Relocating a Dominican 101 - Page 10

trina · #91 10-01-2005, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpea0928

$300.00 is a lot to a Dominican. You are VERY gracious. The average salary is more around 3 thousand pesos and that is not just for cane workers. It is for people who work in restaurants, some teachers at public schools and banqueras to name a few. If you figure that it takes around 30 pesos right now to make a dollar then your cousin is currently making the equivalent of about 133 dollars. I just got back in July from living there and I was making 20,000 pesos monthly. This was nothing considering that I had to change my pesos to dollars as I was coming back to the United states. However, to most Dominicans there, I was considered "rich". I must also add that my husband who has been at his job for 6 years, works at least 14 hours daily only makes 7000 pesos and he STILL (he is still in the DR) sends money to his family in the campo.

Thank you. So based on your firgures, and two in the household, we are sending about what the average Dominican makes. Two in the house, times $3000RD = $6000 RD, or $300 Cdn. I just realized that you are talking USD, but I'm Canadian, and it's more like $20 RD to the dollar. And that really pays for nothing. I would have to disagree, though, that the avg Dominican makes $3000. I know animacion staff at the CM hotel who now make around $7000 RD, so I am assuming wages all over have gone up, as a result of rapidly increased inflation. As noted above, my cousin, who is a worker in a beach store, makes $4000 RD, and her husband, a cook at the CM, makes $7000 RD. The only ones making less than $3000 RD, IMO, someone that lives there can correct me if I'm wrong, are the sugar cane workers. We all know Dominicans won't do that job, it's nearly 100% Haitian.

Here's a thread that also supports my numbers:
What are people getting paid?

Nelly · #92 10-01-2005, 01:37 PM

My point of reference is my ex's family and friends not all Domicans as I can only claim to know a few. However, in my opinion, working class Dominicans are very much aware that they are rediculously underpaid. They know that they can afford very little discretionary spending. I don't think they see $300as a lot of money. While extra money makes a huge difference in meeting everyday needs, it will never be enough to provide the things that most of us take for granted such as going out for dinner, saving for your child's education, travelling every year, owning and maintaining a car or two, computers in every room, etc., etc., and don't kid yourself, Dominicans do know what they are missing and how far they are away from achieving these things. My point is that if someone makes $133 us per month and they are getting $300 from family abroad ( or from a broad abroad haha) they aren't going to be living the high life on 12000pesos per month. This is not a lot of money, and they know that it is not a lot of money.

trina · #93 10-01-2005, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nelly

getting $300 from family abroad ( or from a broad abroad haha)

You're so cute.

Very good points, Nelly. You always have such reasoned thinking, and can say things in a much more rational way than a lot of us.

Nelly · #94 10-01-2005, 06:10 PM

Thank you so much, Trina. Its so nice when people read you the way you intended to be read. I stuggle with every word trying to get my thoughts across which, as you know, can be difficult at times.

Fred · #95 10-03-2005, 09:02 AM

Yes I agree that some people need help, however, what really makes me angry about this type of Dominican is that instead of "Pulling themselves up by their bootstraps" by either having a garage sale or getting some other kind of job or working 2-3 jobs if someone in their family needs help. They look for the easy way out and just call relatives and "EXPECT" them to send money.

They dont even bother to try. I just call my brother or sister and they will send me the money. And these are ADULTS..

I would never ever send money to someone who is able to work. Period. My wife's brother has been in the US since he was 15. He does not have a steady job, does not speak English has no car. Yet he will call the odd time and I know he wants my wife to send him money..

When I get the phone call and see his number I simply do not pick up the phone. I do not feel sorry for him.

Nelly · #96 10-03-2005, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred

Yes I agree that some people need help, however, what really makes me angry about this type of Dominican is that instead of "Pulling themselves up by their bootstraps" by either having a garage sale or getting some other kind of job or working 2-3 jobs if someone in their family needs help. They look for the easy way out and just call relatives and "EXPECT" them to send money.

They dont even bother to try. I just call my brother or sister and they will send me the money. And these are ADULTS..

I would never ever send money to someone who is able to work. Period. My wife's brother has been in the US since he was 15. He does not have a steady job, does not speak English has no car. Yet he will call the odd time and I know he wants my wife to send him money..

When I get the phone call and see his number I simply do not pick up the phone. I do not feel sorry for him.

Sell what??? Most "working class" dominican families that I know only have the bare basic necessities in their homes. A garage sale? The kind of makes me laugh. With almost every second person being unemployed ( i read that the unemployment rate was around 40%), how do you suppose one would work 2 to 3 jobs when it is hard enough to get one. You might want to check your empathy levels, I think they are low.

Fred · #97 10-04-2005, 12:29 PM

How come Dominicans have such an imagination when it comes to making excuses for people abroad to send them money? All I am saying is that they should first look to other sources of income other than just calling relatives.

Just watch television in the US or Canada. The Anglos are always saying "Yes it can be done" with this attitude.

Then just watch the Mexican or other Latin soap operas. They always have a !@@# excuse not to do something.

Like I said before, unless someone is old or infirm I will not help any able bodied individual unless under extreme circumstances.

lapuli · #98 01-13-2006, 05:11 PM

Just wanted to say hello, I am new to, I just happened to be browising looking for a place to retire to . I was born in DR but left when I was two and just whent back after 39 years( all of my family had immigrated to NYC.)
and just fell inlove with my country. Really look foward to going back next July. I have to say I feel so bad that I stood away for so long....
My kids loved it. They said that they enjoyed it more than the other places that we visited.(Cancun, Puerto Rico, Disney,California etc..)

trina · #99 03-19-2006, 04:04 PM

I've been thinking a little about this thread recently, as I know of a couple of people that are in the process of relocating their spouses. Something I forgot to mention in the beginning was actually a fairly large source of stress for us. Angel, when he first arrived, didn't know the difference between a "want" and a "need". (I've heard the same story from others who have relocated a Dominican, although I realize I am unfairly generalizing here). When he went to the store, he was like a kid in a candy store for a while. We "need" this, and we "need" that. I'd explain, "Well you know what? I'm 30-years-old (at the time), and I've lived without it for 30 years - you have lived without it for longer than that, so I guess we don't really "need" it at all. You want it. Maybe in the future, when we have some extra $$$, we can buy what you want. But don't ever confuse a "want" with a "need"." It was a battle for a while, but in time, he saw my point. He realized it around the time he realized that since arriving in Canada, he had yet to see a money tree or have money fall on him in the street.

I'd also like to somewhat revisit the control issue. I know of a few people who try to control their Dominican spouses by using various measures. They are only going to hurt themselves in the long run, because they are creating a prison atmosphere, and who wants to live like that? The Dominican is going to think that living here involves nothing but work, and that's no life that I want to live. Bringing your spouse here and giving them a better life does not entitle anyone to threaten them (ie deportation, etc) and control them. Everything will eventually catch up to you, and you will learn that your own fears and insecurities was the downfall of your marriage.

Anyways, hope these tidbits help someone out there. Although this is a rather old thread, I know it's filled with many people's stories and advice and hopefully will help some new people embarking on this journey. Good luck to all.

katie06 · #**100** 04-18-2006, 01:35 PM

Firstly i would like to say thank you to Trina for taking the time to share your experiences and encouraging others to do so its a great support to know others have survived this.

i have been with my partner for just under 2 years and gone through many of the emotions posted on this site . dating long distance is a test on any relationship . we have tried for a vacation visa with no joy as my partner is not one of the wealthy dominicans well not finanancially but i think that's what makes him a special person untainted by the greed of the western world i am going on now sorry ,and that was the reason the visa was declined on the bais of his bank account

which as i guess you all know when pesos are transfered to £ or $ will never be much.

Our time together is dependent on my partner and i using vacation entitlement with me returning to DR which is not ideal.
since then we have decided that this is long term and would prefer to live in UK so in the mean time my partner returned to school to improve his english and get more qualifications to help him adapt to life here. but i am concerned as to how he will cope as he has never left DR with this in mind;
we decided to apply for fiance visa as this would give my partner the chance to experience the UK and for us to live together before making the final comittment .but this has been a nightmare i wont go into too much detail in case one of them is reading this but it certainly isn't aimed at being helpfull and is upsetting that all your personal life is being scrutinised by some guy who wont even come from behind his desk to meet you.

i am now looking into seeing if i can take time out to spend time there but not easy with work ,house commitments etc the system does seem to encourage you to get married as it seems the only way you can have a normal relationship together

any information regarding this would be really appreciated

and thanks again to all of you that have posted to date it is really helpful to read your accounts good and bad