Hello,
I hope you're all keeping well.
I joined this site because I'm considering moving to the Dominican Republic early next year. I read the advice for people to try out living in the country for 6 months to a year initally to get a feel for living in the country, and that's what I plan to do. I have okay Spanish and good enough Italian, which helps with the Spanish, but my Spanish is rather rusty. I lived in Argentina and Spain for a few months, so I have a smattering, but I've been using this time to brush up on my Spanish. I'll be starting classes on Skype soon. I lived in countries where I didn't have the language, and I found it hard. So I'd like to prepare now and do what I need to do.
What I'm wondering is how much a person would need to save, or should save, to be able to settle in DR? I apologise if this has already been answered in a different thread. I'd be thinking of maybe buying a property if I found I liked living in the country. I'd like to eventually have my own place and no longer rent. I'd need to, and like to work. I can work from home, but I'd like, if possible, to have a job that didn't involve working with a computer. I've been doing it for the past four years and I wouldn't mind trying something different. I have teaching experience and I enjoy teaching. So that might be an option. I'm from Ireland and I'm outgoing and like talking to people. That's why I like teaching.
I haven't been to the Dominican Republic before. I was supposed to go to Brazil, Peru, Colombia and the Dominican Republic in April, but postponed. I hope to go later this year for a few weeks.
If someone could give me a rough idea of what a person should have saved before relocating, I'd really appreciate it. I've been saving for the past six months and I'm just wondering whether I'm on the right track or not. And I'm sorry again if this has been dealt with in another thread. I read a few different threads and didn't come across it, but I may have missed it.
I hope you're all having a nice weekend.
Thank you.
Moving to the Dominican Republic
Well me to the forums! You will find a lot of information already on the he forums. We are happy to help you.
How much you need will very much depend where you want to live and how. Tell us more about your lifestyle choices please.
The country is very diverse. You may want to spend your 6 months by travelling around and checking out multiple areas.
In order to work here legally you will need residencia or a work visa. We are in the middle of updating both those topics on the forum!
You are wide to work in your Spanish! No better way to do this than to immerse yourself!
So, tell us more about what you want.
Thanks for the reply, Planner.
That's a good idea about traveling around the country for a few months. Going somewhere for a weekend or a week or two would be a good way to get to know the country.
I think I'd like to live in a city or a biggish town, but I'm open to living anywhere really. The reason I think a city might suit me is because of work. I'd like to work so that I wouldn't be eating into my savings too much. I can work from home, but I'd like to have a job and then maybe just work a bit from home on the side. I play football, so it'd be nice to join a team. I like swimming as well, so it'd be nice to be close to the beach.
My plan is to take a few months off early next year to try get my driver's licence. I have a provisional licence and have done all the lessons, but I haven't done the test. If I could get the full licence then I could live in the countryside as well and commute. Not that I'd necessarily need a car, but it'd be handy to be have the option of having a car.
Yes, I've been working hard on improving my Spanish and would like to have good enough Spanish before going to DR.
I've been reading the thread about working in DR. Thank you to all for the advice and the support.
Thanks.
If you are coming here and need to work at a local job, please reconsider. There are threads on getting residency, which you will need, to work legally . Jobs do not pay well compared to North America or the EU. This is a place to come and retire, not to be ill prepared when it comes time to retire.
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