I'm a Black Expat AMA

[Gritsngravy]

Any legit Stem degree is gold in the 3rd world. An electrical engineer with experience and US credentials would be hired on the spot.

But they will usually pay at the local rate. Surgeons in the DR make a starting base salary of 1400 USD a month. Oil engineers in Colombia get 1100 a month.

You can make somwhere near american money if you work or contract with multinational companies, but to do any of this you have to be a resident of the country first.

So really the move would be get a position at like bp or shell or companies like that then have them move you outside the country while still making American col dollars

 

[Wiseborn]

So really the move would be get a position at like bp or shell or companies like that then have them move you outside the country while still making American col dollars

Yes that would be the move. But those jobs usually go to white boys.

theoretically you could take a government or military job that sends you over there as well.

 

[Wiseborn]

b0

Can co-sign this post. I was in Medellin recently having women come directly to my spot and I had a doorman who did exactly as you stated...no issues whatsoever. I still didn't have anything to drink or eat around them as an extra precaution.

I'll also cosign Laureles as a nice spot to stay. I was there for a month and at no point did I ever feel unsafe, especially during the day. Bonus points if you stay near a train station, you don't even need to Uber out there.

Question for you breh: I plan on getting my Spanish up to par and would like to make either Colombia or DR my "base" this year for that. What would be your recommendation between the two? Feel free to throw another place in if you want.

I lived in the DR and Colombia and I prefer Colombia in some regards and the DR in others.

Outside of Medellin there's way more Americans in the DR than in Colombia. You'd be surprised at how important this is. Most people dream of being away from Americans try being the only foriegner in a neiborhood not knowing anyone not knowing the culture and see how that works out for you.

I also like the fact that the US is closer and you can buy 90% of the things that you buy in the america in the DR, Can't say the same for Colombia. You'd be surprised at what you miss. More people go back and forth to the DR so they can bring things to you.

You're generally way safer in the DR than in Colombia, way less likelyhood of being killed or even robbed in the DR. But Colombia is more security conscious. In fact speaking of Laureles in general I don't see Viligantes (security guards) on every corner like it is in Cali. Cali is way more dangerous than Medellin but in upscale neighborhoods it's more locked down cops are everywhere and there's plenty of security I see less of overt security in Medellin.

Even though the DR is much smaller you can holla at a greater variety of chicks than in Colombia, They are way more open to dating foriegners seriously than Colombians are.

Dominicans are nicer and more welcolming in general, but I will say that you get stronger friendships over time in Colombia than in the DR. But it's way easier to intergrate into Dominican society than in Colombian society.

I'm not really fond of how influential Mexican culture is in Colombia versus how influential it is in the DR. You're not gonna hear much ranchero music in clubs and bars in the DR.


That being said there's more money fflowing in the DR, and less in your face corruption in Colombia than in the DR. Theres also more varied things to do. Basically in the DR a lot of expats just go to the beach and chase girls all day.

It's not as humid in most of Colombia than in the DR. The infrastructure is better and the power almost never goes out in Colombia. If you decide to live in the DR you better bring a couple of backup solar generators.

Colombia is actually way cheaper than the DR. In the DR you can live good but with all those extra expats the price of housing and food is way higher than Colombia..

There's a less scammy culture in Colombia in regards to tourists/ expats and things are built better.

Way more BBL's in Colombia than in the DR.

Healthcare is better in Colombia than in the DR.


Any more questions just ask. I really like Kenya too.

 

[Wiseborn]

b0

Can co-sign this post. I was in Medellin recently having women come directly to my spot and I had a doorman who did exactly as you stated...no issues whatsoever. I still didn't have anything to drink or eat around them as an extra precaution.

I'll also cosign Laureles as a nice spot to stay. I was there for a month and at no point did I ever feel unsafe, especially during the day. Bonus points if you stay near a train station, you don't even need to Uber out there.

Question for you breh: I plan on getting my Spanish up to par and would like to make either Colombia or DR my "base" this year for that. What would be your recommendation between the two? Feel free to throw another place in if you want.

I lived in the DR and Colombia and I prefer Colombia in some regards and the DR in others.

Outside of Medellin there's way more Americans in the DR than in Colombia. You'd be surprised at how important this is. Most people dream of being away from Americans try being the only foriegner in a neiborhood not knowing anyone not knowing the culture and see how that works out for you.

I also like the fact that the US is closer and you can buy 90% of the things that you buy in the america in the DR, Can't say the same for Colombia. You'd be surprised at what you miss. More people go back and forth to the DR so they can bring things to you.

Even though the DR is much smaller you can holla at a greater variety of chicks than in Colombia, They are way more open to dating foriegners seriously than Colombians are.

I'm not really fond of how influential Mexican culture is in Colombia versus how influential it is in the DR. You're not gonna hear much ranchero music in clubs and bars in the DR.


That being said there's more money fflowing in the DR, and less in your face corruption in Colombia than in the DR. Theres also more varied things to do. Basically in the DR a lot of expats just go to the beach and chase girls all day.

It's not as humid in most of Colombia than in the DR. The infrastructure is better and the power almost never goes out in Colombia. If you decide to live in the DR you better bring a couple of backup solar generators.

Colombia is actually way cheaper than the DR. In the DR you can live good but with all those extra expats the price of housing and food is way higher than Colombia..

There's a less scammy culture in Colombia in regards to tourists/ expats and things are built better.

Way more BBL's in Colombia than in the DR.

Healthcare is better in Colombia than in the DR.


Any more questions just ask. I really like Kenya too.

 

[Wiseborn]

Know the money.

This is elementary game but bares repeating. Understand the exchange rates of the local monopoly money and have a rough estimate of costs. You can find general costs of things on websites like Expatistan.com and Numbeo.com It's crowdsourced so consider updating the information for your city on those sites.

Also watch out for short changing in restuarants and stores ask how much things are and look carefully at the bill before you pay.

 

[ReggieFlare]

Dominicans are nicer and more welcolming in general, but I will say that you get stronger friendships over time in Colombia than in the DR. But it's way easier to intergrate into Dominican society than in Colombian society.

Think you can expand on this point a bit? I’ve heard something similar from a friend regarding making friends in Colombia.

 

[Wiseborn]

Think you can expand on this point a bit? I’ve heard something similar from a friend regarding making friends in Colombia.

Colombia is more like america. theres other industries other than entertainment and Tourism

The DR is a small country of 11 million people outside of Santo Domingo and Santiago its a series of small towns and if they arent by a beach then agriculture is big
people are more country nice in the DR.

Things are far less formal in the DR, relationships matter. Its way more a "who you know" being more important than what you know in the DR.

for the most part other than the small professional class The average Domincan knows or directly depends on someone overseas.

Dominican culture is closer to ADOS culture and more people in the DR look ADOS

Dominicans have to pull together and individually have less material wealth than a Colombian.
more people in the DR speak english and work in the tourism field than in Colombia.
its sotra like Colombia is more like LA and the DR is like lower Alabama

 

[Wiseborn]

Also Colombians experience much more violence and theres groups trying to overthrow the government. A national memory of extreme violence leaves psychological scars

 

[NobodyReally]

b0

I lived in the DR and Colombia and I prefer Colombia in some regards and the DR in others.

Outside of Medellin there's way more Americans in the DR than in Colombia. You'd be surprised at how important this is. Most people dream of being away from Americans try being the only foriegner in a neiborhood not knowing anyone not knowing the culture and see how that works out for you.

I also like the fact that the US is closer and you can buy 90% of the things that you buy in the america in the DR, Can't say the same for Colombia. You'd be surprised at what you miss. More people go back and forth to the DR so they can bring things to you.

You're generally way safer in the DR than in Colombia, way less likelyhood of being killed or even robbed in the DR. But Colombia is more security conscious. In fact speaking of Laureles in general I don't see Viligantes (security guards) on every corner like it is in Cali. Cali is way more dangerous than Medellin but in upscale neighborhoods it's more locked down cops are everywhere and there's plenty of security I see less of overt security in Medellin.

Even though the DR is much smaller you can holla at a greater variety of chicks than in Colombia, They are way more open to dating foriegners seriously than Colombians are.

Dominicans are nicer and more welcolming in general, but I will say that you get stronger friendships over time in Colombia than in the DR. But it's way easier to intergrate into Dominican society than in Colombian society.

I'm not really fond of how influential Mexican culture is in Colombia versus how influential it is in the DR. You're not gonna hear much ranchero music in clubs and bars in the DR.


That being said there's more money fflowing in the DR, and less in your face corruption in Colombia than in the DR. Theres also more varied things to do. Basically in the DR a lot of expats just go to the beach and chase girls all day.

It's not as humid in most of Colombia than in the DR. The infrastructure is better and the power almost never goes out in Colombia. If you decide to live in the DR you better bring a couple of backup solar generators.

Colombia is actually way cheaper than the DR. In the DR you can live good but with all those extra expats the price of housing and food is way higher than Colombia..

There's a less scammy culture in Colombia in regards to tourists/ expats and things are built better.

Way more BBL's in Colombia than in the DR.

Healthcare is better in Colombia than in the DR.


Any more questions just ask. I really like Kenya too.

What's the market like for those who work in education? Are there any job opportunities in higher education? What is their higher education system like?

 

[Wiseborn]

What's the market like for those who work in education? Are there any job opportunities in higher education? What is their higher education system like?

a lot of people teach English. Theres an american school in the DR designed for kids who plan on going to college in the States.

In Colombia its the same thing theres a German school not far from me.

I guess if you were a bonified educator you could volunteer and or work in some Catholic School.

Thats another thing Catholism isnt as big in the DR or Colombia as you think lot of Protestant churches here

 

[Wiseborn]

What's the market like for those who work in education? Are there any job opportunities in higher education? What is their higher education system like?

I know a guy who taught english in a school with only a TOFEL creditential homie was a college drop out.

Dude got fired because he couldnt put the weed and coke down enough to get up for class

dude is a white boy

 

[the bossman]

american brehs the biggest thing you can do in any non-US biased overseas setting is to adopt an international mindset. in US-biased locations lean into it and you will be at an advantage.

Can you give some examples of advantages the international mindset gave you in a US influenced setting

 

[the bossman]

More Airline hacks Consider Skiplagged. You can get a flight with a layover in the city that you want to go to sometimes cheaper than it would be to fly direct.

That being said if you're part of a miles program if they find out that you did this they can revoke your miles.

This is a carry-on only move. High chance to blow up in your face with checked bags

 

[the bossman]

consider getting an international Drivers license. Not only is it additional ID technically you're supposed to have this when renting a car especially in Asia.

You can get one by applying online

Think it varies by country? Didn't need one to drive in France last year and several other countries

 

[Wiseborn]

This is a carry-on only move. High chance to blow up in your face with checked bags

Absolutely, Usually they load your bags on a connecting flight automatically You could have a 12 hour layover at Hartfield and you won't touch your checked bags.

Also this is technically illegal so keep that in mind, But for the Breh living or flying into Flyover country you can save hundreds of dolllars.