May I be a curmudgeon?/grouch?

Thirty eight years have sort of given me a pretty good insight on the country, the people and life here in general. With me are a couple more of the very first Peace Corps Volunteers that still live here or have homes here.
You have received good advice: Do what you want, but do it for yourself. Forget that "love" on the beach crap, that was a Frankie Avelon-Annette Funachello(?) movie...
Living and working here are much, much different than the vacation scene.
My buddy ECH, MD is not, repeat not, a typical case! The guy is a great medical specialist who can command a decent, living wage wherever he goes, so he can never be taken as a "typical" case.
This being true, if you have a talent that is marketable in today's society, you should have a shot at finding your dreams come true. In fact, it is quite possible that you will find less of a glass ceiling here than in Chicago!
But, be warned: The kinder, gentler face you saw at the beach is not the real world. It can get just as hairy here as it is there. You just have more fun the rest of the time.
So, from the grouchy ol' granpa of a hillbilly, take this bit of advice: Sit back, see what you got to offer, see if it flies in other countries, and then make your play. If you decide to come here, all the better. Once you are settled you will think you are really in paradise.
HB

Good hart felt advise, Hillbilly >>> especially the "beach crap" reference...

I sort of feel a kinship to the "early on" peace corps volunteers in the DR. In 1966 "una Cibaeña" (my young Dominican bride and I were walking down a back street in "Zona Colonial" when she over heard some one in a door step comment something to the effect " there goes one of those Peace Corps people, what's he doing here?" My new Dominican family thought it was funny and I became "Gringo Peace Corps" Also, one should remember at this time the DR was just recovering from the aftermath of the revolution and there were many (especially in 'ZC') that harbored ill feelings toward the US!

In the early 1970's we (Mrs. CES & our two daughters) had the *** OPPORTUNITY *** to migrate to SDQ and sort of missed the boat, so too speak. (lol The children were just starting school and learning spanish very quickly, I would even rely on our five year old for some rudimentary translations when we went walking. To make a long story short we didn't make the move and have >>> regretted <<< it ever since. . .

Regards,

. . . CES

ps. . . HB, who knows, if the stars had concurred quite possible we could have been sharing a few Presidents lo these many years. . . Some times you just have too make /take the bold move. . .