Long-term DR Vacation

I need to take a 2-3 month break from my life. I want to move to the DR, perfect my Spanish and live a carefree existence. If you had three months and $5,000 to spend in Santo Domingo (Id rather stay home than hang in a resort) how would you spend the time? My dream is to rent an aprtment in the Zona Colonial with ac, cable tv and Internet connection, enroll in a Spanish immersion program, dance merengue all night, study spanish in the morning, sleep in the afternoons and do the tourist thing on the weekend. Is this doable? How?

$1500 a month won't cut it in Santo Domingo.

I would suggest that you try some other part of the country where a lot of stuff is cheaper. La Vega, Santiago Moca, San Francisco de Marcoris, Barahona, Azua or Bani. Anywhere but the capitol...

Then you would be totally emersed from the git-go....party time is just as easy, once you make just one or two friends. And, you can always "visit" Santo Domingo....

HB

Hillbilly is giving you good advice. Stay away from Santo Domingo and the resort areas. Go where the tourists don't normally and you'll find life cheaper. Also, you'll be forced to perfect your Spanish.

Yes! But make that 10,000 dollars! CRiss

Come on guys, I'm sure Jeff ment $5,000.00US per month.

My God!! is it really that expensive to be in Santo Domingo? Perhaps I should just go to San Juan, PR and not have to worry about power-outages. I really like the hustle and bussle of cities. I want to go to sleep to the sound of Merengue. If I moved my budget to $10,000 for the three months ( All praises to the almighty for having such options), HOW would I do this in Santo Domingo. Thanks for the advice

Jeff, I know several ex-pats that live in the capital on about $1,000.00 USD per month (Their social security check actually!) Each has a small one bedroom apartment, no car, the use public transportation, do a lot of home cooking and live on a close budget but enjoy life. One can live as cheaply and as expensively as you want anywhere. Unfortunately, too many want to live with a champagne appetite and a beer pocket book.

Thanks for the thoughts, Doc. Do you know if such apartments are available for short-term rental? I can cook for myself so long as there are even reasonably stocked grocers available. Am I correct in assuming that if I were to offer $5-10/hour, I could find a Spanish tutor too or am I making too much of how far that kind of money goes in the DR? Thanks in advance

5,000.00 is a little high, however unless you want to slum it, you should budget around 800.00 to 1,000.00 for a decent Apt. (You did say, Air, Tel.Internet connection etc.) 100.00 per day should cover your transportation, food, spanish courses, entertainment. Total. 4,000.00. I'm sure that some people manage on 1,000.00, though I don't know how. A young guy on a 2 or 3 month vacation will surely have different life style than a retired person living here full time.