Why Choose the Dominican Republic?

My husband, Ed, and I have always wanted to live abroad. To that end, we've visited a lot of places looking for the perfect spot. Mexico was a top contender until things started getting dicey with the drug cartel activity escalating in the last year or two. Ed wants a beach, I want to learn Spanish, and the Dominican Republic is a beautiful, Caribbean island with a lot of opportunity.

The geography alone is compelling. We enjoy stunning white sand beaches lined with coconut palms alongside the highest mountains in the Caribbean. In addition, you can raft down white water rivers or head to the desert if you want need a little break from the humidity. Plus, it's close to many Central and South American destinations we've always wanted to explore.

If we ever need a shot in the arm of the good 'ole USA, we're just a two hour flight to Miami via American Airlines and a three hour flight to Atlanta on Delta. We also hope our friends and family will visit and the Dominican Republic should be an easy destination for everyone. While getting there may be half the fun, we felt that some of the other countries that were on our short list - Chile, Argentina, Uruguay – were simply too challenging to casual visitors.

That's not to say we wouldn't consider those places in the future, but for our first foray as expats, the Dominican Republic makes a lot of sense. It's easy to work, own a business and gain residency. And did I mention the beaches and clear blue Caribbean water? That will be a recurring theme for us since I never get tired of the sound of waves crashing on the beach.

After much consideration, we have decided to settle in a small village outside of Las Terrenas on the Samana peninsula of the island. The town of Las Terrenas primarily attracts European and Canadian visitors but we expect that will change as the country becomes more accessible to American travelers. Besides gorgeous beaches, this part of the country has a wide variety of attractions including but not limited to, whale watching, snorkeling, diving, sailing, horseback riding, hiking and deep sea fishing.

We decided to share our experiences as residents and expats here because we found relatively few resources when we were planning to relocate. I hope this blog will give you answers to your questions and open your eyes to the opportunities for exploring the Samana peninsula.

If you have a topic you'd like to hear more about, let me know. I'm happy to share my experiences and expand my knowledge of my surroundings – I love a challenge!