04/2011 - Ex Pats That Fall

[Jimmydr]

many make it, most you just don't know. I know so many that are having the time of their lives, would never go back to the States, Canada or wherever they were before, I see them, hang with them everyday.
Most if not all don't have that 3rd me gene, jajaja

How many have that pension coming in vs living day to day and if a storm comes, they are done? I really didn't notice too many in boca chica

[yayow]

How many have that pension coming in vs living day to day and if a storm comes, they are done? I really didn't notice too many in boca chica

Most of the guys at least the ones I associate with most, are not rich, but have some sort of means and are living within their means comfortably, and have been for years. And there are a few that are very comfortable, living much better than myself, you may be surprised.

[Jimmydr]

Most of the guys at least the ones I associate with most, are not rich, but have some sort of means and are living within their means comfortably, and have been for years. And there are a few that are very comfortable, living much better than myself, you may be surprised.

Thats my point. they didn't pick up at age 32, with $5,000 and a dream, they worked for it, like you did.

[yayow]

Thats my point. they didn't pick up at age 32, with $5,000 and a dream, they worked for it, like you did.

Si señor, guys trying to come and just start living here, with nothing to fall back on, or not having a particular skill, that is marketable, have a lot harder time, in my opinion and through my observations.

[ROVER]

How about guys like us that retire with a pension and never worry about anything anymore.

That'll never be me.

Most of the Guys I know who did that are already dead.

Struggle is a nutrient and we need some level of it to survive. Shangri-La is just a place to wait to die.

Though guys like me and Jimmy may forever wonder "what if" the reality is much different for most. Usually it is a last ditch effort at retirement. A make or break proposition where a frugal life's savings is put on the line with enormous odds not in ones favor.

Struggle and stress are one in the same after a certain point in life and I thrive in an environment that is stress and worry free. Achieving that state has always been my goal and now it is near. To each his own.

[Westy]

Though guys like me and Jimmy may forever wonder "what if" the reality is much different for most. Usually it is a last ditch effort at retirement. A make or break proposition where a frugal life's savings is put on the line with enormous odds not in ones favor.

Struggle and stress are one in the same after a certain point in life and I thrive in an environment that is stress and worry free. Achieving that state has always been my goal and now it is near. To each his own.

That's a pretty good simile ... some of these guys made a last stand; some of them slung out a hammock.

Consider an old-familiar example, "Exhibit S," which I decline to name more explicitly ... a fellow who earned a pretty decent pension from the USA Federal Service, and recognized that his pension would stretch farther and afford him more pleasure in the Dominican Republic. I met him, soon after his retirement, in October 2010 ... he directed me to ISOC ... and a few years later, he helped me celebrate my 60th birthday in style, in the DR, December 2013. By that time, he'd changed his screen-name on this forum, to reflect his new hobby of "barbering" the nether-regions of many chicas on the DR's North Coast. (I hope my description will be 'translucent' enough for some of our old hands, without doxxing one of our ISOC legends ... and I hope you're still enjoying your life, "S.")

I'm not quite ready to follow his example, or Yayow's, or Mr. Happy's, or even that of SeaWeed, who seems to be spending 185 days of the year in the USA and the other 180 in Jamaica. But I'm planning to extend my stay, a bit, for my next few trips ... and one of these days, I'm hoping to start spending enough time in-country that I'm ready to re-brand myself an "expat," or at any rate a "seasonal expat" like SeaWeed.

[Jimmydr]

. Achieving that state has always been my goal and now it is near. To each his own.

My goal as well.

[Jimmydr]

Though guys like me and Jimmy may forever wonder "what if" the reality is much different for most.

I never wondered what it was to live in DR when I was in my 30's and 40's.

[yayow]

I never wondered what it was to live in DR when I was in my 30's and 40's.

You know what me neither, never thought about this place. Never came here until 43, when I felt it was time for my daughter to meet the side of the family in this country. Never thought of living here till retirement was staring me in the face, and I had to make a decision. Original place looking for retirement was a community in the Fort Lauderdale area, Coral Springs; if I stayed married that would probably be where I would be right now, and Yayow would have never been born.

But when the marriage ended; was looking for a place to enjoy my retirement and live comfortably on my pension. I knew New York was out the question, too expensive, saw too many friends who had been retired chasing too many old, fat difficult women there. So my aunt had just moved to Indianapolis, so I priced apartments there, figured I could live there half the year, and by this time figured the other half in the DR. Had even put all my stuff in storage there. But after my first month living in the DR, I knew, and never stepped foot in Indy.

[Dawkins]

I love this whole post.

[Mr. Smooth]

I never even thought about the DR until late 2006. I had been going to Thailand for over a decade by then, loving the scene, enjoyed meeting up with some expats or fellow travelers, as well as the plethora of women in the bars and clubs. Thought it was a little slice of heaven and began thinking of possibly living there when I retired if I didn't get married.

One day I was thinking about seeing if I could find a spot in this hemisphere, a place that could fill the void of my once a year trips to Pattaya. I checked out WSG and read some old reports from the early to mid 2000's. Then I found DR1 and began reading up on this country from that forum.

Made my first trip in spring 2007. Met some cool guys and was asked one night in the Shark Bar if I had ever heard of ISOC. Told them I hadn't. Eventually I checked it out and joined in 2008, but never really began being a regular poster until the following year.

During that time, reading from the guys who either lived there, such as MrHappy or yayow, then along the way came Seville, weyland, WickedWillie and a few others who lived there year round, then the guys who made frequent return visits during the year like Sage, I began to look at the DR as a place to live, at least for a part of the year, from talking to many of these guys. Asking about budgets, locations, ease of transport, potential hazards to deal with, the pros and cons, etc.......ever since I have placed particular creedence to the posts of these guys since they live there whenever a subject comes up that brings out all sorts of speculation from those who don't live there.

My first thought is to secure that pension, period. I am determined to not be one who fails if I relocate to a different country. If it winds up being the DR for several months a year, then the help and advice that I hear, or read on this board, will be invaluable to my own lifestyle decisions as a future expat. Believe me, whatever I am told about living down there will not be lost on me.

To those guys I mentioned earlier, I am always grateful for your honesty in answering any questions I have had in the past or might have in the future. Back then, I was a decade plus away from any possible relocation. Now, with a bit over 4 years to go, that focus is becoming a bit more sharp with each passing day.

My humble thanks and appreciation to you guys!

[Jimmydr]

You know what me neither, never thought about this place. Never came here until 43, when I felt it was time for my daughter to meet the side of the family in this country. Never thought of living here till retirement was staring me in the face, and I had to make a decision. Original place looking for retirement was a community in the Fort Lauderdale area, Coral Springs; if I stayed married that would probably be where I would be right now, and Yayow would have never been born.

But when the marriage ended; was looking for a place to enjoy my retirement and live comfortably on my pension. I knew New York was out the question, too expensive, saw too many friends who had been retired chasing too many old, fat difficult women there. So my aunt had just moved to Indianapolis, so I priced apartments there, figured I could live there half the year, and by this time figured the other half in the DR. Had even put all my stuff in storage there. But after my first month living in the DR, I knew, and never stepped foot in Indy.

And then you had that great hobby on the beach that you sold for a prifit

[el toro]

many make it, most you just don't know. I know so many that are having the time of their lives, would never go back to the States, Canada or wherever they were before, I see them, hang with them everyday.
Most if not all don't have that 3rd me gene, jajaja

From what I can see when in BC, I have to agree.

My boss is about to move and work remotely full-time, so I've been thinking maybe I should just move and do my job from DR. However, should my team end up re-structuring or there be lay-offs as there are sometimes, I would then become an ex-pat that failed unless I found another US based job that would allow me to work remotely out of country. Nice to ponder ideas though.

[Jimmydr]

From what I can see when in BC, I have to agree.

My boss is about to move and work remotely full-time, so I've been thinking maybe I should just move and do my job from DR. However, should my team end up re-structuring or there be lay-offs as there are sometimes, I would then become an ex-pat that failed unless I found another US based job that would allow me to work remotely out of country. Nice to ponder ideas though.

That would not be failing.


Failing is opening a store bar or restaurant with a life savings of $12,000 for example and then asking for plane fare home.

[Jimmydr]

You know what me neither, never thought about this place. Never came here until 43, when I felt it was time for my daughter to meet the side of the family in this country. Never thought of living here till retirement was staring me in the face, and I had to make a decision. Original place looking for retirement was a community in the Fort Lauderdale area, Coral Springs; if I stayed married that would probably be where I would be right now, and Yayow would have never been born.

But when the marriage ended; was looking for a place to enjoy my retirement and live comfortably on my pension. I knew New York was out the question, too expensive, saw too many friends who had been retired chasing too many old, fat difficult women there. So my aunt had just moved to Indianapolis, so I priced apartments there, figured I could live there half the year, and by this time figured the other half in the DR. Had even put all my stuff in storage there. But after my first month living in the DR, I knew, and never stepped foot in Indy.

You had a bar once, worked 14 hours a day for 7 days a week and then said, hey, i have a pension and sold it.


Was that fun?

[yayow]

You had a bar once, worked 14 hours a day for 7 days a week and then said, hey, i have a pension and sold it.


Was that fun?

Actually it was fun for the most part, what wasn't fun was that I had to be there all the time, so it cramped my style. I have worked to hard to allow my style to be cramped, and when it does it is time to execute an exit strategy.

The main problem at least in my eyes was the people who I trusted in relieving my responsibility; my Canadian partner and my ex wife, who I wanted to be my manager. If things went as it was drawn up, I probably would still be operating the business. The partner, drank way too much, and thought it was his personal plaything, so he could drink what he wanted, without paying, had to watch him more than the staff. So had to get rid of him. That caused a lot of angst as he lied about me, causing many that knew us both to choose sides. Plus we went in as friends and came out as anything but, that was difficult.

As far as my ex, even though it had been many years of not being together, in my opinion her jealousy of the young attractive personnel running around caused problems. Got to the point where I had to let her know she wasn't allowed on the property, because she caused too many problems with the female staff. Kind of difficult when you have a child in common. So since she wasn't allowed, she didn't permit my daughter around, so something I was hoping to share with my daughter caused us to be separated. That was difficult especially because most of my time was spent there.

So it became clear to use the exit strategy. The relationship with the ex has never been repaired, but luckily with some work, my daughter and I have never been better. It still is considered a good experience in my mind, because of all the other good things that came from the experience, learned a lot that I am grateful for learning, about business in the DR, but most importantly about myself.

[Westy]

Actually it was fun for the most part, what wasn't fun was that I had to be there all the time, so it cramped my style. I have worked to hard to allow my style to be cramped, and when it does it is time to execute an exit strategy.

The main problem at least in my eyes was the people who I trusted in relieving my responsibility; my Canadian partner and my ex wife, who I wanted to be my manager. If things went as it was drawn up, I probably would still be operating the business. The partner, drank way too much, and thought it was his personal plaything, so he could drink what he wanted, without paying, had to watch him more than the staff. So had to get rid of him. That caused a lot of angst as he lied about me, causing many that knew us both to choose sides. Plus we went in as friends and came out as anything but, that was difficult.

As far as my ex, even though it had been many years of not being together, in my opinion her jealousy of the young attractive personnel running around caused problems. Got to the point where I had to let her know she wasn't allowed on the property, because she caused too many problems with the female staff. Kind of difficult when you have a child in common. So since she wasn't allowed, she didn't permit my daughter around, so something I was hoping to share with my daughter caused us to be separated. That was difficult especially because most of my time was spent there.

So it became clear to use the exit strategy. The relationship with the ex has never been repaired, but luckily with some work, my daughter and I have never been better. It still is considered a good experience in my mind, because of all the other good things that came from the experience, learned a lot that I am grateful for learning, about business in the DR, but most importantly about myself.

It appears to me that what you experienced there was NOT "failure," and you got more out of it than "the experience."

You didn't go broke; you covered your losses (at least the financial ones) and you've still got your pension. Plus, you're not merely part of the landscape in Boca Chica, you're a landmark - Señor Tranquilo himself! And the bar is still your beach-front back yard. I'd call that Winning!

[el toro]

That would not be failing.


Failing is opening a store bar or restaurant with a life savings of $12,000 for example and then asking for plane fare home.

Failing IMO is having to return to the US against my own wishes because I had no way to support myself there. Having to return home due to job loss or business loss, lack of a plan etc..is not a good look.

[el toro]

A failing business is no big deal IMO when someone has other successful businesses, a pension or other income to live a comfortable life.

[yayow]

It appears to me that what you experienced there was NOT "failure," and you got more out of it than "the experience."

.....

Failure who said anything about failure I don't fail, I was just explaining the process, nothing about it was failure.