Big move to PR!!!

Abattig Active member

Member since 10 June 2011

AbattigActive member10 June 2011 14:47:39

I'm officially moving to PR in September to start another chapter of my life. My BF & I have been traveling back & forth from OH/PR on a monthly basis for almost 2 years now which is becoming quite costly.

Once there, I plan on opening a very, small Korean/Puerto Rican eatery which is both scary & exciting all in one as I have never stepped foot in the entrepreneurship world, let alone in a foreign country. As an expat with very little fluency in Spanish & college educated, it is extremely hard finding a job in PR which is the reason for the start-up eatery.

Since my Spanish is not the greatest, I'm hoping to meet other expats with similar interests as my own. I enjoy sports, outdoor life, cooking & trying new foods, music, & traveling.

BTW, I will be staying in the San Juan area.

Ciao,
Angie

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GreggK Serial expat

Member since 16 March 2010

GreggKSerial expat11 June 2011 10:55:30

509

Hi Angie,

Best of luck starting up a new business in PR. Starting a new venture like that is tough anywhere, but it's especially difficult not knowing the language. Will your BF be able to help you out? I have a healthy respect for anyone who has the courage to start something on their own. It's most often the most difficult path to take but if you can do something with it it's ultimately the most rewarding. The good news is that people in Puerto Rico love to eat and there are many diverse appetites amongst the population. I wish you good fortune.

Gregg

chucknevers Active member

Member since 05 March 2011

chuckneversActive member17 June 2011 00:51:23

Best of luck with the eatery. I have started several businesses. Restaurants are notoriously prone to failure within the first two years. Develop a strong business plan, save every penny, don't give any money away until the last moment (and then negotiate the debt down), but most importantly-DON'T SPEND MONEY ON BUILDOUT!

Hope this advice helps.

Harmonie ViP

Member since 13 June 2011

HarmonieViP17 June 2011 07:02:54

19273

Hello Abattig and welcome to Expat.com!

Good luck for your new business, maybe that later, you will register your company in the Puerto Rico Business Directory, who knows?

Regards,
Harmonie.

Khaleela Member

Member since 21 June 2011

KhaleelaMember21 June 2011 13:04:47

Hi Angie,

Good luck with your move. My husband and I will be moving to PR at the end of August. I'm half Korean so I wish you a lot of luck in your restaurant venture and you can count on my husband and me for a visit.

Paet Member

Member since 10 October 2010

PaetMember22 June 2011 16:34:56

Angie,

This is partly for you and also for other people wanting to live in Puerto Rico who do not speak Spanish.

I just got back from PR on the 15th. and all I can say is that you MUST have a decent working knowledge of Spanish to get anywhere in PR! Or, you must have a close friend who speaks the language who you can trust so that they can translate for you.

Too many people go down to the island thinking that they can get by without any Spanish. WRONG! I travelled throughout the western part of the island with San Juan and Ponce being the furthest north and south I went. Once you are off rt. 2 nobody speaks English, or if they do it is very haulting.

Granted, you will find expats who do speak English but not that many Puerto Ricans. Don't fool yourself about how unimportant it is not to be able to speak their language!

Luckily I had studied hard and easily fell into the dialect of Puerto Rico. But you really have to be able to speak and read the language!

I wish you luck in your restaurant and hope that all goes well for you.

nycjules Member

Member since 17 December 2010

nycjulesMember27 June 2011 16:19:39

hi and welcome. i love the idea of having more new kinds of food in the San Juan area. i live in villa palmeras part of santurce near the shore. i spent time in ponce and now live in a work-class neighborhood. i have managed and keep working on my spanish. the locals have been very helpful, even if they do laugh at my pronunciation in good fun. i also have an i phone which has a translation app that i pull out for hard to explain things. best of luck! keep in mind the bureaucracy is a nightmare at best. many official websites are in spanish only. keep us posted!