Colombia or Dominican Republic ??? (speaking, cons, culture, compared)
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I've always wondered how close the San Andres Islands are to Nicaragua versus them belonging to Colombia..
San Andres Islands is literally off the coast of Nicaragua.
If you are deciding purely based on learning Spanish, Colombian Spanish is WAY better and easier to learn and understand than Dominican Spanish. But if you are fron NYC, you are probably used to Dominican Spanish, so I guess it just depends on which country you think you'd like more.
Actually the Colombian coast more so the Caribbean coast of Colombia, the people have an accent just like Dominicans, Panamanians and Puerto Ricans.
Ask any one from Colombia., and Caribbean Costenos of Colombia, they talk real fast in fact some of them even have words that are also said in Panamanian Spanish like "pelao" meaning "kid" in Panama and the Caribbean Coast of Colombia.
you must be talking about the Colombian spanish of the folks of Medellin, Cali, and Bogota which have similar Highland Colombian Accents... and they vary too...
Colombia is a big nation.
Actually the Colombian coast more so the Caribbean coast of Colombia, the people have an accent just like Dominicans, Panamanians and Puerto Ricans.
Ask any one from Colombia., and Caribbean Costenos of Colombia, they talk real fast in fact some of them even have words that are also said in Panamanian Spanish like "pelao" meaning "kid" in Panama and the Caribbean Coast of Colombia.
you must be talking about the Colombian spanish of the folks of Medellin, Cali, and Bogota which have similar Highland Colombian Accents... and they vary too...
Colombia is a big nation.
I've always wondered how close the San Andres Islands are to Nicaragua versus them belonging to Colombia..
San Andres Islands is literally off the coast of Nicaragua.
I've always wondered how close the San Andres Islands are to Nicaragua versus them belonging to Colombia..
San Andres Islands is literally off the coast of Nicaragua.
I think it is because at one time, Panamá (and maybe certain parts of Costa Rica) was part of Colombia, therefore the islands fell within the Colombian realm/influence.
Didn't used to be...but Colombia did a smart thing and encouraged folks to move there...before that, those islands were more similar to Jamaica than either Nicaragua or Colombia
Didn't used to be...but Colombia did a smart thing and encouraged folks to move there...before that, those islands were more similar to Jamaica than either Nicaragua or Colombia
This isn't true. 57% of San Andres and Providencia still identify as Raizal, the descendants of Jamaicans and Bajans brought over by English Puritans in the 17th century. The other half is made up of continental Colombians from all over including some Arabs.
Colombia or New Granada as it was known then also dominated the miskito coast (current Nicaraguan Caribbean) as well as parts of Costa Rica and all of Panama after the British left first time around in 1803 and left their slaves there.
During independence from Spain in 1819, the residents of San Andres and Providencia opted to become part of the newly formed Colombian republic in 1822.
During the US-Colombia altercation over Panama in 1903, the US even offered San Andres to become part of newly formed Panama, however fear over treatment of Blacks in the US influenced the Raizales to refuse the US offer.
Until the 1960's there was little involvement from the Colombian government over the islands. However, since then the residents of San Andres have resented Colombian government involvement in their affairs but tolerate it to an extent because they're the most subsidised region of the country in terms of welfare and pensions. They're not about to swap one "Spanish" government for another, especially when the opportunities offered by Bogotá surpass anything Managua can offer.
RE: The question, if you prefer Caribbean culture maybe DR would suit you better as DR is more developed than the Caribbean region of Colombia especially in tourism. However, if diversity is your thing Colombia wins hands down. Even in the Caribbean region you have places that still speak an African derived language in Palenque de San Basilio, ancient civilization ruins such as Teyuna (ciudad perdida), picturesque Native American villages such as Nabusimake, desert landscapes and beaches in La Guajira, snow capped mountains in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta and easy cheap access to San Andres island from Cartagena airport.
Last edited by Pueblofuerte; 07-19-2015 at 01:57 PM..
Actually the Colombian coast more so the Caribbean coast of Colombia, the people have an accent just like Dominicans, Panamanians and Puerto Ricans.
Ask any one from Colombia., and Caribbean Costenos of Colombia, they talk real fast in fact some of them even have words that are also said in Panamanian Spanish like "pelao" meaning "kid" in Panama and the Caribbean Coast of Colombia.
you must be talking about the Colombian spanish of the folks of Medellin, Cali, and Bogota which have similar Highland Colombian Accents... and they vary too...
Colombia is a big nation.
People from Medellin say Pelao too. It's extremely common. I'm not sure if it's used in other parts of the country, I would think it is.
I've never been to Colombia so I can't give you the pro's and con's of it.
However I can with the Dominican Republic. I have been living here for just over a year now and I now call it 'home' away from 'home' which is the UK for me.
Pro's
1. It's one of the biggest countries in the Caribbean (apart from Cuba) and has so much to do. The North Coast is typical Dominican and really laid back and great for that beach town party / ex pat vibe. Las Terrenas is stunning and slightly more European. Santo Domingo reminds me of a mini rough version of Barcelona (without the fantastic architecture) but here you have shopping malls / Ikea and La Sirena (like cost-co but more of a supermarket).
2. It's cheap. To make cost comparisons you can find details on my blog ([url=http://www.corporatetocaribbean.blogspot.com]Corporate to Caribbean![/url]) or this travel company [url=http://www.rumchinola.com]RumChinola Travel Planner - Home[/url]
Food and living is so cheap - so long as you go more local rather than high-end restaurant style.
3. Good WiFi connections. For a developing country - there is wifi in most places.
4. Cheap Transport. Buses around the country e.g. Sosua to Santo Domingo are around $320 RD pesos each which works out about £4.50 / $7 USD.. and its a 4 hour journey. You can also get buses to Punta Cana.
5. Security - it is as safe and secure as anywhere else. Use common sense and don't flash expensive belongings. Most places or residential areas offer security for a small monthly fee of around $20 USD a month. Wages are low in the DR so the cost of security mirrors that.
Cons
1. Corruption - Like many places, corruption does exist here. Sometimes in your favour - sometimes not.
To counter act this I would advise people wanting to move here or relocate here temporarily to learn Spanish. This is not to say you will be a victim of corruption by any means - but if you happen to be driving late at night and the police pull you over asking for $20 USD for you to drive on - they will soon realise you aren't a 'typical tourist' and this always helps you out of any situations. My advice is that the police are paid fairly low wages and are always going to try it on with you re: money. It doesn't pose any danger or threat.
People driving cars can sometimes encounter Dominican's hitting into your car and trying to take you to court - but again this is only in touristy areas and if you have a good head on you - you will start to think like a Dominican and not fall victim to the typical tourist tricks.
Jobs wise - its best to do something geared at both tourists and Dominicans. In the summer months - tourists don't seem to visit as much and therefore you will rely on your Dominican trade to keep things ticking. Whether you are a hairdresser, plumber, electrician, chef etc. There will be work for you if there is a demand.
Currently good reliable tradesman are highly in demand on the north coast.
Good luck with it all!
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