Why Expats Leave the Dominican Republic
Two different expat journeys, two different outcomes: Based on true events.
Expat Leaving
The expat who was once so enthusiastic about living abroad has now returned home, putting the experience behind him. This former expat goes by the name Lenny. “Are you leaving Lenny?” asked the doorman as he glanced at Lenny’s luggage bags. Lenny replied in a low tone, “Yes sir, my time has come.”
Almost two years after Lenny arrived, the plan was to live in the Dominican Republic forever; he never envisioned returning to North America. He loved the weather, cost of living, and going out for food and drinks. So what changed? What led Lenny to leave what he once loved so much?
It would seem like a combination of a few things led to Lenny packing his bags and leaving the Dominican Republic. Lenny only made two friends: a retired expat couple he met randomly at the embassy. They were great people; they would all go out together, watch the game at each other’s home, stay up late, and talk. Lenny was a single guy in his late 40s, and an introvert at that. Being to himself, Lenny didn’t go out much without the group and he never made any other friends.
It was the best year when they were all together, but for unfortunate reasons the retired couple had to return home, leaving Lenny alone. Shortly after the couple said their goodbyes and left, Lenny started to feel homesick. He relied too much on his friends for his social life. They went grocery shopping together, paid bills together, and always hung out. Lenny felt alone and suddenly couldn’t see the beauty of the Dominican Republic expat life as he once did.
Expat Staying
They used to call her “Local Lucy” because she never traveled and was even closed-minded to the idea of it. One day she stumbled upon a TV program about living abroad and was mesmerized by the lifestyle. The idea of a lower cost of living and enjoying more for less sparked something that had to be acted on.
She chose to live in the Dominican Republic. She took a few Spanish lessons, figuring that she would just wing it during her time there. Lucy is a friendly gal, though pretty shy, she is outgoing in nature.
Lucy made it her obligation to blend in with the locals. She went to comedores as much as sit-down restaurants. Although her Spanish was very limited, she used every opportunity to greet neighbors: “Hola, ¿cómo estás?” Lucy made friends with other expats, as well as Dominicans who spoke English.
For Lucy, it was important to be part of a community. She wanted the full Dominican experience, and she got it. She loves her new life in the DR, a permanent stay, and can’t imagine returning to live in North America.
My Advice For You
Lenny failed because he waited for a social life to come to him. Lucy succeeded because she made it her priority. The lesson is simple: To thrive abroad, you must choose to actively build your social connections.
Many expats make the mistake of only being social within expat communities, and after a while it feels as if they’re on an overextended vacation. The best choice an expat can make is to get out of the house and meet some of the friendliest people that you’ll ever come across.
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