change of scenery

[numbnuts240]

so i just got back home from a 9 day vacation in puerto rico (pictures to come at a later date). i want to go back, like right now. the cities have their areas which are pretty dangerous, certain jobs have huge political ties which could have you searching out new work after elections, everything is low paying, but i don't care. my grandfather already extended an offer to stay with him, free room and board, i would just have to help him build s*** (i'd get to play with his back hoe and dump truck). thing is, after living in a house i call mine for the past few years, i doubt i could go back to living under someone else's roof. i could look into building a house on his property (iirc he has something like 8-9 acres left after selling a few).

now i'm not planning on going tomorrow, as that would not be realistic. i still have projects that need to be done on the house, and i'd like to finish the datsun and bring it with me (getting parts shipped to the island, and lack of expertise out there would make finishing it up there difficult). still undecided if i want to deal with keeping the house and just renting it out (i'd have to hire a handyman), or if the market is improved enough when i'm ready to go, just sell the house and hope for a decent profit.

it's a whole different world out there, and in my eyes, it's paradise. sure it's hot a humid and rains every day, but it's a tropical island, it's kind of expected. aside from weather, everything is laid back, the people are warm and accepting (save for the d-bags in the projects, but where i want to live, there are no projects), the food is amazing, wimminz are gorgeous, and it's just perfect.

anyone else just decide that they will pick up and relocate? advice? dos and donts?

[MellowZ32]

I say give yourself some time to get everything sorted out and the move to the island and take uncle Mellow with you!

[sbird1]

I was kind of thinking about just up and leaving but chickened out. I wanted to just drive northwest until I felt like stopping. Anyway, good luck with the decisions. If you've made up your mind about going, I would advise renting out your house. Just keep rent as enough to cover expenses and the expense of the handyman. That way you can keep your house for free. Might want to hire a property manager too. Good luck. Sounds like it could be a fun adventure.

[numbnuts240]

property manager

THAT'S the title i was looking for, i couldn't put my finger on it and went with handyman. someone to do regular maintenance and random repairs.

[alms24sebring]

I hear you make good money growing Coca leaves and making... product.

I like he US better.

[Bubba1]

so i just got back home from a 9 day vacation in puerto rico (pictures to come at a later date). i want to go back, like right now. the cities have their areas which are pretty dangerous, certain jobs have huge political ties which could have you searching out new work after elections, everything is low paying, but i don't care. my grandfather already extended an offer to stay with him, free room and board, i would just have to help him build s*** (i'd get to play with his back hoe and dump truck). thing is, after living in a house i call mine for the past few years, i doubt i could go back to living under someone else's roof. i could look into building a house on his property (iirc he has something like 8-9 acres left after selling a few).

now i'm not planning on going tomorrow, as that would not be realistic. i still have projects that need to be done on the house, and i'd like to finish the datsun and bring it with me (getting parts shipped to the island, and lack of expertise out there would make finishing it up there difficult). still undecided if i want to deal with keeping the house and just renting it out (i'd have to hire a handyman), or if the market is improved enough when i'm ready to go, just sell the house and hope for a decent profit.

it's a whole different world out there, and in my eyes, it's paradise. sure it's hot a humid and rains every day, but it's a tropical island, it's kind of expected. aside from weather, everything is laid back, the people are warm and accepting (save for the d-bags in the projects, but where i want to live, there are no projects), the food is amazing, wimminz are gorgeous, and it's just perfect.

anyone else just decide that they will pick up and relocate? advice? dos and donts?

Sounds exciting. I think the fact you have a close relative there could make a transition there easier, but there is a big difference between visiting and living there. I understand things move very slowly down there compared to what you're used to. So if you're the impatient type, it might irk you after awhile.
Your grandfathers offer sounds great as a short term arrangement, but I would think you have career aspirations beyond helping him build a few things on his property. You're young, so If you do not have a solid career path established where you are now, you could certainly test the waters for a few months down there and see what job opportunities are available. Your living situation certainly gives you an advantage.

Advice: Build an airconditioned guest house and book my weekend there.

[numbnuts240]

puerto rico, not colombia.

[numbnuts240]

Sounds exciting. I think the fact you have a close relative there could make a transition there easier, but there is a big difference between visiting and living there. I understand things move very slowly down there compared to what you're used to. So if you're the impatient type, it might irk you after awhile.
Your grandfathers offer sounds great as a short term arrangement, but I would think you have career aspirations beyond helping him build a few things on his property. You're young, so If you do not have a solid career path established where you are now, you could certainly test the waters for a few months down there and see what job opportunities are available. Your living situation certainly gives you an advantage.

Advice: Build an airconditioned guest house and book my weekend there.

patience is a virtue that i hold dearly. i HATE to be rushed, it's annoying and stressful. and air conditioning is a MUST. come visit and help me wrangle lizards, it's crazy fun.

[MellowZ32]

patience is a virtue that i hold dearly. i HATE to be rushed.

Translation: I'm lazy.

[numbnuts240]

hey furry face with the sombrero, shut it.

[MellowZ32]

you forgot to mention my sweet designer poncho

[AppleBonker]

Can I assume that Tito living in Puerto Rico would include an open invitation to NICO members to come down and party?

[dre1507]

i say do it.

[numbnuts240]

Can I assume that Tito living in Puerto Rico would include an open invitation to NICO members to come down and party?

visitors would be welcome.

[AppleBonker]

Then I'm in! Wait, that wasn't the question, was it?

[alms24sebring]

puerto rico, not colombia.

Its all the same. lol j/k

I've seen pics from there and it looks like a beautiful place. Be sure to give us a farewell before you leave.

[MellowZ32]

visitors would be welcome.

[skydragoness]

i say do it.

^ This.
Rent out the house, I say sell the Datsun all together and get something else. Isn't it AE86 central down there? That's what I heard at least...and lots of rotaries. Meh, if I were living on a island I wouldn't own a car but a 4wd Tacoma/Frontier. Seems much more useful. I have lots of family in the Dominican Republic, I can't say I'd want to live there though. Very poor and very corrupt and not exactly safe if you're female and not travelling with an entourage of male relatives to protect you. At least this is what I'm told by my mom and her brother
I wouldn't mind staying for a month though just to force myself to become fluent in Spanish.

[numbnuts240]

it is ae86 central, but they don't do it for me. the datsun stays, it will serve pretty exclusively as a highway cruiser, but i'm ok with that. there are a myriad of cars down there that i wouldn't mind using as a dd/errand runner. probably a 210, there are a ton of them out there too.

[numbnuts240]

forgot to mention, while there, i chatted with a bartender (originally from south jersey) about how/why he ended up down there and about living expenses. his how and why was that he wasn't doing so hot in the states and decided that if he was gonna be broke, might as well be broke in paradise. the bar was in rincon (west side of the island, i'm interested in staying in naguabo, on the east side) and he told me that a 3 bedroom house with a little bit of land in that area could run you around 50 grand (property is more costly there since it's a huge surf town and many people from all over the world end up moving there or buying property for the winter surfing season). any property valued at 150k and below is tax exempt. car insurance for a paid off car runs about $200/year (liability only). clothing is cheap because walmart and kmart are the bomb diggity down there (i already buy clothes at target/kmart/walmart so it's nothing new to me). if i could build a home on grandpa's land, i have access to naturally grown produce (mangoes, pana [breadfruit], bananas, malanga [an edible root], avocados, and oranges. they have coconut palms as well, but i don't like coconut.

i'm pretty much already convinced, but the more i think about it, i keep sweetening the deal.

[Jesda]

I know a guy who moved to PR and lived there for a few years. He loves it. He's now in California for school.

If you have more to gain than lose, just do it. Worse case scenario, you hate it and come back. No loss. Experience gained.

[AppleBonker]

i'm pretty much already convinced, but the more i think about it, i keep sweetening the deal.

So that's what you're doing. Seemed to me like you were trying to convince us to move with you.












I want to go.

[numbnuts240]

you, my friend, are invited to come with.

[krimsonviper]

Me too?

[krimsonviper]

forgot to mention, while there, i chatted with a bartender (originally from south jersey) about how/why he ended up down there and about living expenses. his how and why was that he wasn't doing so hot in the states and decided that if he was gonna be broke, might as well be broke in paradise. the bar was in rincon (west side of the island, i'm interested in staying in naguabo, on the east side) and he told me that a 3 bedroom house with a little bit of land in that area could run you around 50 grand (property is more costly there since it's a huge surf town and many people from all over the world end up moving there or buying property for the winter surfing season). any property valued at 150k and below is tax exempt. car insurance for a paid off car runs about $200/year (liability only). clothing is cheap because walmart and kmart are the b0mb diggity down there (i already buy clothes at target/kmart/walmart so it's nothing new to me). if i could build a home on grandpa's land, i have access to naturally grown produce (mangoes, pana [breadfruit], bananas, malanga [an edible root], avocados, and oranges. they have coconut palms as well, but i don't like coconut.

i'm pretty much already convinced, but the more i think about it, i keep sweetening the deal.

Wut?

And even on another piece of land, you won't switch over the West Coast.

[nissangirl74]

anyone else just decide that they will pick up and relocate?

I think I am the queen of impulse relocation.

I would absolutely do it.
- You have your grandfather so you wouldn't be alone.
- Lots of beautiful women, so you won't be lonely.
- You have work lined up. You already said you don't need a lot of money to live down there and you have always been simplistic. I don't think that would be an issue for you.
- You're excited for the 'pros', realistic about the 'cons', and you are still excited to go.

Like Jesda said, go and try it out. If it doesn't work out, you come home. If it does, you'll thank yourself everyday for talking yourself into it. It's really a win/win.

P.S. Ship non-rusting 210 to 85387, please and thank you.

[ADDirishboy]

Like I told you the other night man, do it. I will come visit and drink with you.

[breadbox]

I'll store that Z for you.