Life In The Dominican Republic: Airbnb Listing in Puerto Plata

 

 

This $22 a night Airbnb listing has been really nice and almost perfect. I would definitely recommend it for a couple different reasons.

The rooftop views are incredible and also up there is a grill available for use, a place to wash your clothes and tables and chairs you can chill on with your friends. 

The apartment itself has a very modern design, the shower is pretty cool with three different types of water outlets and the bedroom has a TV and AC in it. 

One aspect that I don't like about this Airbnb is that it can be a little bit loud. Outside the apartment building is a very regular Dominican mini neighborhood. 

So in the early morning you can hear a lot of roosters crowing and once there was a full blow church service with speakers at the bottom of the apartment building. 

In general I wouldn't really care about the noise, but because I teach English online it did interfere a few times.  

If you are interested in this Airbnb listing please feel free to cashapp me $10 at $xplorgjc and I will send you the the direct web link. 

How Living in the Dominican Republic Has Improved My Mental Health

I lived in Miami, Florida from 2016 to the beginning of 2021. Within that time I broke up with my first girlfriend, started going to school at Miami Dade College and worked several odd and random jobs. 

Even though I was never without  any of the basics like a home or food, I was definitely void of other categories of human needs such as a sense of belonging, esteem and self actualization. 

Without a doubt this lack in these huge categories of human needs played a part in my deteriorating mental health. Some signs of poor mental health that I can point to during my time in Miami were worrying about the future a lot, feeling less interested in day to day activities and difficulty sleeping at night. 

There are many factors that caused me to be in that type of state, but I do firmly believe that being in the U.S. was definitely one of them that I'll eventually explain in another blog post. 

So after living in Miami for nearly 4 and a half years, I stayed with my Dad in Arizona for three months and then left to the Dominican Republic in August of 2021.  I can honestly say that my mental health has improved since I've been living abroad for three reasons: affordability, affection and community. 

Affordability 

Life in the U.S. is much more expensive than in the Dominican Republic and also many other countries throughout the world. Even just as a student in Miami Dade College , the weight of this reality was heavy on my mind. 

If I had decided to stay in the U.S. I would not be able to enjoy life the way I do here in the Dominican Republic, because I would have had to be working much more to even just live by myself. 

Economics play a huge part in mental health. When people feel comfortable with their income to expense ratio and also their monthly savings then it's much more likely to not end up in a state of anxiety and depression. 

Affection 

Dating in the U.S. is much more complicated than in the Dominican Republic because of feminism, the rise of modern relationships and the socioeconomic gap that is widening in America. While I was in Miami, I definitely felt the affects of all those aspects when it came to dating. 

However, in the Dominican Republic dating is much simpler and more straightforward for the average man.  This simplicity allows for closer relationships to be built sooner and affection and appreciation to easily flow between the man and woman. 

Intimacy, whether physical or mental can provide psychological and emotional benefits. It can help reduce stress and anxiety and increase happiness which is great for your overall mental health 

Community 

As an African American, I have felt a strong sense of community in the north region of the Dominican Republic, particularly in the Puerto Plata province. 

There are many other African African travelers who enjoy the beaches, the culture and nightlife of the Dominican Republic and also contribute to creating a brotherhood dynamic that I have found to be special. 

In the United States, I also participated in different communities such as a volleyball meetup, film group and others. But for me the feeling of community in the north coast of the Dominican Republic is definitely something that improves my overall mental health. 

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Can You Find Real Love In Sosua ? | Reaction To Video and Comments

Over a month ago I made a video asking the question if it is possible to find real love in Sosua, Dominican Republic. The answer from Stefany, the woman I was interviewing was interesting and also the people's comments were also intriguing. So I am going to react to both and share my own opinion on the topic.

20% 

Stefany said that there is a 20% chance a foreign man could find real love in Sosua. To be honest I believe that this number is too low. 

Throughout all of the Dominican Republic there are many honest, good and loving women who are looking for a traditional relationship. 

Sosua is not any different compared to the rest of the Dominican Republic, save the fact that it can be harder to find the regular women, because there are many chapiadoras and sex workers roaming the streets. 

Because of this many guys end up falling for the wrong type of chica, but if you put a little more thought and discernment into your search it is definitely possible to have a higher than 20% chance of finding real love in Sosua. 

Disappointment 

As I perused through the comment section of the video I found a particular theme that most people were bringing up which was about disappointment. 

If you go not only to Sosua, but really into any situation with extremely high expectations then there is an equally high possibility you could end up feeling disappointed. 

The great rapper Lil Wayne has an incredible verse  that goes like this: Had my heart broken by this woman named Tammy/ But hoes gon' be hoes, so I couldn't blame Tammy. 

If you go after a woman who is highly attractive, dresses like she is for the streets and talks likes she is for the streets then don't be surprised or disappointed when she can't give you "real love"  for an extended amount of time. 

For guys who are able to peep a woman with a good  personality and character and not just fat yams then "real love" is definitely possible to find in Sosua. 

Am I Looking For Love In Sosua? 

To be honest I came up with that interview topic, because I thought it was interesting and something a lot of guys think about. 

However I am not trying to find love in Sosua, because I am not really trying to find romantic love or a long term relationship with any woman right now. 

At the moment I am just about improving myself, staying on my creative grind and being available for my family. 

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Why Sosua Is A Great Place For Men To Learn Spanish

Being able to speak a second language, whether that be at just a conversational level or advanced, can help open many doors to new opportunities. 

However learning a new language is a journey and like with any journey there will definitely be ups and downs. 

For me a part of the difficulties of learning a new language boils down to motivation and I know I am not the only guy who struggles with that. 

I believe Sosua is a great place for men to learn and improve their  Spanish due to three reasons: motivation, opportunity and immersion. 

Motivation and Opportunity 

Sosua has many great things to offer tourists such as incredible beaches, robust souvenir markets, scuba diving and so much more. 

Another main attraction of Sosua is the easy access to companionship amongst Dominican women from all parts of the country. 

Because of this ability to easily be around real Dominicanas, there should be a real motivation to want to improve you communication skills with the ladies. 

Since I have been in the Puerto Plata province I have had many opportunities to go on dates which has helped me learn new words and expressions and overall increases my desire to improve my Spanish even just by myself. 

Immersion 

Most people would agree that immersing yourself in a foreign culture is the fastest way to learn another language. 

I've talked to ex-pats in Sosua who have told me that they had girlfriends who they may or may not be with anymore, but that the relationship helped them improve their Spanish exponentially.  

Personally, I had a girlfriend of two years from Costa Rica who helped me solidify the Spanish that I had. Unfortunately we are not together anymore, but at least I was able to walk away from the relationship having improved my second language. 

Obviously you don't have to have a girlfriend from the foreign culture you want to immerse yourself in to improve your Spanish, but it could help. 

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Life in the Dominican Republic: Hotel Checo Sosua

 

The location of Hotel Checo Sosua is great. The walk to Playa Sosua is about 6- 8 minutes. You can still hear motos zooming by, but it's not nearly as bad as being closer to Pedro Clisante 

My favorite part of the room I was in was the balcony. I was on the 4th floor so I got a nice view of Sosua. Also the breeze was very refreshing. 

Some parts I did not like about the spot was the fan. There wasn't any A/C which is pretty common, but the overhead fan was pretty weak. Also I got bit up by some mosquitoes so that wasn't fun. 

Overall I would say Hotel Checo is great for a short stay, but I definitely will not be doing any monthly rentals there. 

Life in the Dominican Republic: My Experiences After 6 Months Of Living In The Dominican Republic

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in the Dominican Republic, but like with anything there have been some ups and downs. Several times throughout my stay  here I thought about going back to the United States for comfort and familiarity reasons. 

Also while I was in Las Terrenas I applied to an English teaching job in Thailand, because I was paranoid about whether I could or couldn't make it here in the Dominican Republic. 

Fortunately the language academy in Thailand never responded to my application, because after being here in the Dominican Republic for over 6 months I can say I really feel like I am beginning to hit my stride and feel confident about being here in the Dominican Republic. 

The three aspects of living here that I have enjoyed the most  are dating, community and peace of mind. 

Community 

I am not the type of person to talk to a lot of strangers, because I have a more reserved and introverted personality. Even though that is the case that doesn't mean I like being around a lot of people who have those same characteristics. 

In the United States it's not very common to have some interesting conversation with strangers. Typically, my interaction with strangers involves someone maybe acknowledging my anime t-shirts or a slight head nod or something along those lines. 

However, in the Dominican Republic I have had many more conversations with people I just met for the first time. 

For example, the other day I was at Playa Alicia waiting for some people to come and play volleyball with me. I waited for over 45 minutes, but the lady who said she was going to come with her friends never showed up. 

To be honest I felt kinda bad about it, but the day wasn't a complete loss, because some guys who work on the beach came over and asked if I wanted to play volleyball. It was a pretty hot day so the sand wasn't very suitable for playing, but after trying to play,  we chatted for a while about my travels and eventually we started talking about women and relationships. 

I am not saying that this type of thing couldn't happen in the US, but the likelihood of just randomly having an engaging conversation with some people  I just met on the beach who weren't looking for something in return is not very high. 

Peace of Mind 

According to a Pew Research Center study,  in July 2020, 52% of young adults were either living with both or one of their parents in the US. I know there are many factors involved with that such as the pandemic and the job market shutting down quickly. 

But I don't think the pandemic is the only reason why the amount of young adults who are living with their parents is surpassing the amount of the Great Depression Era. 

Even before the pandemic, the cost of living in the United States was rising at a rate that most regular salaries are not able to cover. Forcing people to work two or three jobs. 

As someone who teaches English online and is a videographer I would definitely be living the life of a struggling artist if I had stayed in the United States.  That type of lifestyle can lead to a lot of stress and worry over paying bills and constantly being rapped up in hustle culture. 

However, in the Dominican Republic I am able to teach English and work as a videographer with relative ease. I am not trying to say it's all roses and rainbows financially, but I never worry if I am able to pay for internet or for rent or for things I need. 

This financial peace of mind really allows me to explore different parts of myself that I would not be able to if I was clogged into the machine of hustle culture in the United States. 

Dating 

My dating life in the United States was pretty dead. The opportunities to meet attractive women or really just any eligible women for dating were limited. 

In another  blog post I go further in depth into the reasons why it was that way for me, but suffice to say if I wanted a date in the US I would really need to go out of my way  to try and make that happen. 

However, after living in the Dominican Republic for over 6 months there are women who call me asking if I want to meet up. 

Honestly it's gotten to the point where sometimes I come up with excuses not to hang out just so I can spend time by myself. 

I would say if you are a hardworking and generous man then you will have no problems finding dates and being able to enjoy your time in the Dominican Republic. 

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How I Learnt Spanish

My Spanish speaking journey... I really don't know where to start. Soon after I was born, my mother took me to the Dominican Republic. So maybe it started then. 

In the U.S. you can choose to study either French or Spanish. I don't know why I chose the latter. Maybe my mother decided for me. She was a Spanish teacher so that would make sense. But I didn't learn a lot of Spanish through school to be honest. I never took it seriously, but also the reason to learn was never very strong either. 

I remember being a high school sophomore in an advanced Spanish class. Why I was in an advanced Spanish class, I really don't know. Probably because my freshmen Spanish teacher knew my mother spoke Spanish. But I struggled in that advanced class. One time I came into class to get extra practice. Instead of reading the book or doing homework I took a celeb magazine and began reading it and trying to figure out what it was saying about celebs. For me getting good grades was not enough of a reason to try and learn Spanish. 

Without a strong reason it's very difficult to learn a language. I found my strong personal reason to learn Spanish in 2013 when I moved to the Dominican Republic. I had to learn Spanish there because if I wanted to eat fast food, take a taxi or get my haircut I needed to explain myself in Spanish. So my language acquisition skyrocketed during that time. 

But the biggest reason I know as much Spanish as I do today is because of my ex girlfriend Mixi. I was with her for two years and spoke to her almost everyday while we were together. That repetition really solidified a lot of vocabulary and phrases to the point that I won't forget. 

So, my Spanish isn't perfect and I'm probably at a high beginner / low intermediate level. But I've gotten to this point because I found my reason to learn and I would suggest you soul search to find yours before  starting to learn any foreign language.