Saskatchewan

No one I know!

Yes but don't know any personally or maybe I do and just don't know it

Bob K

Not full time but my wifes dart partner for 7 months of the year is from Swift Current.

Thanks to everyone for your quick replies.  It really is appreciated and helpful.
Ramdaddy, are you comfortable telling me such things as where does she live in the DR? - does she rent or own? - house or condo?  It would be interesting to hear the insights of someone who comes from the prairies of Canada.

This is going to be a bit of a book so my apologies in advance. Next observation you should make is that this is our story. Meaning my opinions and experience. Last is we followed. We blazed no trail. Others have been around a long time before us.

I start off by encouraging to step out of the box and try different. Its not for everyone and in fact only a small minority will succumb to this life style. But if you do its the best blessing one could ask for.

We live outside of Sosua in a gated community. We flew into the DR without ever stepping foot on its soil. 2 suitcases in hand we took a taxi from PP and drove into the town under a cloud of rain. In the weeks and months ahead we came to find friends. Good people from Canada. Not a lot of them but the kind of people that will do anything anytime and never ask for anything in return.

Dont get hung up on a gated community. Is security important. 1000% percent. But there's no better security than your neighbors looking after each other. We had a budget of 1K a month. We spent months waving off any notion of spending 2000-2500.00 for the same.

You simply need to be open to locating a starting point and taking a chance. The home we rented for first 6 months just happened to be gated and never being there, leaving my bride while out of country ..well it made the grade. This place leaked like a sieve. The washing machine moved at glacial speed. Slower than molasses in winter. Geckos came and went. Old doesn't say it.

But we needed to start someplace and overlook temp conditions to test drive the DR.

Our current home is a clean, bright, airy 2 bed and 2 bathroom with privacy for both rooms. In the center living and kitchen. Pool with water feature out back. 600 Month + gated cost = 980.00 month. That's on budget for us.

This is the reality. Poverty provides opportunity. Overall the large % of Dominicans are kind and wonderful. Smiling, embracing, hugging, dancing.

The lady from Swift Current does NOT live in a gated community and rents from another full time expat for the months shes in Sosua. She has her regular driver {motorcycle} and zipps around town without worry. Her home has gates and locks. No guards. This gal is wonderful. She volunteers to leading the painting classes. Plays darts very well. Laughs easily. Lives her life. Her cost to share a apartment I think is 350 a month. Dont hold me to that but im close.

I look over cottage country and see 2nd homes or cottages for 500-600K average. My one neighbor is 17,000 sq ft cottage. 7 car garage.

In DR and Sosua 150K buys you a beauty used 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, pool, yard, furnished. New 200K buys you granite and stainless appliances.

Our thinking is this. rent for a year. maybe 2. possibly forever. Coincidentally friends whom have 2-3 condos are now thinking the same. Keep the condos as income makers and rent a house for the long term.

Our friends are the friends of others. Are mostly from the west. Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Sask. However those people not living in DR full time come back year after year from all over. PEI, Cape Breton ect.

The shear beauty of being able to speak % the language and buy your fruit from the back of a truck is our blessing.

Among ourselves I might be the very worst but seldom if ever will you see any of our group on the cell phone. We are engaged. We have come to realize that every minute is special so dont take your eyes off the moment.

If your days are consumed by feeding costco 400 bucks when you only needed cream and sugar your survival will be tough here.
If your a shopper and need to visit the box stores on weekends I would not come.
If your a type A the DR might send you over the edge.

However if your wanting to be a "bum" in the good sense...just being normal this being the DR and in our case Sosua is heaven.

It cost nothing to walk the beaches of Sosua or Cabarete.
It cost nothing to volunteer.
It cost little to visit the local BBQ joint of which there are many and eat marinated, half chicken, salad, fries for 200 - 250 pesos. 

If you can enjoy mingling with all levels of Dominican Society and be engaging and understanding you will come to feel "humbled". 

Imagine being at the local mercado where Dominicans shop for groceries and you ask for a cold cervesa. They open the cooler, take the beer over to the checkout counter where a bottle opener is attached to string and pop that nectar of the gods.. Thats called civilized grocery shopping. This is only possible by living and looking.

In closing we only have knowledge because of people like our friend from Swift Current.
She shared these nuggets of invaluable information. God love her for sure. My wife cant wait until October/November come. That's when people return and activities get busier.

Hope this helps. if need be make message with me directly in this forum and can expand.

Loved your post, very good read!

Ramdaddy, don't take this the wrong way but, if you were in front of me, I'd hug you.  The info. you have given us is priceless.  I am anxious for my husband to get home to read your post.  After which, we will probably have more questions - I hope you don't mind. 

We are not shoppers.  Neither of us are type A.  My idea of a good shopping experience here is the farmers' market or craft sales.  Your budget sounds like where ours would be -- now that I think of it, your home sounds like the perfect home for us. 

Our plan right now is, we'll be in Punta Cana (again) for 3 weeks at a small resort in Feb. 2018.   Ideally, we would like to see what's out there to rent for a possible 2-3 month period in 2019 - "getting our feet on the ground" as has so often been advised.  I wish Sosua were closer so we could look around that area or Las Terrenas.  Thinking more and more that's the side of DR where we belong.  Kind of scared of the idea of renting a car and driving there ourselves, but . . .

What airport does your friend from Swift Current fly in and out of to get to her home in Sosua?

Please remember this is my personal story. Im not wealthy but just planned like a mad man to make this happen. We have a conversation often and it goes like this. I wish I could drive here and get around on my own but Im afraid.

Dominicans drive like they dont have a worry in the world, multitasking, speeding, and lot more. We took a tour bus to see whales in Las Terrenas and we actually were racing another tour bus on 2 laned paved road with a third tour bus waiting for us slow guys so he could get by. Nothing to see 3 cars on 2 lanes coming at you. Cows and horses along the road ways. We should be afraid.

We bought a scooter. Everyone said DONT. Listening isnt a strong suit in this case. My wife swore like in real F bomb stuff strung together with all of the other amazing things that can come out of her mouth  about never getting on a scooter. Oh yeah?? she drives like a champ going to grocery store. We now own a scooter, a Yamaha 250 4 banger and 4 door SUV. The car is for her.

My point is everytime someone says Im afraid I ask of what?
Rent a car. Drive. By a bus ticket..its cheaper. Real cheap. Safe.
Punta cana is all resort. Clean. Sanitized if you will.
Sosua is gritty & personal. Real life in DR.

My good friend in Alberta at the age of 62 ...2 years ago fell at home and became a quadriplegic.
He wishes for nothing and is amazing man. he would tell you dont be afraid of things you dont need to be. Life is short. When our card is pulled simply be ready and have done everything youve wanted.

The freedom of driving down caile # 5 with mountains, rice fields, palms on one side...the ocean on the other is a blessing. Living in the DR is a privilege.

I have this smile from ear to ear when driving. The smells. The waves of heat. The Dominicans blowing by me smiling like I'm a dude...lol

Being careful is the best prescription but it might not always be enough. Wrong place at the right time is always possible. But that applies to any town or city. We are guest in the DR and always remember to be on our best behavior. Pretty simple and nothing to be afraid of.

If your in LT and want to come over some weekend..jump the bus and come stay with us in Sosua.

Im passing some good will forward that was extended to me by Sask folks that offered me the same.

Weve been opening our place up to people and now have new friends from as far away as Germany that have relocated to DR.

if your husband plays hockey and your around on a Sunday ..its game on. ball hockey but you would swear people are expecting scouting reports...playing like we did as kids...all of us from one part of the country or another....amazing. In my own words..

Oh man i must come see the ball hockey!!!!

Great stories!

RAMDADDY great posts

Bob K