A DAY IN THE LIFE

Wow that is a great price honey!!! Good for you.

Only way to fly from now on.  Lets us get everything we need done in one day.

Bob K

Nice!!!!

Another very hot and humid day in the Capital.  We are overcast and its getting darker. I can only HOPE we are going to get some rain. 

And today the mosquitoes are like Kamikaze pilots! Good grief! I had to get the spray out! Little bastards.... die die die.....

If you get some rain PLEASE send it our way when you are done.  It is so dry here, actually dangerously dry.  We had our first grass/forest fire here today in a residential area.  Thankfully no homes lost that I am aware of. It is like  tinder box here.
I thought this part of my living experience was over after leaving the mountains of Colorado where we had some terrible fires over the years.

Temp here was a cool (not really ) 94 F and not a cloud in the sky.  There is a pretty stiff breeze but that is a double edge sword as it makes you feel cooler but it quickens the drying out of the flora.

Bob K

Sorry we are not getting any rain either so far...............darn it....

Some lightening and thunder early this morning (woke me up at 5am) but no rain and now no clouds...such a tease

Bob K

We got rain.....yayyyyy. it rained overnight and it was just raining 2 minutes ago. We are overcast and hoping for more rain....

We are so jealous here on the north coast.  Sun is now out with some clouds and just maybe a shower sometime today.  If so I will be dancing in the rain with our dogs.

Bob K

No worries Bob, sun is now out but we could get more rain later....

It is now hot hot hot again,  94F here in the capital at the moment. Darn,  more rain please......

96 here and we are melting.

Bob K

I have officially just finished reading this entire thread from the beginning and all I can say is wow! 

You guys sound as though you are able to take a lot of things in stride, I can only hope I am that adaptable when the time comes. 

Bob, I certainly hope you are around and still dispensing advice when we arrive in a couple of years (plan so far) because I will have a million questions with regards to owning a home.  I have been picking up some of the small things in this thread and some other posts like; fumigation and invertors and surger protectors and watching your gas get pumped and I have to admit I feel a little overwhelmed with all the small things that I feel I will never remember and likely get ripped off...I guess I'll learn each time that happens..

Also, I am now thoroughly afraid to drive in the DR, luckily my husband loves to drive and has some pretty good defensive driving skills. I had planned to ride my bike most of the time and then read about Bob getting hit on a bike!  And if the  court system will convict you regardless if you are guilty in an accident, what happens if you get blamed for a crime you didnt commit?

Planner - do you just like the old style washing machine or can you not get modern ones in DR?  Also what if I dont want staff and if I do have them and they expect me to feed them, what the heck do they eat? I'm a vegetarian so probably not what they are interested in..lol

I read that Bob did some online shopping from the US, can't I just buy sweet potato seeds online?

I'm not scared off yet..lol. I just wanted to say thanks for all the info and please keep it coming.  I'll be paying close attention to who are the good companies to deal with etc...and man will I be working on the language. It sounds as though Planner has a much easier time being fluent in the language.

Sheri

If you do your homework and take some things in stride realizing that it is different here than back in Canada you will do fine.

Yes you will get ripped off on occasion just try to be aware enough so that it is not a major "rip off".  Yes there are separate unwritten rules for the gringo here.

As to driving here my wife was a bit scared as well. So she went out on here own for a drive or two and feels just fine driving here. She describes it as a real life video game.

Yes you can get new "modern" washing machines here with no problem. Even some name brand ones but expect to pay more for them here then at home.

Yes you are expected to feed your staff lunch. However your house keeper should prepare the food for the staff and you just provide the food.  She will let you know as will your neighbors and contacts here what they need.  Not a problem at all.  I shop every week for supplies for them and she does it all.

I have never seen sweet potato seeds anywhere and  don't think they even have them. You start the plants with a older potato that has started to sprout.  Cut the sprout areas off and plant those.  We bring a fresh potato every once in a while from the states and start off that way.  Then when you get your first "crop"  save a potato or two to start the process over again.  We actually will be enjoying potatoes again here in a couple of weeks.

Keep the questions coming.

Bob K

LOVE your post.....   the old style washing machine is what is commonly used here. Yes you can get regular machines!  Another little tip - I do not ever let Dominicans wash my clothes.....LOL  IF a little soap is good, a lot must be better. And of course you must use bleach (carelessly) on everything....  oh no no no.

The diet for most here consists of heavy starches - lots of white rice, some beans, lots of oil and salt!  yuck.  If you are going to feed staff (and if they are full day, you likely will)  they will cook themselves and cook for you as well.  What they like to eat is fairly inexpensive and it is a nice thing to do for anyone working for you.  I am referring to household staff.

While we will be held responsible in vehicle accidents, we are rarely accused of crimes.  I believe it is because we are assumed to be rich so why would we steal.  But others can weigh in on this one.

Over years of experience we have learned to adapt. Those who stay and LOVE it here seem to be the ones most capable of adapting!   Just my opinion......LOL

I have to admit, I think what happened here was I read the "day in the life" thread completely over about three days, without thinking that it was written over a fairly large time span. So what was going on in my head was two accidents for Bob and Planner being really sick and dealing with Cupboard boy and power outages!  It kind of seemed like there was always something difficult to deal with!... I do realized that these happen in all countries, life is life and none of it is anything to really worry about....panic averted.

With regards to staff we were thinking of  probably only having garden/pool staff only if necessessary. We will likely be fully retired and have no reason we can't clean up after ourselves.  If I need to feed them then no problem, I (well actually my husband, he is the cook) would be happy too. I guess I will figure that stuff out when I need to.

Fumigation was a concern I had, I heard a lot about it on this forum, sounds like it is standard monthly. Does that include detached houses or just buildings?  I am quite interested in keeping the cockroaches away...

I'll stop there because that is not what this thread is for. The questions will be plentiful in the next couple of years as things start to really happen for us. I expect we will hit some bumps but thanks to all the info you guys have posted there will be less of them or the will at least be expected. Thanks again. Talk soon.

Sheri

P.S.  I mentioned Potato seeds here at work and was informed (while being laughed at) they are not grown from seeds but slips....hmmm.  Bob,  I will have to hit you up for some. Also I'll have to figure if I can, and how to grow asparagus....I would really miss asparagus.

Very hard to find asparagus here and not grown here.  We miss it too and when we do find it no matter the cost we buy it.

Even though retired (we are as well) you will find that having  housekeeper is almost a must for many.  She does everything for us and we do not worry about the house on a day to day basis. Besides for cooking for the other staff.  Your husband will tire of this quickly.  At just over $200 A MONTH this is a no brainer.

Bob K

The heat and drought is obviously effecting more than just our water supply.  Parts of Puerto Plata, Sosua, and Cabarete are with out water or having restrictions placed on use.

But now Ed Norte seems unable to provide even the power output we re used to (not great to begin with).  We are on a 24/7 line and over the last couple of days our power has gone out numerous times (4-6 times) a day for 10 min to and hour or so.  Thank goodness for our generator.  This seems to be getting worse every day.

Just as side note to the heat, the local population is flocking to the beach to cool off. I have never seen the beach in Sosua so crowded during the height of low season.

Bob K

Bob the electrical companies are owed over  $700 million dollars US!!!  This is the reason for the electrical issues. I have had outages every day this past week, one day we were down for over 8 hours! There is not enough electricity being generated.

And it does not look like it will get better for some time.  The worse time of year for this - in the extreme heat!  Yikes.

This is nothing new.  If the government would pay what the owe and if the consumer would pay what they owe there probably would not be this problem and they could actually work on fixing the infrastructure of the grid.....you think ???

Bob K

I had a conversation with someone earlier this week, it went like this......

Me: my electricity was out 8 hours today.

Him:  so what, mine was out 13 hours.

Me: and what do you pay for your electricity?

Him: nothing

Me:  then you are stealing 11 hours of electricity!

This is the issue with this country. The government pays for all the "theft" that happens and their own stealing as well.  Move then 40% of all the electricity produced is NEVER PAID FOR BY THE END USER.

I also read somewhere that up to 25% of electricity generated is "lost in the system (infrastructure),

Our power is out now for the third time since I got up at 5am and I think at least twice overnight.

Gotta love their system.

Bob K

Does anyone run solar back-up down there?

Toby

Its too expensive for most. Solar panels, batteries, etc  are just still  too expensive. There are no grants or tax breaks for buying them here either.

Yes some run their pool pumps and hot water on solar.

We do our hot water on solar

Bob K

That is true Bob,   a lot less costly for those two items.

today I want to share the frustration of doctors appointments here!!!  Can I just say they make me NUTS.

To see a doctor you call and find out the office hours, then you simply show up.  Supposedly you are then taken in the order of arrival.

Except it doesn't always work that way.  I have seen this doctor before,  at my first appointment I waited 3 1/2 ours to see her. We discussed the concept of appointment times etc.   Last Monday I called to try to get an appointment and was told NO,  but come Friday and it is first come first served. 

Friday after waiting 5 days to get to see the doctor, I show up about an hour before she is due to arrive.  I am second in line to see her.  After my arrival come several others.

5 minutes before the doctor shows up, arrive 2 other patients.  **note there is no receptionist.

Doctor arrives (late of course but that is normal and often out of their control)  and what does she do????   She does not ask who arrived first, she greets the last two and ushers them into her office!!!!

Well you can imagine my reaction!!! I was pissed!  I walked out and later sent her a strongly worded email!  Of course that will change NOTHING but damn it,  she was completely disrespectful of the ones who waited and followed the rules. 

When you need to see a doctor be prepared to wait!

One of the more frustrating things here.  I have waited 4 hours to see my internist once and told him the next time I would be walking out.  Next time 30 min.

When in practice if a patient waited longer than 30 min to see me, unless a true emergency, I went ballistic.  But that is me.

Bob K

here waiting 3 or 4 hours is considered normal.  My answer - HELL NO.........   I did a pile of research and found out that what I have is  Post Chikungunya Arthritis - it looks and acts similar to arthritis but is not the same. The treatment is also very very different. I sent this Dr. all my research and was wanting to get some new meds.....

Now I will start over.

Can you get the meds with out seeing he "doctor"

Bob K

Sure can, just need to know which is best and how much to take and I will go to the pharmacy!!!  They are antiviral meds.

Check the CDC site as well as www.webmd

Bob K

Wow!!  That's really tough about your doctor's visit Planner. Im surprised you didn't make a scene right there on the spot when she did that.  Im a really laid back kinda guy - but THAT wouldve definately made me jump up and say EXCUSE ME, but I was here before ALL these people, so WHY are you taking them before me????

But line jumping is one of my pet peeves. if I people are waiting patiently no matter how long things take,  it DEFINATELY annoys me when others blatently go in front of everybody else.

Line jumping or lack of a line is common practice here as well many times lack of what we gringos think of common courtesy.   Another thing to get used to and yes I do speak up many times when this happens.

There was  time when I was on crutches and barely mobile and I was on line at the bank to exchange some money.  The teller asked the next in line to allow me to go first.  He refused and said something like the "gringo can wait".  The bank manager saw this, walked up to the tellers window, closed the window with the guy standing in front of it, opened the window next to it, had the teller move over and asked me to step up.  I went up to the window and thanked the awe struck guy for letting me go first.    made me smile.

Bob K

Waow! That was cool!!!   

The gringo can wait huh..   That's pretty funny too lol!!

Funny in a sad way

Bob K

When I was on crutches they treated me like the poor little wounded waif......LOL  IT was awesome!   Normally Bob I will make a scene!  I don't know why I didn't on Friday!  I would say next time I will, but there will be NO next time with this office.

"Normally Bob I will make a scene!  I don't know why I didn't on Friday!"

U kno Planner, of course i dont kno you well, but from what I do gather from you you do seem like the type that wont take no shyte!!  That's why I made the comment that I made earlier...   That I was surprised you didn't cause holy hell right on the spot!  I do make you as the cute little dainty gringa that WILL be friendly, and WILL try nice, but ultimately will not take no shyte when the Dominicans start acting crazy - my observation anyways.

But the way you handled it was cool.  Sometimes you just don't feel like being bothered.