Introduce yourself HERE!

Attitude is everything here folks!聽 Come in be humble, watch, learn and enjoy! Treat everyone with courtesy and respect and you will be more then welcome here.

We were wondering about grocery shopping?
Does the Super Mercado have every thing we need or should we bring anything with us?
We didn't see any meat for sale? Where can you purchase things like ground beef, pork or chicken?
Your best bet is a trip to la Sirena in Puerto Plata.
Bob K
Meat - fresh chicken at most mecados. Beef not sure of the days, but it is a fresh cut of meat at the buthcher shop on the main st. Pork fresh every sun at the motor choncho corner.
Where are you staying, they are you best resource. You can send me a pm.
I'm Peter from Hungary. Live in Santo Domingo from march - this year.
聽 Establish here a small company ( EIRL) , but for administrative and other reasons it faild, or just temporary "out of order" - in the better case.
But nose up ! I find the sense of my life - "The Queen of Dominican Republic".
聽 She help me to learn spanish and so many other thinks!
Back to me : I speak hungarian, romanian, english, little french and spanish.
Try to find some volunteer or "low payd" job, to make myself busy, and to do something usefull untill can start my own business.
聽 聽 I like farmering, gardenering ,etc.
In Hungary I had my own farm, here this is the only think what I miss...
聽 So , if I can help somebody with my knoledge , I do it with pleasure!
Bob K
You do need come for an extended period of time (2-4 months) renting and apartment an see if the Dominican Republic "fits" for you.聽 It is not for everyone.聽 You might also want to explore other parts of the country before deciding on where you want to live.聽 The north coast worked perfect for us a good mix of local Dominicans, Expats and tourists.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about living, moving, visiting here and we will all try to find the answers you need.
Again welcome
Bob K
Is it possible to rent a villa for around 800.00 a month and what would utilities run? Yes we know it will be high if you run your air all the time. We used to have to shut our hot water heater off during the day so our utility bill wouldn't be 500.00 a month. We bout had a heart attack when we got our first bill, lol...
Health care - insurance is readily available at various costs.聽 You must get insurance and use private clinics and hospitals.聽 I offer 2 plans with good coverage one is currently us 37 and a better plan is us 47.聽 There are other companies and plans out there. You must enrollbprior to age 65.
Depending where you are looking, yes it is very possible to get a place for 800. Utities and specifically electricity you need to actively manage! They dont have to be too expensive.聽
You do need an electric backup - inverter and batteries or generator depending on your needs.
Drinking water is cheap and delivered so dont sweat it.
Calls - almost all companies now offer international calls at local prices so again not much of an issue anymore.
Airfare - no idea, I've not left in over 9 years.... no reason everything I need is here.
Just to add to Planner's response.
Medical care. Insurance is cheap but you must apply before age 65.聽 INternational insurance is also cheaper than insurance in the US and many plans, like ours qualifies us to be omitted from Obamacare.聽 Do escape that mess as an expat you must live out of the country for 330 days a year.聽 So only allowed back in the US for basically a month. Health care itself can vary from scary to very good and the same for hospitals.聽 We are very comfortable with the care in Santiago (HOMS hospital), which is about 1.5 hours away.聽 Care here on the north coast is ok in Puerto Plata (30 min from us). but I would not go there for serious problems.聽 For this either Santiago of a flight back to the US (our international insurance covers the US as well)
Mail system.... a joke here.聽 You can use UPS but expensive and usually works.聽 There are also multiple shippers for small packages (large ones as well) that we use for our online shopping (TVs, printer, dog meds, household goods).聽 We do almost everything on line and have not received "mail" in 8 years and don't miss it.
Calling home.聽 We use our local cells phone to call the US for the same rate as calling across the street. We also have Magic Jack and have maintained our US phone number (same for the last 25 years) that rings here in the villa and all calls are "free"
Yes airfare is expensive, especially here in Puerto Plata, but you can get cheaper fares flying to and from Santiago and then use a cab for $100 or so for the just over an hour drive.聽 My wife goes back to visit her mom in the nursing facility 3 times a year.聽 Me I have been back in the US 29 days in 8+ years.聽 We have friends and relatives coming here to visit聽 all the time which is nice.
Here on the north coast $800 is doable but it may be hard to find what you are looking for.聽 A couple of hundred more and you will have a multitude of choices on a long term rent.聽 Electricity is expensive but if not using the AC all the time not that bad.聽 Electric service can be bad at times so everyone has either a back up generator or inverter and anything you rent should have a back up system already so not a problem with a rental.聽 Bottled water is very cheap and we聽 DO NOT drink from the tap. A large 5 gal (blue bottle you are used to back in the States) here will cost you about 80 cents.
Hope this helps.聽 Keep the questions coming

Bob K
What kind of insurance plan are you on and if I can ask, around how much is it for husband and wife? We are both in good health and do not have any kind of health issues.
Thanks again for your help
Glenn
As to living and buying here I sent you a PM as not to discuss all here on the board
Bob K
聽 New teammates are always welcomed, look forward to your contributions.Bob K
Bob K
Bob K

I need some help. Know somebody about foundation or organization (NGO), who really need volunteers ?
I'm interested in ecologic agriculture, education , enviromental development... and similar.
聽 Where I wrote untill now , they do not answer- or need just donations.
I can not give donations, but I have to-to much free time, and a lot of knowledge about.
So,聽 if anyone knows of such Foundation address- addresses, please Inform me.
Thanks
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