Why All At Once?

tflea · #1 03-29-2008, 12:55 AM

Seems sooo many people are asking questions recently about re-locating to the DR, SDQ, Sosua, where ever. What gives?
Is it the American economy? Is it the current Bush administration?
Is it the aging of the baby boomers?
Is it something else?
There are all kinds of people asking and there is, as always, a flow of
responses depending on the original post.
There are posts that say "I moved here because....."
or..... "I wanna move because".....I know there are some of those.
I just read "Quisqueya" recently by a long-time ex-pat who can give at least a bit of insight on the move from your origin country. Doesn't apply to everyone of course, but pretty insightful.
Everyone has their reasons....but lately.......what's going on?
Is this just a bump in interest because it's high season, or are people really being intuitive, or making life changes and need some support to affirm they are as crazy as all of us and it's ok?

Berzin · #2 03-29-2008, 01:57 AM

My personal feeling is that it is more of a lifestyle issue than anything else.

I think that once people discover the DR, they realize exactly what is missing from their day-to-day lives.

A dominican I know told me that the dominican diaspora consist mainly of economic refugees. If it wasn't for that, they would never have left.

And you can say much for what the DR lacks in education, infrastructure and the thinly veiled corruption of its' public offices and private sector, but the lifestyle is just different and preferable to many who live in the US, Canada and Western Europe.

In NYC most people shuffle off to work and come back home and lock themselves in their apartments. And I challenge anyone to find a more miserable bunch of people than on the subway during rush hour.

In the DR, even an underdog can enjoy a day at the beach on a Saturday or Sunday. You can do whatever, every day of the week-even if its' hanging out at a colmado having a fria with your friends.

Next thing you know everyone is laughing and having a good time. Its' easier to meet people, the weather is nicer and of course the dating scene is more open.

Maybe some people are realizing how much they are missing in their everyday lives and want to force a change. Certainly can't blame anyone for that.

Lambada · #3 03-29-2008, 02:03 AM

Ummm...........they've all read Aaron Russo's Freedom to Fascism website & believe plans are being developed to have all Americans embedded with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) computer chip under their skin so they can be tracked wherever they go...........????

I'd like to believe they are all refugees of conscience but I think economics plays a huge part also.

Two UK papers ran this last November in relation to Brits & got some interesting responses..............

'There's a lack of space, lack of choice and lack of any incentive'
Have Your Say: Why record numbers of Britons are emigrating - Home News, UK - The Independent

Why are so many Britons emigrating? - Telegraph

AK74 · #4 03-29-2008, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berzin

My personal feeling is that it is more of a lifestyle issue than anything else.

I think that once people discover the DR, they realize exactly what is missing from their day-to-day lives.

A dominican I know told me that the dominican diaspora consist mainly of economic refugees. If it wasn't for that, they would never have left.

And you can say much for what the DR lacks in education, infrastructure and the thinly veiled corruption of its' public offices and private sector, but the lifestyle is just different and preferable to many who live in the US, Canada and Western Europe.

In NYC most people shuffle off to work and come back home and lock themselves in their apartments. And I challenge anyone to find a more miserable bunch of people than on the subway during rush hour.

In the DR, even an underdog can enjoy a day at the beach on a Saturday or Sunday. You can do whatever, every day of the week-even if its' hanging out at a colmado having a fria with your friends.

Next thing you know everyone is laughing and having a good time. Its' easier to meet people, the weather is nicer and of course the dating scene is more open.

Maybe some people are realizing how much they are missing in their everyday lives and want to force a change. Certainly can't blame anyone for that.

I`d rather call it not life style but quality of life.

When one has much more personal freedom and independence.
Even having very little caash in the pocket.

Including in such an important thing like phisical movement and one`s time. One does not need car and thus does not bother about cost of gas or repair or traffic or any. One have the luxury of WALKING!

In USA this luxury does not exist. One cannot live without a car.
In Sosua I can walk to ANY place in 10-15, maximum 20 minutes. Or motoconcho. 20 pesos to any place.

This is real quality of life - to be the real master and owner of oneself. One`s mind. One`s body.

Freedom is a much stronger and addictive drug than money (pieces of green paper).

glumbert - Bad Day at the Office

pelaut · #5 03-29-2008, 09:51 AM

The answer lies on the home page of http://www.ThornlessPath.com

wishingiwasthere · #6 03-29-2008, 10:25 AM

This is real quality of life - to be the real master and owner of oneself. One`s mind. One`s body.

Wow - yes - that is what I am aiming for. However in my reality i have to work a few more years before I can master the above.

Back to the grindstone - wishingiwasthere

tflea · #7 03-29-2008, 10:38 AM

Pelaut, that's a fun site, hadn't seen it before....thx.

catcherintherye · #8 03-29-2008, 10:48 AM

Okay, I must be a masochist, but here goes.

I don't believe anyone has one single reason, and if they do they should be suspect. My reasons are complex and multifaceted. I can't even categorize them in terms of determinant value. My reasons are dynamic and synergistic, and they materialized over the past 10-15 years.

So now that I've shaken off the quick fix readers, I can proceed with those of you who know that a move of this magnitude is not a shot in the dark.

First the quick list:

4 kids to empty nest.
Divorce after 29 years.
Retirement from first career and considering retiring second (teaching, which is what I spent my first career preparing to do. 25 years-first, 10 years-second, both with modest pensions)
Long, snowy, and cold winters, which get colder, and longer, and darker every year. And more expensive, as the price of oil and everything else increases every year.
The desire for light and warmth. Anyone familiar with SAD knows what I mean.
Alright, and the desire, period.

Take these factors and add a few more and can begin to visualize the chemistry.
Add a years of looking elsewhere (Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, etc) and giving Costa Rica more of a try than it deserves, and start doing the math regarding life-span, available finances, a reasonable assessment of enjoyment, opportunities for social service work, the sense of comfort, community, acceptance, friendship, and I was left with Sosua, DR.

Granted, there are also the elements of circumstance, luck and/or fate, gut feeling, willingness to take a risk, and the spirit of adventure to be factored in. Or maybe those are the real reasons, with all the other stuff being just so much intellectualized rationalization. Who really knows?

All I really know is I'm going to get far too much negative feedback, some level of understanding, and a couple people who will really get what I'm talking about. Those couple of people are what makes everything worthwhile. So please, throw all the BS at me you want, but let those couple people express their recognition and I'm a happy man.

cobraboy · #9 03-29-2008, 10:57 AM

Affluent Baby Boomers wanting to live their Dream.

Also, the WWW has exotic escape closer to home...

Great book for those who, for whatever reason, cannot escape the Rat Race but wish they could: How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World, by Harry Browne

bob saunders · #10 03-29-2008, 11:25 AM

I think that Catcherinthe rye captures many of the reasons for the move. As we go through life many of us change our perpective on whats important. As a teenagers, I could walk out my front door, walk down to the river through our farm fields surrounded by Bald eagles, throw my line in the water and have a trout in 10-15 minutes, or a salmon if I was lucky. Phone up my girl, walk the 3 miles to her house, have a glass of beer or wine with her parents...etc. Jobs behind every tree and under every rock. You grow up, finish school, start on a career, get married, have kids, get so caught up with paying bills, buying new cars, ...etc that you wake up one day and say " what the hell am I doing", there has to be more to life than this." My middle son, who is twenty, this January came home from Business school, told me he quit, signed up for a year to teach English in China, and away he went. We are in daily communication on the computer. He doesn't every want to return to a NA Style life. My idea of paradise is different than it is for most of you. To live in a neighbourhood where you know your neighbour, and you have appreciation for each other, harmony if you will, you own your own house with no mortgage, and you have enough money to meet your needs, a Little in the bank to get you from worrying, where you don't need a furnace or AC, Where you can grow your own food year round, and be surrounded by flowers...etc. Where the girls are a joy to watch with their grace walk, and appreciate being looked at. Where the children laugh and play on the streets.