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TIBB Newsletter #3 |
Sept-May 2006 |
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Samana, Dominican Republic
Tropical-IslandBedBreakfast@usa.net
Phone: 809-538-2829 / 809-693-3134
http://www.tropicalislandbb.com/
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It is again with great pleasure that TIBB has created another issue of its newsletter--which should have been bi-monthly-- for the enjoyment of its former guests, needgreaters, and brothers making inquiries! Unfortunately, TIBB Newsletter #3, has been delayed due to circumstances beyond our control, but should now be forthcoming every two months!
THE PURPOSE OF THE TIBB NEWSLETTER IS TO:
THIS NEWSLETTER MAY BE READ ONLINE AT: www.tropicalislandbb.com/Newsletter_Sept-May.htm if it does not download properly on your computer
WHO ARE WE? FOR NEW ONES WHO ARE NOT SURE:
For information & photos of our Bed/Breakfast facility Click Here To meet our Staff: Click Here To see what we offer, Click Here.
NEWS FOR OUR FORMER GUESTS & NEEDGREATERS ABROAD:
Romance is still in the air! Jaime (Jim) McLeod and his lovely wife, Donna Klein-McLeod, were married in Massachusetts in November and are now presently serving in Jaime's special pioneer assignment in the Dominican Republic.
Jaime and Donna are the second couple to meet at Tropical Island Bed & Breakfast!
Domingo Balbuena, Chi-Chi's son, is now also married. He and his wife, "Laura," , a needgreater from the US were married in Samana on October 23, 2005.
TIBB HONEYMOON & ANNIVERSARY SPECIALS! DISCOUNTS FOR MAY & JUNE:
www.tropicalislandbb.com/TropicalAnniversary.htm Click here for discount certificates.
DISCOUNTS FOR NOVEMBER 2006:
15% discount for 14-Day & 21-Day Economy www.Tropicalislandbb.com/14DayE.htm www.TropicalislandBB.com/21DayE.htm
TWO-MONTH PIONEER PARTNER WANTED!
to serve where the need is great on Island of Hispañola, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic May 20-July 20 & to share expenses (Approx. $170/month each). Would prefer a sister fluent in Spanish.
DESCRIPTION:
Dominican style house with two bedrooms. Everything included. Also:
internet service for laptop, TV (no cable, local Spanish stations
only), DVD player, VHS, wide movie selection of DVDs &
videos. Telephone for local calls. ABOUT JARABACOA: There are two famous sayings regarding Jarabacoa: One speaks of its "eternal primavera" or eternal Spring. This explains the other one: "God lives in all parts, but He sleeps in Jarabacoa." Jarabacoa's year-round spring-like weather is pleasantly warm in the day but can range from cool to quite chilly at night, promising a good night's sleep. This attracts visitors not only from abroad , but from towns across the Dominican Republic.
ACTIVITIES: river
rafting, horseback riding, swimming/waterfalls, canyoning, etc.
CONTACT: Valarie Watts, Tel: (443) 822-3243 or email: valarie@earthling.net
ENGLISH NEEDGREATER ASSEMBLY! Although, there are no English speaking congregations in the Dominican Republic, the Branch very lovingly provides an English assembly twice a year for the missionaries, special pioneers & other foreigners serving where the need is great in the country.
On April 29th & 30th, a total of 450 missionaries, special pioneers & needgreaters from all around the world met together at the Santiago Assembly Hall to enjoy encouraging talks on how to improve our ministry serving in a foreign country,along with excellent counsel on the importance of manifesting the new personality in serving under difficult circum- stances, & how to keep "filling ourselves up" spiritually as "our lives are being poured out as a drink offering" in our service to Jehovah in a country where nothing is easy!
Excellent counsel was given on taking care of ourselves not only spiritually, but physically, "so as to present our- selves as a "living sacrifice" not an ill or dead one" & we were cautioned to watch our social gatherings & dress in order to set a good example for local brothers & ones we preach to--always keeping focused on why we are in the country!
Encouraging experiences were related & information given about the great need not only in Spanish, but in Chinese, Creole, and Sign Language congregations & groups.
FUTURE ENGLISH NEEDGREATER ASSEMBLIES:
Special Day: Dec. 17, 2006 Santo Domingo Assembly Hall Autopista San Isidrio
Two-Day: April 21-22, 2007 Santiago Assembly Hall Villa Gonzalez
SAMANA NEWS!
After receiving approval from the Branch for the purchase of land for building a new Kingdom Hall in Samana, & after taking appropriate steps to secure the land, problems arose and the land is no longer available for purchase !
However...
The roof of the Kingdom Hall was extended into a very attractive walkway-terrace to accommodate some 30 more brothers and sisters for meetings & a better sound system was installed for the brothers in attendance sitting in this outside overflow area. For further overflow beyond the new walkway-terrace, brothers stand or sit on steps going up to the KH (& under umbrellas when it is raining).
Despite all the problems of trying to find land to build and meeting in such a crowded little place, the congregation continues to flourish and grow both in numbers and in enthusiasm for the ministry.
Mari, our very zealous young needgreater sister from Japan, who attended the Sign Language course in July sponsored by the Dominican Branch, has now left Samana & is serving where there is a great need is a sign language congregation in Santiago!
Samana Congregation is quite "lean" now in regard to "needgreaters", with so many having either left or gone away to work for 2-3 months.
TOWN NEWS! Cruise ships in Samana
Some
60,000 tourists from Europe & Asia, on
approx
40 cruise ships visited Samana this
winter
season, docking between Barcardi/Cayo Island & Samana. Goal of the
Norwegian Cruise Lines & Mediterranean Co.
is
to program cruise ship arrivals year-
round in the
future. This month brings
the cruise ship
visits to Samana to an end
until next winter. El Catey Airport-Samana to open Nov. 2006
The airports management
authority has announced that the new
airport for Samana at
El Catey will be operating November 2006.
It is expected to open
with flights from Europe & US to Samana.
The runway is 3,000 m.
long and 45 m. wide. The two-storey terminal
will have the
capacity to handle 1,500 passengers per hr in arr. & depart.
Photos:
http://DR1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46873
Four Gran Principe Bahia Resorts Replace former Hotels in Samana!
The Spanish Grupo Pinero chain-- has invested $60 million to purchase & remodel 4 hotels in Samana counting on the slated Nov. 2006 opening of El Catey,
Samana airport! This chain already operates Bahia Principe in Rio San Juan & a large resort in Punta Cana. Also planned is a 191 luxury hotel on Cayo Levantado as well as the new 223-room "Gran Bahia Principe Cayacoa"
The 103-room Gran Bahi Principe Samana has replaced the former Gran Bahia Hotel. Also purchased is the resort in El Portillo, Las Terrenas, which has now become the "Gran Bahia Principe El Portillo".
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LATEST NEWS - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
TOURISM IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: January tourists from: Canada, 84,098 U.S. 82,095 France 37,815 Italy 16,230 U.K. 15,950 Spain 15,105
TELEPHONE CHANGES:
New
Area Code as of Nov. 2006
Since August 1st, it has been necessary to dial 10 digits for all telephone calls. 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, one dials 1-809 followed by the toll-free number.
Purchase of Verizon Dominicana by America Movil of Mexico: Many are concerned that new problems may arise with turn over of the 88% landline phones & 84% internet lines previously held by Verizon.
Tricom prepares to
be sold
Gold-Mining in Dom. Republic! The Canadian Vancouver-based Placer Dome Mining Co. has announced its approval of the Pueblo Viejo gold project in Cotui. It is expected to produce approx.12 million oz. of gold, at avg cash costs of between $200 & $210 per oz. over the next 20 yrs.
Drilling for Oil in Dominican Republic! Venezuelan & Brazilian experts to drill for oil: explorations will be done in southern region of the country, Bay of Ocoa, west of Santo Dom. 70 wells drilled since 19th century have not yielded positive results. Currently, several foreign companies have concessions from Gov. for explorations.
RD$10 and RD$25 peso-coins
The Royal Canadian Mint is now producing 50 million 10 and 25 peso coins to replace paper currency for ten & twenty pesos. The new coins are worth approx: 30-cents (10-peso coin) & 75-cents (25-peso coin)
The New RD$10-peso nickel coins with a bronze center are now available & the RD$25 copper-nickel coins will be available soon. $10 peso bills & RD$20 peso bills will no longer be used once they are out of circulation. This change has been due to the devaluation of the peso, which has made the USD stretch much further for foreigners, but causing an increase in poverty for the Dominicans as wages have not increased proportionately.
In
1990: one peso =14 cents or a $100-peso bill =$14+ US;
Dominican Republic Unemployment
The president of the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic
says that the 18% unemployment rate
in the Dom Republic is the highest in
Latin America
Average Approx. Monthly Salaries: RD pesos US Dollars Medical doctors $11,000 $338 Police $3000-6000 $90-$180 Secretary/Asst $3000 $95 Bi-Lingual Sec. $8000 $250 Accounting $4000 $125 Hotels/Restaurant $3000-5000 $95-$150 Housekeepers $2000-3500 $60-100 School Teachers $3000-4000 $90-125 Factory Workers $16-23 50-70 cents/hr Teaching (Priv/Tut) 50-150 $1.50-5.00/hr
Minimum Monthly Wage: $3,000 RD ($95 USD)
www.dominicanrepublic.com/thecountry/society.php
[ Your camera may cost more than a Dominican's yearly wage! ]
EXCHANGE RATE: RD to USD fluctuates between $32 & $35 pesos to USD.
For USD, DOP, EURO, CAD, DOP , ESP, JPY daily exchange go to: FX converter at: www.oanda.com/convert/classic
Foreigners Warned by Migration...
that foreigners who are not properly registered will be classified as illegal. This is part of the proposed regulations for the application of the General Migration Law, signed on 15 August 2004 that requires that foreigners must have ID cards or documents that indicate whether they are temporary or permanent residents, or non-resident temporary workers. Foreigners living in the DR for under five years until the signing of the Migration Law will be considered non-residents.
The Dominican Branch is very helpful in orientating brothers with a checklist of what is needed, along with information on exactly where to go & how to get there.
The first step: If one goes to the capital the day before for orientation with the bros at the Branch to go over the checklist & then begins by 8 am the following day it is possible to do everything all in one day in order to "make the deposit" with Immigration. Some have found it advisable to pay a bro. with a taxi to take them to each place & wait for them. CLICK HERE for name & tel. number.
The second step comes several weeks later--that of obtaining the cedular & residency card & this process is much easier & can be done by noon if begun by 8 am. Once the residency card is obtained it must be renewed at the end of a year.
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.
New Requirements for Travelers: The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States.
This is a change from prior travel requirements, and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. Present Requirements:: www.DomRep.org
FIELD SERVICE EXPERIENCES:
"The Little Coconut Barn" http://needgreaters.com/DRexp.htm
"Laguna Salada" - Salty Lagoon : www.tropicalislandbb.com/Preaching1.htm
Young People Experiences: www.needgreaters.com/ExpFromYoungPeople.htm Ecuador - British Virgin Islands - Dominican Republic ENCOURAGING WEB SITES:
(1) Serving Jehovah with Determination Despite Disabilities: www.DespiteDisabilities.com now being updated.
(2) Serving Where
the Need is Great web page:
www.Needgreaters.com
in process of being updated.
Read
all about needgreaters in Mexico &
their experiences! Soon to come - Needgreater experiences from San Jose de Ocoa, Dom. Republic !
(3) Serving Where the Need is Great in San Jose de Ocoa. San Jose de Ocoa has approx. 50,000 population, one congregation and THREE GROUPS (one sign language), 1,120 attended 2005 memorial. Of the 77 Baptized in the congregation, 40 are regular pioneers!
There are needgreaters there from Austria, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand, California, Arizona!
One needgreater couple serving in San Jose de Ocoa with their two children are having a wonderful time as a family in the ministry there! Concerning their move to serve where the need is great, they write:
"We are quite happy that the spirituality of our children has accelerated so much due to all the activity of the needgreaters here...many of the regular pioneers are only 14-20 years old!"
With enthusiasm they tell of their experiences "...hitchhiking up the mountain once a week to a little town....preaching from 8 am to 6 pm...of a public talk being given for the lst time in this little town...& of their having 97 in attendance...an entire congregation of people with no publishers in the town to help the group!"
To learn more about how they came to go where the need is great as a family, & to enjoy more of their experiences & also to view several brief slide showings of the town, congregation & territory, please visit their site at Serving Where the Need is Great in San Jose de Ocoa.
WHAT OUR NEEDGREATERS ARE DOING: Many of our needgreaters have become quite resourceful in creating work for themselves in order to be able to stay in the country and help out:
A Family From Canada with Three Children:
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Other Needgreaters Are:
COMMENTS FROM TROPICAL ISLAND BED & BREAKFAST GUESTS:
Family Group of Twelve - 9-Day All Inclusive "We really enjoyed our stay.... I loved everything the company, the food, the brothers, the outings! It was all wonderful! Although very different from what we are used to on vacation, this is what I wanted: an experience--an adventure--to be able to see the "REAL" Dominican Republic. Molly Ann and Rodolfo and Nilda were awesome! They were always very gracious and tried to make us as happy as possible! us as happy as possible!
"My husband and I are considering making a move to the DR, and this trip confirmed what we had hoped to find, a beautiful island, wonderful humble locals, and an opportunity to dedicate ourselves to the ministry full time and to our family."
AIRFARE NEWS! N E W ! LOW FARES ALERT LINK !
For USA International airports to Dom. Republic
The following link will be continually updated:
EXAMPLES OF CURRENT LOW FARE ALERTS:
Florida to Dominican Republic:
Boston thru Providence to Santo Domingo, $109 one way, www.spiritair.com
Atlanta to Santo Dom. $109 one way, www.spiritair.com
Chicago or Detroit to Santo Domingo, $109 one way. www.spiritair.com
San Antonio to Santo Domingo: $405 round trip
USA: (other links) For Assistance: (JW Travel Agency USA)
RockyS@BethelCoachTours.com
BERMUDA, ITALY, GERMANY, SPAIN, ENGLAND, NETHERLANDS, CANADA:
Bermuda: Good fares Bermuda to USA www.USA3000.com www.USA3000Airlines.com Then from USA to Dom Rep. thru: www.spiritair.com and www.Expedia.com , www.Hotwire.com , www.Cheaptickets.com for Dominican Republic from NY, Miami, Philadelphia, Newark, Chicago, Washington DC.
Canada: Air Canada now flies to SD non-stop via Toronto, Tues Thurs. Sat. Air Canada also has non-stop flights to Puerto Plata from Calgary, Winnipeg, London Ontario, Toronto Ottawa Montreal, Moncton & Halifax. www.AirCanada.ca
For Assistance: (JW Travel Agency, Toronto)
England:
Germany:
Amsterdam or Brussels. Martin Air & KLM - Average rate to Dominican Republic $300-$400 Euros.
Netherlands:
Italy:
Spain
Czech and Polish flights:
SA from
the Czech Republic & Podroze TV from Poland have begun charter flights
to transport tourists to the Dominican Republic from these two new
European cities this fall and have continued through the European
winter months The Czech flights began in Oct.& the Polish flights start
November. Polish flights will bring tourists through Puerto Plata
Intern'l airport
HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR TRAVELING
www.TropicalislandBB.com/HelpfulInfo.htm
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* * * * * * * * * HOUSE / APARTMENT RENTALS SAMANA : Minimum Stay: 3-6 months: (Rates in USD)* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Rooms: 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..
Payable 3-6 months in advance. Sister Maria Salomon: Email: Maria
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Apartment: 2 bedroom $200
House: 2 bedrooms. $160. Payable 6 mos in advance 5 min. from Kingdom Hall Sis.Julia Columna. Email: Julia
Studio Apartment
for 2: $145 Studio Apartment for 1: $135 Payable 3 months in advance. 5 min. walk from Kingdom Hall Julia Columna. Email: Julia * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Apartment: 1 bedroom $115 Small apt. near town, the sea. Sister Ramona de Leon Email: Ramona
Apartment: 3 bedroom: $175 Payable 6 months in advance Sister: Ramona de Leon Email: Ramona * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
VEHICLE WANTED:
Used: 2000-2004. In good condition.4-door. Jeep style.
CLICK
HERE 1993 SUZUKI JEEP FOR SALE! White, 4-door. four-wheel drive; Good condition. $3,200 US. Located: Jarabacoa. Tel: (809) 232-1218 or Email: Molly-Ann@usa.net
MAILING LIST If you know of anyone who would like to be on our mailing list, please CLICK HERE & type in their email addresses. If you have received this Newsletter twice by mistake, please notify us so we can correct our mailing list We hope you have enjoyed our newsletter, and we welcome submissions from all of you for experiences, ads, and news ! EMAIL
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.
All of TIBB Newsletters from 2005 until current one are available on-line. If you missed an issue or simply want to read previous issues please visit the following link: : |
Graduation Vacation
