water as they called it.  And cerveza and rum were readily available.  My limited Spanish, allowed me to struggle, with conversations.

When the pig was done, his wife got her hand slapped trying to eat a piece of pork.  NO! Roberto first!  As their guest, I had the first piece.  And of course, it was scrumdeliosis (sp), as in Mary Poppins.

We ate like they were wealthy individuals.  Food aplenty.  The house was made of wood slats, and the furnishings modest to stark.

And everyone was smiling and visiting with everyone else all day.  I never experienced anything like that in all my years.  They all, children and adults, were truly happy.

At 8 p.m. after dinner, my host told me he would take me back to the hotel, because New Year's was restricted to family members "only".   Of course, I was perfectly ok with that.

Fast forward to 2017.  I arrived in POP airport on December 24th, and much mentioned above, was repeated with a few slight differences.

On December 31st., at 8 p.m. , I told him I was ready to go to the hotel.  He said, NO Roberto, you stay with us.  You are part of our family.  I was overwhelmed and speechless.

Then this year, I arrived on December 20th, and on Christmas Eve day, we roasted 2 pigs and yes, I had the first piece from both pigs.  His brother is a minister/preacher in Santo Domingo.  Before eating, he basically said a sort of sermon, and still not understanding much Dominican Spanish, I missed 9 out of every 10 words.  But he was standing close to where I was sitting, and kept pointing and looking at me, almost the entire time.

I kinda thought,  he was talking about me when Roberto was mentioned.  My host, said that in fact, he was talking about me, and the color of our skin may be different, but Roberto was their family.  All the family, were at the table. I cannot tell you how that made me feel.  No words come to mind.  My eyes welled up.

I told my host to act as my translator, and tell them, I came here 4 years looking to set up a business.  And found, a "family".  His 3 young daughters, all under 11, treat me almost as well as him including his wife, and he jokes about it.

I have spent 3 out of the last 5 years here with his family at Christmas.  I was living in China the other 2.

Welcome to, and this "IS", the Dominican Republic.

Blessings beyond words.

Thanks for your kind messages. I do my best here.  Yup we butt heads but that is normal!  I love the interaction with all of you.

Great stories. I too have a thousand reasons why I live here! 15 years makes for stories - good, bad and otherwise. The good far outweighs anything else!

Planner aka Baby doll.

Speaking of butts, which, as you know, can be fun and make us laugh and crack up, how is yours mending?

Big Bob

Getting better by the day honey, thanks for asking.  Still slows me down though!  Damn I hate that.