Your First Time...

[andrewc52002]

I went first time to Juan Dolio, in 2005, in March. It was the cheapest ticket for an AI. It was nice, saw the poverty and the bars at windows and doors. Strange image: Law Office with bars on all windows !!
But the people were so nice, everywhere, on the beach, in SD, where we went for a day. Nice music too. When I came home, I kept hearing the bachata in my head for long time. Antony Santos, Leonardo Paniagua. Was something of magic in it. So I was hooked, and went back a few more times. Now thinking of retiring there. And was that wonderful wine we had in La Dorada, POP. lol

[Criss Colon]

Was 20 years ago,still is today!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

[Berzin]

Went to Sosua in July of 2004. Knew nothing about the place. Just wanted to travel and get the hell away from NYC.

My dominican friends in NYC were useless, as all they told me were horror stories about tourists getting taken advantage of, how dangerous the country was and how I'd get sick from eating the food.

So I decided to go anyway and have been going back ever since.

Didn't get robbed, taken advantage of or sick from eating food sold by local street vendors.

Didn't take any tours, didn't talk to any expats. Just hung out for 2 weeks doing nothing but dancing, drinking, going to the beach(usually around 2-3 pm after waking up next to one or two fine chicas), getting massages and meeting chicas. Thats' all I did and I've never regretted it.

That is what a vacation is supposed to be like.

As an aside, I did notice that some male tourists were very jealous and overprotective of their P4P girlfriends, which I found rather strange given the environment in which they met these chicas. But whatever.

[margaret]

My first exposure to the Dominican Republic was when I was an Anthropology major (Latin American & Caribbean Studies) and Trujillo was just one of the many dictators on a long roster of caudillos who held power. But it was another roster much later that captured the hearts and minds of the people of Toronto and made us wonder if we shouldn't be singing a different national anthem:
George Bell
Jose Canseco
Tony Fernandez
Damaso Garcia
Juan Guzman
Manny Lee
Nelson Liriano
Jose Nunez

Finally it was through my love of dance (salsa, merengue and bachata) that I decided to visit the DR. I'm just starting to learn more about this beautiful country and it's people, and a day doesn't go by without some reminder of the country or the people of the Dominican Republic.

[marliejaneca]

Business Trip-

I was sent on a fam trip through the travel agency I worked for. I had never heard of the DR until then - this was 15 years ago. The tour company (Air Transat) had us working the whole time!! We were wined and dined by 12 hotels, various restaurants and all the excursion companies. Our main base was Playa Naco which wasn't even fully completed yet, but we required to stay at the now defunct Cofresi Beach Resort for one night. I fell in love with the country, loved the tranquility of Cofresi Beach the most (which is no longer a tranquil place, I might add), booked a 2 week vacation in Cofresi, made a lot of contacts with the ex-pats of Cofresi, and moved there. This all happened in a matter of 5-6 months. And NO - there was no "relationship" involved!!!
Marlie

[Kyle]

baseball---

with the influx of latin baseball players into MLB and all the good things i heard about winter baseball, i thought i would take a trip to see winter baseball. never realized that the DR was such a nice country because all i had heard about the DR was it was a breeding ground for some of the best baseball players in the world.

additionally, i had met Miguel Tejeda when he was with the Baltimore Orioles and he told me to go visit because there is more there than baseball....

man, was he right !!

[Chirimoya]

Haven't answered this one because no way would I lump myself in with the "missionaries".

[juancuban]

I studied spanish in Guadalajara, Mexico a couple of years ago. A great city and a great place to learn since very little english is spoken.
I wanted to learn somewhere else, where my background-mixed Cuban and
Jamaican, wasn't an issue to the people around me.

By chance, I was watching the History Channel on a program about Christopher Columbus. Well, everybody knows the connection of The D.R.
and CC. I began to look into this caribbean island, they call the D.R.

You know what, I was hooked. I felt I could continue my studies. My looks would blend right in and I could study without feeling like an outsider.

I will be visiting the island, the first week of february. Its only a 3 day trip because I am checking to see if I will like it enough to go to school. I have two museums and two bookstores planned and that's it.

If I like the D.R. enough to go to school, then I will use my off time to explore the people and its history. When I travel to Jamaica (to see my mother), I don't stay in the tourist area, I stay at her house. The school I plan to attend has family sponsors and that is the best way to learn a language,
just embed yourself with the locals and you get to really appreciate and understand their way of life.

[fightfish]

I first came here to play golf in 1995. I was living in Venezuela at the time. Came every year with about 20 buddies ,and eventually sailed here and stayed, though I still travel around the Carribean.

[NALs]

Originally Posted by Chirimoya

Haven't answered this one because no way would I lump myself in with the "missionaries".

Oh, come on Chiri.

-NALs