禁漫天堂

When I came to the D.R. 8 years ago, I had no idea what Expat Fatigue was. I was expecting sunny days at the beach, travelling thru the countryside enjoying life in the tropics, and beautiful sunsets while my friends and family in Canada were dealing with cold, wet winters. What I discovered very quickly was that there was a communication barrier between me and the community at large. I was not fluent in Spanish and this was the start of unexpected challenges in a foreign country.

Communication is one thing, different cultural norms was another. I wasn't familiar with Dominican life and culture, having lived a relatively sheltered life in safe and comfortable Canada. I couldn't relate to them and they couldn't relate to me. I began to feel isolated and somewhat depressed after 4 months of struggle.

On top of that there was adapting to a new climate environment where the heat every day was wearing me down and keeping me out of circulation much more than my normal activities in Canada. It was in the D.R. that I truly discovered the importance of siestas every day after lunch to help re-charge my batteries and get me back in the game.

Expat fatigue did set in and I reached a point where I considered giving up my Caribbean dream and returning to the great white north. Thankfully I had my dear friend Catherine from Paris who also had lived here for 5 years before me and had mastered the Spanish language. She also fell in every Dominican hole imaginable and was therefore a very good guide and guru for me to follow thru these sometimes treacherous waters.

Month by month, year by year, things got better and I am happy to report that I made it thru the shadows and now happily reside in the Dominican Republic every winter for 7 months. However, I always look forward to flying back to the west coast of Canada every May where I can communicate, feel connected to the culture and I don't sweat the small stuff when it comes to the weather.

The biggest thing for me is no matter how much I adapt to the culture, how well I treat the people, how much I may do for someone or who I'm with, I will always be seen as an outsider, someone that they can try to take advantage of in some kind of way. I know I will never be Dominican, but I would like the fair treatment as they give their own people and not charge me higher prices or give me less services than what I should get.聽 I'm saying this because I don't live in a tourist area or in a gated community. I still love it here because I have not found a perfect place and I have way more likes than dislikes, but that is just the main thing for me. Happy Independence Day.

Adaptability is something we have in smaller or larger doses.聽 My adaptability is quite high and in many ways I have learned how to deal wit the things.

That said there are just days where I can't anymore. I have learned to give myself time outs and I will hide out for a day or two while I recharge. Then it's back to it.

Having expat mentors is a huge deal. Sadly many newer expats just refuse to listen then scream when something happens! Carumba.聽

I have over 21 years experience here and I still get surprised. I still get frustrated.聽 But I still find so much joy in living here.聽

One thing I can say is to manage your expectations.聽 Keep thinking it should be like "there" and you are setting yourself up for failure.聽 Maybe expect to learn something new!

@planner

I do agree with you.聽 My summer home is scheduled to be completed in November 2025.聽 I do not have any expectation for me. I just want to enjoy my 4 months and maybe eat some good food and enjoy the beaches twice a week. Also, enjoy my swimming 馃強鈥嶁檧锔� , hiking and camping 馃彆. My home is in Punta Cana.

Thanks

We've been coming here since 2018, and for several years have been snowbirding for 2-3 months each winter.聽 We find ourselves coming to the Punta Cana region more often than others.聽

Things I wish I had discovered sooner about the DR:

1. "Restaurant Row" in Punta Cana Village.聽 If you can't find something you like there, you're not trying.
2. The Cave Restaurant in Santo Domingo:聽 Average to slightly better food...but the setting is extremely cool, You're dining in a cave that was once submerged under the ocean.聽
3. The "buggy rides" around the beaches and in the countryside are overpriced and way too short.聽 Pictures may show nice ATVs, but what you get is an old, clunky go-kart with balloon tires.聽 Hard on the back!!
4. In general, the North Shore cities (Puerto Plata, Sosua, Caberete, etc.) are very well organized.
5. The Kite Surfing on the Norther Shore is MAGNIFICENT.聽 Even if you can't indulge yourself (age or medical conditions), you can spend an entire afternoon enjoying watching these world class athletes (and some beginners) soaring into the sky and back to the surf.
6. We like to stay in middle-class, working folk neighborhoods.聽 聽More fun and interactive than the resorts.
7. Swimming with the Dolphins in Punta Cana is WAY cooler than we expected!聽 Expensive, but a bucket list item.

Things I still marvel at:

1. The Dominican people know how to HUSTLE in a good way.聽 They can WORK!!聽
2. Yet, they also love their social life, dancing, partying, rejoicing.聽 Fun to see!
3. Family relationships are paramount here.聽 Don't get between a Dominican and their family!
4. Spanish has proven much, much harder to learn in my mid-to-later 60s than I expected.聽
5. Based on HS and College experiences (French & Russian), I had assumed I'd have little trouble with Espanol.聽 I was wrong.聽 Somewhere along the way, I lost my "ear" for discerning other languages and translating them quickly in my head.聽
6. I'm still working at it.聽 I'll get there.
7. Traffic in a) the capital of Santo Domingo, and b) Las Terrenas is simply unbelievable.聽
8. My wife refuses to drive in those two cities -- just won't, no matter what or why.聽
9. I can drive in those cities, but only because I grew up and learned to drive in major cities.聽
10. SD rush hour is kinda like the Demolition Derby! [SERIOUSLY.聽 check the fenders and bumpers of the cars around you -- they're like badges of honor!]
11. The moto drivers are crazy.聽 Truly, CRAZY.聽 No fear, and many also have zero common sense.聽 How do they survive?聽
12. Everywhere you go, there are signs of a booming economy and a rapidly expanding middle class.聽 I keep waiting for a real estate slowdown...and haven't seen it yet (at least since 2018).
13. I'm starting to believe that the DR is heading toward being an evolved version of the Bahamas.
14. Should the government figure out how to better incentivize manufacturing within their nation, the DR is going to become a true economic powerhouse in the Caribe and Latin America.聽 聽