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TIBB Newsletter #2 |
July/August 2005 |
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Samana, Dominican Republic
MarilynPereira@usa.net Phone: 809-538-2829
/ 809-693-3134 (cell)
http://www.tropicalislandbb.com/
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It is again with great pleasure that TIBB has created another issue of its bi-monthly newsletter for the enjoyment of its former guests, needgreaters, and brothers making inquiries! We now present you with TIBB Newsletter #2!
Be sure to check our ads section at the end of Newsletter for houses/apartments for rent, vehicles for sale, items for sale by brothers leaving the country. Submissions welcome.
For SUBMISSIONS, please include your name, congregation, telephone number, and e-mail address.
WHO ARE WE? FOR NEW ONES WHO ARE NOT SURE:
For information & photos of our facility Click Here To meet our Staff: Click Here To see what we now offer, Click Here.
NEWS FOR OUR FORMER GUESTS & NEEDGREATERS ABROAD:
Romance
is in the air! Jaime (Jim) McLeod is now engaged to a lovely pioneer sister, Donna Klein, who is presently serving where the need is great in a Portuguese congregation in Massachusetts, USA. Wedding will take place in MA in November. Plans are to return to Jaime's special pioneer assignment in Dominican Republic. For those who would like to e-mail congratulations to Jaime: JaimeMcLeod@lasgaleras.de or
Jaime and Donna are the second couple to meet at Tropical Island Bed & Breakfast!
Domingo Balbuena, Chi-Chi's son, is now engaged to "Laura," a needgreater from the US. Wedding will be held on October 23, 2005, in Samana, where they plan to live.
TIBB SPECIALS FOR AUGUST & SEPTEMBER: 10-Day Summer Special discounted for those interested in itinerary outlined at SummerSpecial.htm Additional 5% discount given for reservations August 1 - 31st. Click here for discount certificates.
C O M I N G ! SEPTEMBER: Discounts for Honeymoon & Anniversary Plans
www.tropicalislandbb.com/TropicalAnniversary.htm Click here for discount certificates.
COMING IN NOVEMBER:
Discounts for Whale Watch Economy plans for January/February 2006. www.tropicalislandbb.com/7DayE_Whales.htm
N E W COMBO ADVENTURE !
TIBB has created a
new exciting all-inclusive COMBO for those who would like the
experience of visiting the mountains of Jarabacoa, river rafting, and
horseback riding to the waterfalls before lying on the beaches of the
Peninsula of Samana. ENGLISH NEEDGREATER ASSEMBLY!
September 25, 2005 One Day Assembly Villa Gonzalez, Santiago.
(Although,
there are no English speaking congregations in the Dominican Republic, the
Branch very lovingly provides an English assembly twice a year for those
serving where the need is great
SAMANA NEWS!
Cruise Ships to Samana: Bahia Cruise Service announced it has reached an agreement with Norwegian Cruise Lines and Mediterranean Shipping Company for 33 cruise ship visits in Samana this winter season. 60,000 tourists are expected the first year. Cruise ships will dock between Bacardi Island in the Samana Bay and the Peninsula of Samana.
Circuit Overseer's Visit: August 9-14, 2005
After receiving approval from the Branch for the purchase of land for building a new Kingdom Hall in Samana, brothers are now taking appropriate steps to secure the land!
Meanwhile...
The roof of the Kingdom Hall was extended into a very attractive walkway-terrace to accommodate some 30 more brothers and sisters for meetings until the new Kingdom Hall can be built. A better sound system was installed for these brothers in attendance sitting in this overflow area.
Our dear Cuban couple, Jose & Rosie, who have moved here to serve where the need is great, were seriously injured in a terrible automobile accident a little over a month ago. Their truck was totaled, and they were carried unconscious to the hospital in Nagua. They are now recovering at their home in Las Galeras. Jose had multiple injuries to chest and broken rib. Rosie has several broken ribs, broken leg, and both writs broken. She is in a wheelchair, and recovering nicely with lots of help from her daughter and another sister who is staying with them. Their spirits are high despite what has happened, and it is a joy to visit them. Despite everything, they made it to the book study the past week, wheelchair and all! E-mails to them may be sent to MarilynPereira@usa.net for printout.
Mari, our very zealous young needgreater sister from Japan, just attended the Sign Language course in July, sponsored by the Dominican Branch, and is now leaving Samana to go to Santiago to help with sign language there.
Samana
Congregation is quite
"lean" now, with so many needgreaters having either left or gone away to
work for 2-3 months or in the case of some, gone home on vacation. LATEST NEWS - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
TELEPHONE CHANGES
From August 1st onward, 10 digits must be dialed for all telephone calls. Therefore, when dialing any 7-digit national, local, or cell number, it must be preceded by 809. For calls to the national toll-free number, 200, dial 1-809 followed by the toll-free number; this change in dialing is to accommodate the new area code, 829, for the country.
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NEW CURRENCY COINS:
Coming soon will be currency coins or "moņeda" for $10 and $25 pesos (worth approx. $35 and $86 US cents). The Royal Canadian Mint will produce 50 million 10 and 25 Peso coins.
A few years ago, the $5 peso bill (now worth 17 US cents) was made into a five-peso coin. Some ten years+ ago, the $1-peso bill (now worth 3― US cents) was made into a one-peso coin. This has been due to the devaluation of the peso, making the USD stretch much further. Hence, why many foreigners retire in the Dominican Republic. Today, cons for .10 (1/3 of a US penny), .25 (9/10th of a US penny) and .50 ($1.5 US cents) are almost non-existent and without value.
For one USD one receives between 28 and 29 Dominican pesos at present. Excellent for tourists; bad for the country's economy.
VISAS TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:
Only citizens of Argentina, Chile, South Korea, Ecuador, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Peru, Liechtenstein, and Uruguay, may enter DR without a visa or a tourist card. DR only requires a tourist card from citizens of Germany, Australia, Czech Republic, Spain, USA, France, UK, and 44 other countries.
AIRFARE NEWS!
Good online fares
Bermuda: Good fares to US through www.USA3000.com and www.USA3000Airlines.com Then through www.Expedia.com , www.Hotwire.com , www.Cheaptickets.com for Dominican Republic from NY, Miami, Philadelphia, Newark, Chicago, Washington DC.
England:
Germany:
Martin Air & KLM usually go from Amsterdam or Bruselles. Average rate to Dominican Republic $300-$400 Euros.
Canada: (assistance)
Netherlands:
Italy:
Spain
USA:
RockyS@BethelCoachTours.com
Florida to Dominican Republic: Low-cost fares from Florida: Spirit Airlines, the leading low-fare airline, has daily non-stop service from Ft. Lauderdale to Santo Domingo. This route is now covered by at least 3 airlines: American, Spirit, and US Air. This airport, which is only 40 minutes from MIA, is an alternative to the larger Miami International Airport, and a way to avoid the long lines and congestion at MIA.
Boston to Puerto Plata: $283 round trip.
San Antonio to Santo Domingo: $405 round trip
FIELD SERVICE EXPERIENCES:
"The Little Coconut Barn" http://needgreaters.com/DRexp.htm www.tropicalislandbb.com/Preaching1.htm
Young People Experiences: www.needgreaters.com/ExpFromYoungPeople.htm
ENCOURAGING WEB SITE: www.despitedisabilities.com/Spirit_of_Determination.htm
WHAT OUR NEEDGREATERS ARE DOING.
Many of our needgreaters have become quite resourceful in creating work in order to be able to pioneer where the need is great.
A Family From Canada:
Other needgreaters are:
COMMENTS FROM OUR GUESTS! Our trip to the Dominican Republic was one of the best we've ever taken! It was like going on a cruise, except we were on land. What I mean is everything was included, from meeting us at the airport to a comfortable Bed & Breakfast in |
a great location along with complete housekeeping services (even our clothes were washed), all of our meals (whether in house or at other locations), and all of our activities.
Just a brief experience: I met a couple at one of the resorts where we spend a day. They were from California, and had been in Samana for 3 weeks. They said it was very expensive to get to the resort from the airport, and they literally hadn't left the resort since they got there because they had trouble communicating with the staff and figuring out what there was to do outside the hotel, the various costs involved, or even how to rent a moped. Of course, we didn't have to worry about any of those things! They were so surprised to learn of all the
many things we were doing and the places we had been! What could I say? Everything was included in our trip, even though we stayed at the bed and breakfast.
Thank you for offering us this great opportunity! We will definitely be returning again!
Steve & Carla
Joel
THE PURPOSE OF THE TIBB NEWSLETTER IS TO:
Minimum Stay: 3-6 months: SAMANA: (USD)
Room: kitchen privileges, sheets, towels provided: Service group/book study in home.
Room for 1-2: $105 US monthly Room for 2-4: $140 US monthly
Use of entire house/kitchen, etc.. Minimal stay: 3-6 months. Payable 3-6 months in advance. Sister Maria Salomon: Email: Marilyn
Apartment: 2 bedroom $200
House: 2 bedrooms. $160.
Minimum stay 6 months Payable 6 mos in advance 5 min. from Kingdom Hall Julia Columna. Email: Marilyn
Studio
Apartment
for 2: $145 Studio Apartment for 1: $135
Minimum: 3 months, Payable 3 months in advance. 5 min. walk from Kingdom Hall Julia Columna. Email: Marilyn
Apartment: 1 bedroom
$115 Payable 6 months in advance. Small apt. near town, the sea. Sister Ramona de Leon Email: Marilyn
Apartment: 3 bedroom: $175 Minimum stay: 6 months Payable in advance Sister: Romona de Leon Email: Marilyn
1993 SUZUKI JEEP FOR SALE! 4 door 4x4. Inquires, CLICK HERE
VEHICLE WANTED: 7 passenger mini-van, diesel, l998 or newer: Prefer: Nissan Serena, Toyota Sienna, .Honda Odyssey or Toyota Hiace, or Nissan Urvan, 12-15 passenger, 1998 or newer CLICK HERE
FOR SALE: 2000 Skoda Felicia Year Combi, 5 sp shift propane & gasoline/AC/ New tires/battery. JaimeMcLeod@lasgaleras.de
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We hope all of you enjoy our newsletter, and we welcome submissions to it from all of you!
If you prefer not to receive our newsletter, please kindly send us an e-mail with the word REMOVE in the subject line, and include your e-mail address.
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