acadien175
Canadian looking for information about Dominican Republic
Forum posts
98
About me
Canadian
Lives in Edmonton
Registration: 26 February 2015
What has struck you the most culturally speaking in DR by drtuttle
Hi everyone Please feel free to tell us about your own experience, what has struck you the most in D.R. culturally speaking. It can be any funny experience, or something related to your everyday life, or of a social nature. In my personal case, ...
We think the culture may have some things missing, for example customer service - in many Canadian provinces there is a process to continually upgrade customer service skills as their provincial tourism departments have education councils and ... Read More
Record-breaking temperatures in Puerto Plata yesterday? by drtuttle
Puerto Plata reported a new record with the maximum temperature of 37.5°C yesterday, surpassing by one degree the previous record of 36.5°C set April 17, 1963. And the color in the air you could see yesterday similar to pollution was in ...
Thanks on the update on the hoses - for dry trees and shrubs, here ( particularly in fall ) we also use a Ross Root Feeder to water their roots. Ted Read More
Medical Insurance for over 65 by carlvelas
Does anyone know of a private company offering medical insurance for persons over the age of 65?
It appears that while Humano and Universal do not provide coverage to new 65 year old customers, there is another DR based insurer which does provide coverage for 65 year olds - subject to a medical. We received a quote (~US$500 p.a.) for basic ... Read More
Record-breaking temperatures in Puerto Plata yesterday? by drtuttle
Puerto Plata reported a new record with the maximum temperature of 37.5°C yesterday, surpassing by one degree the previous record of 36.5°C set April 17, 1963. And the color in the air you could see yesterday similar to pollution was in ...
Our part-time gardener has asked that we buy a hose so that he can water the garden. The casita has both a well and access to municipal water. If hoses are not readily available we will have to get one sent. :D Read More
reservations about living in the DR! by CJJC
Hi everyone, I too have been reading through many of the posts here for the last month or so and have found many of them to be extremely helpful, so thanks to all of you for your contributions. My reason for being here is that I spent 7 weeks in ...
Tainos also disappeared as they likely had no immunity to European diseases of the time and many got sick (inadvertent biological warfare). It could also be a political identity as I think that at one point (the era of Trujillo's hispanidad ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
It can be a quantum change that is happening, my cunado is a Dominican compesino/pescador - we taught his family to not give left overs to the pig as you have a 'fridge and left overs taste better the next day, then moved on to what to do with ... Read More
Record-breaking temperatures in Puerto Plata yesterday? by drtuttle
Puerto Plata reported a new record with the maximum temperature of 37.5°C yesterday, surpassing by one degree the previous record of 36.5°C set April 17, 1963. And the color in the air you could see yesterday similar to pollution was in ...
It is time to water the sensitive plants, and pay attention to heat sensitive people. We had to install A/C for my Dominican wife, who earlier had no problem with heat, but now has diabetes and getting older... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
Raw manure? This is normally not recommended for gardens and not just for the unwanted smell. We have always used composted manure - heat from the composting process destroys seeds and removes the toxins which can burn plants. Read More
Shipping household items to santo doming by CharlesBarnes
My wife and 2 small kids will be arriving in the DR in early august. Trying to figure the logistics and trust issues with shipping. Currently living in Pensacola Fl. Moving to Santo Domingo 2 years Who to use Expected costs Time of shipment door ...
There are Dominicans operating Peralta Shipping in Toronto/Scarborough, Ontario: http://www.peraltabroshipping.ca/ . We have not used them as we live in Edmonton quite aways away... Ted Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
Dreamtime, the local farmers/campesinos know where and how to get soil. We had a truck load of top soil delivered to the place we own in Sabana de la Mar, our part-time gardener was able to get a road construction crew working the area to deliver ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
An ortanique is a citrus fruit hybrid between a tangerine and an orange. It was discovered in Jamaica in ~1920 and has an amazing flavor (personal experience - triple yummy) - the flesh is orange-colored, tender, and exceptionally juicy. I think ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
There are different types of soils in the DR, of interest is the reddish soil to be found in a number of areas. I think this is soil which contains bauxite (used for making aluminum - Alcoa has had mines in both the DR and Jamaica, the DR mining ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
Peppers/chilli are native to the Caribbean & Central/South America - Columbus found peppers in the DR in 1492, here's the story http://www.omnilogos.com/2015/04/chilli-peppers.html Has any one tried the local bird pepper? I tried one in ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
Glauriel, While thinking over what should be included in a gardener's move to the DR, we received an unexpected suggestion from Dania's cousin who returned to the DR after spending >30 years in Spain. The suggestion is that we include ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
Bob, good to see that this is the laurel bay. :D In the Caribbean a different type of bay (Bay Rum Tree) is used to make Bay Rum. There are a number of different recipes for making bay rum e.g. ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
Glaurie, rosemary is known as romero in the DR and grows wild. There is also commercial production of it for example hair products, and is on the list of Dominican Medicinal plants http://www.prhdr.org/docs/Dominican%20Medicinal%20Plants.pdf Ted Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
Bay trees can vary greatly in size and height, sometimes reaching >50' tall. I have seen people take steps to constrain the size - plant them in large pots or tubs...http://gardening.about.com/od/herbsatoz/a/Bay_Laurel.htm Ted Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
This brings back memories of walking on a crab grass lawn and seeing grasses planted to protect slopes when I lived in Jamaica. As to non-walkable grasses for the herb garden it will be interesting to grow a familiar one - lemon grass, and look at ... Read More
Shipping household items to santo doming by CharlesBarnes
My wife and 2 small kids will be arriving in the DR in early august. Trying to figure the logistics and trust issues with shipping. Currently living in Pensacola Fl. Moving to Santo Domingo 2 years Who to use Expected costs Time of shipment door ...
Woe, woe, woe.... a new Dominican sin tax: chocolate could be taxed in 2016 :sosad: KPMG reports: "...per the amendments provided by the Law 253-12, Some previously exempted goods are now deemed taxable of the Value Added Tax. Yogurts, ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
We are looking at the Samana peninsula / Sabana de la Mar area. This is a coastal tropical area, in the DR there are other climates, for example some live in the mountains where at ~4,000ft above sea level the town of Constanza has different ... Read More
Medical Insurance for over 65 by carlvelas
Does anyone know of a private company offering medical insurance for persons over the age of 65?
Here's an example of expat international insurance, they group the DR in one of 4 ranked global Zones. The coverage appears to be valid in countries in a given zone (including your Country of nationality if it is situated in this zone). The ... Read More
Medical Insurance for over 65 by carlvelas
Does anyone know of a private company offering medical insurance for persons over the age of 65?
I may be splitting hairs here, can a person 65+ get accident / liability insurance separate from sickness insurance? thanks Ted Read More
Medical Insurance for over 65 by carlvelas
Does anyone know of a private company offering medical insurance for persons over the age of 65?
I am in a similar situation and have started looking at international insurers who cover expats but if costs look too prohibitive will develop a self-insurance plan (e.g. adequate emergency funds plus a healthy lifestyle program - preventative ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
No problem. I am trying to ease the stress of our relocation to the DR by rewarding ourselves by developing a wish list of plants/trees. One dream is for a bay tree (we use bay leaves for cooking and the tree does not grow in northern Canada)... Read More
Translating Spanish only Dominican Websites
In my opinion Google Chrome does a much better job than Internet Explorer in translating a web page. It helps with the initial browsing and in assimilating the content of the page. This is immediate and different from a formal translation of a ... Read More
Translating Spanish only Dominican Websites
Some Dominican websites are only in Spanish and challenge my limited language skills. I found that using Google Chrome as a web browser provides the ability to translate a web page from Spanish to English (The "A" ikon which appears on ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
Similar plants seem to be everywhere. Botanists who were busy in the 1700's and 1800's moving plants from one part of the world to the other (Mutiny on the Bounty was about bringing breadfruit (buen pan) from Tahiti to the Caribbean, many ... Read More
Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants? by Glauriel
Wondering if you can find seeds or live plants for the above mentioned plants? I love my gardens and although quite familiar with tropical plants sometimes you just want something you know and love from home too... I have had to donate so many ...
My significant other, who grew up in a farming town on the north coast, advises that rosemary and the others grow wild in many places, local farmers know where to find them. There are garden centers and nurseries in some cities, and other people ... Read More
It's official, you can now make free calls from whatsapp.. by drtuttle
I just tried calling here and overseas and it works, it's amazing taking into consideration the 200 ridiculous minutes they offer here per month on each plan.. LOL
I recently helped an ipad/iphone user install Skype so that they could talk with an Android cell. Skype works on multiple platforms and could be used while waiting for the whatsapp app. Read More
whatsup by gypsy401
When you call someone, do they have to have Whatsup also as you do on Skype? It would be great if you only neede a Wi-Fi hot spot to make a call. My friends wife calls her family in SD often using Whatsup. Her mom doesn't have the net but ...
When they text do they share photographs? If so there should be a dataplan at both ends as photos come across as data. Read More
Bachata, Merengue, or Perico Ripiao? by drtuttle
All these Dominican music genres are awesome and it certainly change your mood...
Have to wonder why some Dominicanos introduced me to slow dancing with the music and songs by the likes of Julio Jaramillo (Equador), Jose Jose (Mexico) and scratchy recordings of Jose Manuel Calderon (DR - a forefather of bachata, there is an ... Read More
Bachata, Merengue, or Perico Ripiao? by drtuttle
All these Dominican music genres are awesome and it certainly change your mood...
Dancing all night is great in urban areas and likely also includes Latin Pop, and Reggaeton, but not in rural/campo areas where farmers and fishermen are up before dawn - many sides to life in the DR. There is not really one Mexican music, it ... Read More
Bachata, Merengue, or Perico Ripiao? by drtuttle
All these Dominican music genres are awesome and it certainly change your mood...
We have listened to Dominican radio playing music on the graveyard shift (Mountain time zone listening to Atlantic time zone radio). The music played is different from daytime, a genre for night music ? Read More
Healthcare in Dominican Republic by Julien
Hi, how does the healthcare system work in Dominican Republic ? Is it efficient ? What are the main differences between public and private sectors? Is it recommended to purchase private health insurance in Dominican Republic ? Thanks in ...
Can a Dominican resident get travel insurance for short duration off island trips? Here is the scenario, we have family in the Seattle area and expect to visit them after we get settled in the North Coast - will need coverage for US medical ... Read More
Bachata, Merengue, or Perico Ripiao? by drtuttle
All these Dominican music genres are awesome and it certainly change your mood...
Time for a blend of Dominican with Mexican?: Los Éxitos de Joan Sebastian en Bachata , not sure what to call this... Read More
Moving to the DR by BMorgan
Hi, can anyone advise me if American style Washing machines, Fridge freezers , coffee machines and other electrical appliances are available in the DR, and if so any idea of cost or websites where I could check this out.We are moving to Punta Cana ...
We understand that better pricing can be had if you can get a Dominican to do it for you - there is an art to shopping in the DR. Dominicanas married to Canadians know to not let the stores see their husbands, and they also try to negotiate a cash ... Read More
moving back to the States by friendlyface
Anyone know of any reasonable priced shipping companies back the states? Furniture.
Did Rosa pack and load the container? (Container shipping could include packing and loading by the freight company, or packing and loading by the shipper. Could mean the difference between a "professional" loadmaster and a home owner ... Read More
moving back to the States by friendlyface
Anyone know of any reasonable priced shipping companies back the states? Furniture.
We may be looking at two different types of services - we are shipping a full container load (FCL). In some cities, Rosa also functions as a freight consolidator for customers shipping less than a container load. Read More
Two weeks to fill - or not! by billandelaine
Thanks to all the posts here (and hours of reading!), think I've got the travel part worked out and know not to drink the water and avoid most of the public transport except taxis. The basic quirks of island living are something we've been ...
We had a friend visiting the DR who after a trip to the beach came with an "itch". This is similar to North America/Europe where it is reported that 1 in 10 beaches could have poor water quality. Read More
living in DR, where is the best place by soozie
My same is Sean (ms.) and my husband is Wayne. We live in BC, Canada. We are coming to DR in Jan and Feb to see if we want to live there. But we have no idea where the best area is to live. Any suggestion. We would most likely commit to a year and ...
Canadian Health Care coverage varies by province - some provinces have extended the maximum absence to 7 months, here are is a link to multiple provincial rules: http://www.snowbirds.org/news-releases. If the concern is is about pensions and other ... Read More
Two weeks to fill - or not! by billandelaine
Thanks to all the posts here (and hours of reading!), think I've got the travel part worked out and know not to drink the water and avoid most of the public transport except taxis. The basic quirks of island living are something we've been ...
Time for Dominican memory cures. Even in Canada we have brought back 4 different bottles filled with different root blends ( the traditional mamajuanas ), and daily add crushed malagueta (allspice berries) to coffee... all this while waiting ... Read More
DR 10 year plan - Many Questions by JumpingJupiter
Howdy all. Lo seinto in advance if this gets long winded... just so many questions. A little back ground about me (and future wife). We have been to DR 3 times in as many years, Bravaro and Puerto Plata, and even took a day trip once to La Romana ...
If you are looking for a useful introductory text for learning Spanish, I like 'Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish' by Margarita Madrigal, ISBN 978-0-385-41095-3. It is based on words English speakers know already - cognados, Then again ... Read More
Winemaking from kits
If there was a failed commercial attempt at making wine: " There was one guy who tried to make and sell wine who failed fairly quickly....... ". it may be a case of lessons not learned, here is a successful example in Puerto Rico, ... Read More
Winemaking from kits
The wine kits (e.g. http://www.vinecowine.com/wine ) are for home consumption, are sterile, and allowed us to limit the amount of sulphites in a bottle. I am trying to decide if I should sell the equipment, 23liter glass carboys etc. , or ... Read More
Winemaking from kits
We have been making our own wine from kits in Canada and am not sure if we will be able to do this in the DR. There are techniques to handle the heat so that should not be a problem. Has anyone made wine in the DR ? thanks Ted Read More
Are you used to the dominican time? by drtuttle
I'm just talking about the way they use to say something like : - The meeting is tomorrow at 8 am, but starts at 11am Or - I'll be there in 10 minutes but the waiting time can easily become half a day ;) we have to admit that this is fun ...
Dominican time is part of the culture, it is part of the people, and I have seen it (in modified form) happening whenever we have social events with Dominicans in Canada. It does not bother us - after >25 years... :D Read More
DR 10 year plan - Many Questions by JumpingJupiter
Howdy all. Lo seinto in advance if this gets long winded... just so many questions. A little back ground about me (and future wife). We have been to DR 3 times in as many years, Bravaro and Puerto Plata, and even took a day trip once to La Romana ...
The Samana <-> Sabana de la Mar ferry has been in place for a number of years, am not sure about the others. Here's a youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxuupIGbNQw NB. The Bay of Samana is subject to silting up. The ferry used ... Read More
DR 10 year plan - Many Questions by JumpingJupiter
Howdy all. Lo seinto in advance if this gets long winded... just so many questions. A little back ground about me (and future wife). We have been to DR 3 times in as many years, Bravaro and Puerto Plata, and even took a day trip once to La Romana ...
Locals call it a ferry. It is better described as a "water bus", with scheduled trips, which takes passengers and motor cycles across the bay. Here's a link in English ... Read More
DR 10 year plan - Many Questions by JumpingJupiter
Howdy all. Lo seinto in advance if this gets long winded... just so many questions. A little back ground about me (and future wife). We have been to DR 3 times in as many years, Bravaro and Puerto Plata, and even took a day trip once to La Romana ...
Yes, flights from Edmonton to Samana via Toronto, both Air Canada and WestJet follow that route. In some instances we have booked one airline down and the other on the return trip to get better scheduling/pricing. My wife's family is from ... Read More
DR 10 year plan - Many Questions by JumpingJupiter
Howdy all. Lo seinto in advance if this gets long winded... just so many questions. A little back ground about me (and future wife). We have been to DR 3 times in as many years, Bravaro and Puerto Plata, and even took a day trip once to La Romana ...
La Romana has an airport (LRM). WestJet flies there - seasonal service from Canada via Toronto, a ~4 hour flight arriving midafternoon on Thursdays. I have seen flights from YVR to LRM (via YYZ) down at ~CAD$372 one way... Read More
DR 10 year plan - Many Questions by JumpingJupiter
Howdy all. Lo seinto in advance if this gets long winded... just so many questions. A little back ground about me (and future wife). We have been to DR 3 times in as many years, Bravaro and Puerto Plata, and even took a day trip once to La Romana ...
I have seen delays >8hours; an airline flight Toronto(YYZ)->Samana(AZS) had to return to Toronto after 2 1/2 hours flying time (mechanical problem - no repair facilities in DR) and then transfer to a different plane to resume the flight. ... Read More
DR 10 year plan - Many Questions by JumpingJupiter
Howdy all. Lo seinto in advance if this gets long winded... just so many questions. A little back ground about me (and future wife). We have been to DR 3 times in as many years, Bravaro and Puerto Plata, and even took a day trip once to La Romana ...
The best scheduling that we found on commercial airline flights from Western Canada (Edmonton) to the DR is to take a red-eye overnight to Toronto arriving in the morning then take a direct flight to the DR - arriving mid-afternoon. The return ... Read More
Do you know any hotels near Samaná airport? by lehmansa
I am not familiar with Samana, and I could use your help. I need to stay overnight in Samaná to catch my flight the next day at the Samaná El Catey International Airport. (I'm going to Toronto.) Internet search for hotels near the ...
The closest hotel to the El Catey Airport appears to be the Hotel Nuevo Amanecer, not sure if anyone has more info about it. Read More
Suggested add-ons to Standard First Aid Kit by acadien175
We plan on bringing a Standard First Aid Kit plus blood pressure monitor and sugar level monitoring equipment during the move to the DR. There may be additional items that make sense to bring, e.g. a personal Automated External Defibrillator ...
It will useful to find Dominican/Spanish first aid training and if not available, look for "First Aid in the Wilderness" type courses. The previous first aid course which I took in Canada was for work; the "Standard First Aid - ... Read More
Suggested add-ons to Standard First Aid Kit by acadien175
We plan on bringing a Standard First Aid Kit plus blood pressure monitor and sugar level monitoring equipment during the move to the DR. There may be additional items that make sense to bring, e.g. a personal Automated External Defibrillator ...
Based on the input so far, this might fight the bill http://www.costco.com/Deluxe-EMS-style-Emergency-Trauma-Supply-Kit.product.100083300.html This has a very comprehensive list which may need to be tweaked depending on if a person owns a pool or ... Read More
Suggested add-ons to Standard First Aid Kit
We plan on bringing a Standard First Aid Kit plus blood pressure monitor and sugar level monitoring equipment during the move to the DR. There may be additional items that make sense to bring, e.g. a personal Automated External Defibrillator ... Read More
Canadian in Dominican casino scandal to remain behind bars by drtuttle
A National District court on Thursday ruled not to hear an appeal by a Canadian shareholder of Dream Casinos Corp. who seeks his release. 1st Appellate Court presiding judge Julio César Cano suspended the hearing on Antonio Carbone’s ...
The January 2015 article in the Toronto Sun indicated that: " According to immigration lawyer ..., criminals seek out the Dominican Republic for simple reasons. "The cost of living is low and there is ample opportunity to take advantage ... Read More
Canadian in Dominican casino scandal to remain behind bars by drtuttle
A National District court on Thursday ruled not to hear an appeal by a Canadian shareholder of Dream Casinos Corp. who seeks his release. 1st Appellate Court presiding judge Julio César Cano suspended the hearing on Antonio Carbone’s ...
It could be a coincidence or not, but it appears that Canada does not have an extradition treaty with the DR, while the USA has an extradition treaty with the DR. There arenews reports where it is suggested that the lack of a treaty may be a ... Read More
Musings on health - blood by acadien175
In planning to move to the DR and being an active blood donor (in Canada we can donate up to age 71). It is expected that medical access to blood in the DR will not be the same as Canada/USA/Europe. How does the DR blood system work and is ...
The first time I gave blood was in Jamaica, when ~40 years ago a donor could have a cold Red Stripe beer after donating. If you were sick and needed blood, family and friends would have to recruit donors. I knew how the informal system worked. ... Read More
Securing your home in the Dominican Republic by PARADISECAT
Just curious to know what are the best tips each person can provide for securing homes or apartments in DR. Here in the states we have professional home monitoring systems for fire and theft from a command center, does DR have anything like that? I ...
If the parts/equipment need to come in checked airline luggage is there a preferred type of bag? Our own choice was for a wheeled hockey bag and used new pillows, etc for padding. In Canada and Northern US the airlines are used to handling ... Read More
Musings on health - blood by acadien175
In planning to move to the DR and being an active blood donor (in Canada we can donate up to age 71). It is expected that medical access to blood in the DR will not be the same as Canada/USA/Europe. How does the DR blood system work and is ...
The question about chagas was the first of it's type on the Canadian blood bank's questionnaire required of all donations. They asked about a donor's mother and grandmother. The other questions on the questionnaire relate to the ... Read More
Musings on health - blood by acadien175
In planning to move to the DR and being an active blood donor (in Canada we can donate up to age 71). It is expected that medical access to blood in the DR will not be the same as Canada/USA/Europe. How does the DR blood system work and is ...
It applies to the Caribbean. I had to think about being an Expat: both my periods of residence outside of Canada (Jamaica/UK), and review that one of my grandmother's was born in Jamaica. Read More
Musings on health - blood by acadien175
In planning to move to the DR and being an active blood donor (in Canada we can donate up to age 71). It is expected that medical access to blood in the DR will not be the same as Canada/USA/Europe. How does the DR blood system work and is ...
At the blood bank donors are asked questions about residency in the Caribbean ( http://bloodcenter.stanford.edu/donate/EligibilityMedHisDeferral.html#TraveltoCaribbean ). The Canadian blood bank has a new twist on inherited conditions. I donated ... Read More
Securing your home in the Dominican Republic by PARADISECAT
Just curious to know what are the best tips each person can provide for securing homes or apartments in DR. Here in the states we have professional home monitoring systems for fire and theft from a command center, does DR have anything like that? I ...
Similar fake parts on a motorcycle/motoconcho could make for a deadly mix... Here's a Kawaksaki blog on the issue of fake parts in the world: http://www.riderforums.com/general-ninja-650r/80836-cheap-brake-pads-review-4.html see the entry ... Read More
moving back to the States by friendlyface
Anyone know of any reasonable priced shipping companies back the states? Furniture.
Try La Rosa Del Monte ( www.larosadelmonte.com tel:809-685-6256 ), we are talking with them about shipping our stuff to the DR, am sure they can operate in the reverse direction. Ted Read More
Securing your home in the Dominican Republic by PARADISECAT
Just curious to know what are the best tips each person can provide for securing homes or apartments in DR. Here in the states we have professional home monitoring systems for fire and theft from a command center, does DR have anything like that? I ...
There is also a risk with new parts as they can be counterfeit. It is one thing to buy for example a fake watch, but not if where safety is involved. There are reports that counterfeit auto parts have caused crashes and serious injury in some ... Read More
Top 5 tips to live in Dominican Republic by expat.com
Hi, When you are going to live abroad, you may have a lot of questions. Hence to facilitate you in this process, we are inviting expats to share their top 5 tips with regards to settling and living in Dominican Republic. What recommendations ...
Mr Natural ? The only reference I could find was to a mythological comic book character ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Natural_(comics) ). If this his him {"...he's an unrepentant sybarite. His straight talk, while refreshing, ... Read More
Top 5 tips to live in Dominican Republic by expat.com
Hi, When you are going to live abroad, you may have a lot of questions. Hence to facilitate you in this process, we are inviting expats to share their top 5 tips with regards to settling and living in Dominican Republic. What recommendations ...
Perhaps most important of all is a 'sense of humour', or in at least one Dominicana's Spanglish a 'sense of human'. Read More
U.S. Vacation Visa for Dominican Girlfriend by PARADISECAT
Greetings guys this inquiry is a favor to my brother who is not a member of this blog. I know I will get the usual, she has a fat chance in hell on getting a vacation visa to the U.S. But I simply want to know the process required of applying for ...
At the border there should be professionals, but sometimes they are new on the job or summer students http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/job-emploi/student-etudiant/sbso-aesf-eng.html Read More
Top 5 tips to live in Dominican Republic by expat.com
Hi, When you are going to live abroad, you may have a lot of questions. Hence to facilitate you in this process, we are inviting expats to share their top 5 tips with regards to settling and living in Dominican Republic. What recommendations ...
We suggest speaking the unofficial language - Dominican Spanish. Drop the "S", e.g. school is pronounced ecuela not esquela. Some words have different meanings; if you learnt Spanish from a Chilean, please note that guagua is not a ... Read More
U.S. Vacation Visa for Dominican Girlfriend by PARADISECAT
Greetings guys this inquiry is a favor to my brother who is not a member of this blog. I know I will get the usual, she has a fat chance in hell on getting a vacation visa to the U.S. But I simply want to know the process required of applying for ...
Yes, some may have issues visiting Canada but others do not. We have seen a number of Dominicanos able to visit Canada. In the past we brought my wife's mother up to visit for ~ 6 months and we have recently seen other Dominicana's mother ... Read More
Kia parts and service by Peterbandinel
Anybody own a kia and if you do what do you do for parts and service?
I do not own a Kia, but note that Hyundai and Kia share several front-drive platforms. It was always useful to find a competent independent mechanic to work on Toyotas and other makes. Finding a good and resourceful mechanic is the key in my ... Read More
Securing your home in the Dominican Republic by PARADISECAT
Just curious to know what are the best tips each person can provide for securing homes or apartments in DR. Here in the states we have professional home monitoring systems for fire and theft from a command center, does DR have anything like that? I ...
Excellent suggestion on training the dog to only eat what the owner gives it. Are they also trained to eat from certain other people (there will be times when the owner is away)? Read More
Securing your home in the Dominican Republic by PARADISECAT
Just curious to know what are the best tips each person can provide for securing homes or apartments in DR. Here in the states we have professional home monitoring systems for fire and theft from a command center, does DR have anything like that? I ...
There are also risks while driving and there are instances of "mentiras" * if involved in an accident or come across one and try to help. The solution may be to use a dash-cam, body-cam, etc to document the truth. A "mentira": ... Read More
What is the best mobile phone network and Internet company in the DR by drtuttle
Based on your own experience. Thank you in advance for any hint.
Land lines are also good for extended family & friends calling for outside the country. Many "global" calling plans will allow unlimited calls to a Dominican landline but charge per minute for calls to Dominican cell phones. Read More
Musings on health - blood by acadien175
In planning to move to the DR and being an active blood donor (in Canada we can donate up to age 71). It is expected that medical access to blood in the DR will not be the same as Canada/USA/Europe. How does the DR blood system work and is ...
In addition to donating whole blood, I also donate platelets (this is hla matched, and can get called in by the Blood Service as needed ) and so have more than a passing interest. The following is a FAQ which I found on Tripadvisor's site ... Read More
ONLY THE GOOD STUFF by planner
I was motivated by someone else's comment about good customer service. So I am creating a new thread. THIS thread is only about good stuff, good news, good service, good products, good anything....... Got it............ Tell us about your ...
A real good rum: This is better than Anejo, we had some Brugal XV <- 15 years old?. To my taste it rivaled Diplomat. Read More
ONLY THE GOOD STUFF by planner
I was motivated by someone else's comment about good customer service. So I am creating a new thread. THIS thread is only about good stuff, good news, good service, good products, good anything....... Got it............ Tell us about your ...
There can be amazing frozen carry-on's!. In mid-May my recommendation is for Copper River Salmon from Alaska - it will carried in Seattle's fishmarkets. There was time when I worked out of Seattle and used to fly home each Friday ... Read More
Alternative remedies by Tomas Cabrera
A fast fly swatter is the only preventative. Also a DROP of gasoline in standing water is sufficient to break the surface of water & the mosquito eggs fall through. JUST a drop, don't want to arouse the environmentalists.
Any locavores out there? There are benefits to eating local http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/7_benefits_of_eating_local_foods ; some Dominican veggies - green bananas, green plantains, green breadfruit, yellow yam, white yam, pumpkin, cassava/yucca ... Read More
NORTH COAST discussion and questions... by planner
Here is a good place for all our North Coast questions and discussions......several of us have lived or do live on the North Coast...............
Here's an interesting article on why mosquitoes seem to bite some people more: http://theconversation.com/health-check-why-mosquitoes-seem-to-bite-some-people-more-36425 Read More
Alternative remedies by Tomas Cabrera
A fast fly swatter is the only preventative. Also a DROP of gasoline in standing water is sufficient to break the surface of water & the mosquito eggs fall through. JUST a drop, don't want to arouse the environmentalists.
Another change we made was in portion sizes - not eating too much at any one time and no pressure to eat everything on the plate. This meant learning to like leftovers - some chefs rave about "yesterday's" soup. Read More
NORTH COAST discussion and questions... by planner
Here is a good place for all our North Coast questions and discussions......several of us have lived or do live on the North Coast...............
Hurricane Hugo was a major disaster in 1989 ST. Croix had a direct hit by it as a Category 4, it was reported by Wiki that " A storm surge of 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m), topped by battering waves 20–23 ft (6.1–7.0 m) high, ... Read More
Alternative remedies by Tomas Cabrera
A fast fly swatter is the only preventative. Also a DROP of gasoline in standing water is sufficient to break the surface of water & the mosquito eggs fall through. JUST a drop, don't want to arouse the environmentalists.
My esposa currently lives in Alberta, Canada and her sister in Sabana de La Mar. It was a slow process to change how her sister cooks, she sister used to make the traditional deep fried fish with lots of oil and over cooked (lots of gas with max ... Read More
Alternative remedies by Tomas Cabrera
A fast fly swatter is the only preventative. Also a DROP of gasoline in standing water is sufficient to break the surface of water & the mosquito eggs fall through. JUST a drop, don't want to arouse the environmentalists.
If a person is diabetic, the mantra is "eat the fruit, do not drink the juice" . My Dominican esposa has been through a lot of training for her diabetes, we arethinking of growing stevia as a sweetener. Another American doctor is ... Read More
Alternative remedies by Tomas Cabrera
A fast fly swatter is the only preventative. Also a DROP of gasoline in standing water is sufficient to break the surface of water & the mosquito eggs fall through. JUST a drop, don't want to arouse the environmentalists.
There may be hidden benefits in a traditional Dominican cook's spice rack - here's a list: http://www.dominicancooking.com/1011-the-dominican-cook-spice-rack.html . Many of these herbs are the same as those used in Indian cooking for ... Read More
Alternative remedies by Tomas Cabrera
A fast fly swatter is the only preventative. Also a DROP of gasoline in standing water is sufficient to break the surface of water & the mosquito eggs fall through. JUST a drop, don't want to arouse the environmentalists.
Another Dominican remedy: Turmeric Tea (The turmeric plant looks a lot like ginger, the root is similar but orange in colour). Also the use of Malagueta (allspice) in teas or added to coffee ... Read More
Alternative remedies by Tomas Cabrera
A fast fly swatter is the only preventative. Also a DROP of gasoline in standing water is sufficient to break the surface of water & the mosquito eggs fall through. JUST a drop, don't want to arouse the environmentalists.
" alternative is awesome" North American alternative medicine or Dominican? The Dominican alternative could = mamajuana :) . In the campo they have different types of bottled remedies... Read More
Musings on health - blood
In planning to move to the DR and being an active blood donor (in Canada we can donate up to age 71). It is expected that medical access to blood in the DR will not be the same as Canada/USA/Europe. How does the DR blood system work and is ... Read More
NORTH COAST discussion and questions... by planner
Here is a good place for all our North Coast questions and discussions......several of us have lived or do live on the North Coast...............
If new to an area it could be useful to know about current risks ( phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/countries-pays/country-pays-eng.php?id=325 ). It is also useful to avoid or eliminate mosquito habitat. This generally means standing water, anything from ... Read More
NORTH COAST discussion and questions... by planner
Here is a good place for all our North Coast questions and discussions......several of us have lived or do live on the North Coast...............
There are low cost solutions, here is interesting reading on Solar Power use by third world ... Read More
NORTH COAST discussion and questions... by planner
Here is a good place for all our North Coast questions and discussions......several of us have lived or do live on the North Coast...............
Thanks, it does need batteries, many homes already have them in existing inverter systems. At home we also reduce our electrical load with energy efficient appliances, e.g. led or c-fl bulbs. We could also talk about passive solar cooling, etc, ... Read More
NORTH COAST discussion and questions... by planner
Here is a good place for all our North Coast questions and discussions......several of us have lived or do live on the North Coast...............
Solar panels have also become more efficient, there is increasingly more bang per $. What was not cost effective ~5 years ago could be cost effective today e.g. Costco USA shows the following for US$3,900: The Grape Solar 1250 Watt Grid-Tied PV ... Read More
NORTH COAST discussion and questions... by planner
Here is a good place for all our North Coast questions and discussions......several of us have lived or do live on the North Coast...............
In looking at North Coast real estate listings on line it appears that some houses use solar as a solution, e.g. : "16 solar electricity panels, 16 batteries (480Kw per month), high quality LED light." It is a lot more costs effective ... Read More
What is the news source of your choice in Dominican Republic
If your are interested in a Dominican portal with most of these links we use: www.livio.com As to music, stream audio try tropicalisima bachata, also tropicalisima baladas, e.g. http://streema.com/radios/Tropicalisima.fm_Bachata Read More
Citizenship through Dominican Husband for Wife and Kids by Kclarklopez
What paperwork that might be easier to obtain in the US that we should bring before coming to DR? (I have the marriage record and birth records of all of us, apostilled specifically for DR. I can get them translated into Spanish here or there, I ...
Thanks for the input, This may be a recent change as it is different from advice received when we called the DR consulate. Read More
New members of the Dominican Republic forum, introduce yourself here - 1st quarter of 2015 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Dominican Republic forum? Dont know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us ...
Yes, Alberta can get cold and we had to adapt to it. The irony of spectacular sunshine on the coldest days... In the tropics we also expect to adapt to extremes in climate, too hot at times, but a/c is not the only solution e.g passive cooling: ... Read More
New members of the Dominican Republic forum, introduce yourself here - 1st quarter of 2015 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Dominican Republic forum? Dont know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us ...
Hola, We are from Alberta/Canada and plan on retiring to Samana/Sabana de la Mar. My wife is a Dominicana who wants to return home after ~30 winters. The plan is to move in the next 3 - 4 months with our household effects and 1 small dog. ... Read More
Citizenship through Dominican Husband for Wife and Kids by Kclarklopez
What paperwork that might be easier to obtain in the US that we should bring before coming to DR? (I have the marriage record and birth records of all of us, apostilled specifically for DR. I can get them translated into Spanish here or there, I ...
Now to see if the reverse works - process for Citizenship/Residency through a Dominican Wife for Husband. As I understand it the DR allowed a Dominican Husband to do this for a Wife, but not so for a Dominican Wife. Read More