"Negotiate your happiness, not your price"

    How do you treat people that aren't in a position to do anything in return for you?  This is the key to travel in third world.  Help people in ways you can and be open minded enough to learn from the locals.  Be generous and you will see this foreign land from a whole new, wonderful perspective.

    Sometimes being right stands in the way of being happy and fully enjoying a hard earned vacation or life.  "I'll give you 10 pesos and nothing more!!!" is something you may overhear from a tourist arguing price with a local merchant over a t-shirt.  Sometimes it is best to realize 10 pesos is equal to 25 cents and you spent over $400 just to fly here.  It is probably not a financial debate worth a surge in blood pressure.  Your daughter will appreciate the brightly colored t-shirt even if you overpaid by 2 or 3 cents.  Simply smile and go with the flow for your own benefit.

Use the local language

   Someone abruptly interrupts our stroll in the park. They demand in a language we don't understand to know the address and hours of operation of a particular small cafe. Simultaneously, their companion is wildly pointing to a guide book. This may be a bit off putting, yet this is exactly how many tour foreign lands, especially when tired and frustrated.

    How about a simple, "Donde esta Capitan Cook?"   Actually, you may find out where Capitan Cook restaurant is located.  A nice bonus since it is directly on the beach and has wonderful seafood.  
Imagine visiting a friend and strictly avoiding the phrases:  hello, please and thank you throughout the visit.  Awkward?  Why is visiting a foreign land any different?  

    Using even the basics of a language is fun, helpful and opens up new levels of personal interactions that few tourists ever experience.  Think about it, when seasoned travelers tell their tales of their exotic journeys, do their most intriguing stories include their 5 star hotel room or their chance brush with a colorful character?  Use the local language to enhance your experiences, if nothing else.

    Have fun with speaking a new language!  You're not being graded.  Many attempts at foreign languages are preceded by the requisite look of terror.  Why?  Be a bull in the China shop.  Throw a few words out there.  See if they actually work.  If not, you'll be sure to get a laugh.  Roll with it, truly not a big deal.  

Knowledge is FUN!

    We love to visit sunny, warm Punta Cana.  We have an even deeper level of understanding and enjoyment when we learn more about the history behind the people and their culture.  This is the island that Christopher Columbus first landed upon.  All those lessons in fourth grade were referring to where you are standing right now!
    It is always advisable to know what is indigenous to the region you are discovering.  If not for the knowledge base, how about to just be able order what's cheaper and tastier?  There is less shipping and, therefore, less cost in regional cuisine.  Also, do you want the beer that sat on a hot ship for three weeks or the one brewed a few miles away?  There's even more of a difference in quality with vegetables, fruits and fish. 
    In addition, there is fascinating history throughout the island.  If you gaze out to sea and your eyes meet a ship wreck, who's boat is this?  How did it get here?  Were pirates involved or was it merely an overbooked 18th century cruise?  "We told you six lira will only get you near the island!"
    Actually, the ship wreck off the coast of Punta Cana is a Russian freighter built in France in 1957 with the name, "Astron".  It was delivering corn to Cuba and ran aground during a storm in 1978.  In this case, perhaps, ignorance is bliss and your own imagination may have weaved a more exhilarating tale, but still.
    It is interesting to know more about where you are visiting and it can also result in a more rewarding adventure.    

Health Insurance for People Living Abroad

The waves are crashing on the white, powdery sand. Palm trees are swaying in the warm breeze. The view of the turquoise waters has a soothing, almost hypnotic effect. You don't want to leave, and decide to make the bold move: leave the cold winters forever! I have great news for Americans and Europeans interested in relocating to the Dominican Republic! Health care coverage is affordable and high quality. Private clinics offer affordable fees for a visit. Without insurance, a doctor's visit will be about $10-15 U.S. dollars. Why would you bother getting health insurance when high quality care is so affordable? Major illness or surgery make health insurance a worthwhile purchase. Medical insurance policies cost only $500-600 US dollars annually for a couple, or twice that for a family of four. Cheaper policies can be purchased, but they will not cover major surgery. There are many insurance brokers in the Dominican Republic that can sell you the policy that best suits your needs.

Another great bargain is dental work. Dentists here are highly skilled and will charge you about half what you will pay in Europe or the United States for the same procedure.

Map of Dominican Republic

Moro

Moro is a rice and beans dish that exists in many countries of the Caribbean. It is known as peas and rice in Jamaica, and Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians) in Cuba, where it is made with black beans and rice. Every family has their own recipe, so after you master this basic recipe, feel free to experiment!


1 can red kidney beans
2 cups rice
4 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/8 cup diced cubanelle peppers
1 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, mashed
1/8 cup diced onion
1 pinch of oregano

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pot over high heat and add garlic and onions.
2. Add tomato paste and salt. Stir until paste dissolves.
3. Add beans and continue stirring.
4. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil.
5. Add rice and stir.
6. When water evaporates, lower heat and cover.
7. Rice will be ready in 20 minutes. Stir and drizzle with oil.

Dominican Cooking

Dominican cooking reflects the diverse history of this nation. The first settlers to this island were the Taino Indians. They left us many dishes and cooking methods still in use today, such as casabe. The Spanish settlers arrived next, at the end of the 15th century. The rice based cuisine reflects this Spanish heritage, along with many deserts such as flan. Arab influence in Dominican cooking is strong, not only through the 700 year domination of Spain and Portugal, but also through the Lebanese settlers that arrived in the 20th century. Examples of Arab dishes in Dominican cuisine are Quipes and Tipile (tabouli salad). In 1503, African slaves were brought to the island. Some of the most beloved Dominican dishes are of West African origin. Mangu, boiled mashed plantain, is a breakfast staple. In Puerto Rico and Cuba it is still called by its African name: fufu. Last, but not least is a Mediterranean influence in the cooking that can be attributed to Italian, French and Spanish settlers.