Questions about PR?

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Brian

Puerto Rico is a latin american nation. 99.99% Spanish speaking, catholic and with more than 500 years of history and ties with Spain. If you want an english speaking 'territory' go to US virgn islands or Guam. Puerto Rico is not like that at all, it is like being in Venezuela were you will find some people who speak english as a foreign language in the capital city (mostly rich and middle uppper class only).

If you are a US citizen or legal permanent resident then you ONLY need a state issued ID to fly here from the US. Yes you can stay as long as you like. Cost of living to me is like a major city in the US

Yes, there are the usual American things here with regards to chain restaurants, shops etc. But there is also still the Puerto Rican culture. Food, music, dance, scenery etc..

Old San Juan is a great place to check out, as is El YUnque rainforest, Ponce and the West Coast.

hope this helps

http://www.visit-the-coqui.com

tina_dopey

I'm from Ny...i moved here in 1996....I'm now in Aguada....i fell in love with this island....yes there are american fast food places...except Red Lobster...(which i am desperatly waiting for) ...no american newspapers...but they do have their papers in a english version...the island is so beautiful....so i hope that you have the chance to visit the whole island....drive around with your father...

no you do not need a passport...we are part of hte US...just need your US gov. ID...

you can stay as long as you like...

I hope you enjoy yourself when you get here.....

Yadiel_D!

I live in Puerto Rico, and i am more than happy to answer your questions.

>I've heard that most things are americanized there, like most people speaking English, they have mcdonalds, American tv, American newspapers, etc. is this true?

[Yes, we have MCdonalds, Wendy's, Burger King, Star Bucks, Coca Cola Gatorade, all of them (except a few restaurants or fast foods) i.e. Sonic, Red Robin, Dave & Busters...
Most people speak english. There is American TV, i.e. Cartoon Network, MTV, CNN, Discovery Channel, etc. And there is one English newspaper called San Juan Star.]

>and do you need a passport to go there, or just your state id? since it's an American territory, can you stay there as long as you like?

[It's American territory, traveling here is like traveling to another state. You can stay as long as you please.]

>and what is the cost of living like?

[Unlike in California, the minimum wage is from (basic, if you get a crappy job :P ) $3.61 to $5.15, and if you get a good job (Costco pays 8 bucks the hour to all its employees, despite minimum wage laws) you can get higher pay. If you don't have a job when you arrive, Disemployment will pay you 500 - 600$ monthly so you can get by for up to 5 months (120$ weekly).]

Manny

I was born and raise in Puerto Rico and can tell you that it's facilities and amenities are like any other state in the US.

You don't need a passport, but airline tickets only allow you to stay for either 30 or 60 days tops. I think this is to make money (revenue recognition) so you are force to buy a new ticket if you are over the timeframe.

You can stay, buy a house, and stay forever there if you like without any problems as long as you are an American Citizen.

If you are from San Francisco you will find it cheap down there, but don't expect jobs to pay as much or equal to jobs in the US. That was the reason I left Puerto Rico in the first place.

While you are out there these are some suggestions to where to go:

North Side (San Juan):
- Old San Juan - El Morro & San Cristobal Castles, Juan Ponce de Leon House, Rogativa statue, Parque de las Palomas (Pigeon Park). To party down there you just need to go to Isla Verde and to the hotels where the casinos are.

East Side:
- Go to el Yunque is you like nature and walk through trails. Get plenty of water, as the rain forest is very humid and there are a lot of hills to climb.

North West (Arecibo):
- Go to el Observatorio de Arecibo, which is the largest space radar in the world. You can also go to the Camuy Caverns, which you will find amazing!

West (Guanica, Lajas, Cabo Rojo)
If you scuba dive or like the beach go to any of the beaches on the west where the surf is not rough. You can go to Ballenas, Manglillo, Playa Santa, Combate, and Boqueron beaches. To scuba dive please use a scuba tour and go to Desecheo or Mona. I did it plenty of times and it was awsome.

There are good beaches in the east side like Vieques and Culebras, but I never have been there.

For surfing you can go to Tubos in Isabela or Rincon beaches.

South Side (Ponce and Salinas)
In Ponce you will find a good place in La Guancha with good night life to share with your friends.

In Salinas you will find excellent seafood restaurants.

These are a few tips I provide to my friends visiting the island.

Cheers!

jmclaudio76

To make it short, compare to San Francisco I have to say cost of living is similar. Most people will speak English but keep in mind the first language is Spanish and the pronunciation will vary a little to what you are use to in San Francisco. The the rest is how you said in the question, it is a territory no need for passport and if you become a resident of PR and the only source of income is from PR no federal Taxes, still send the tax form 0.

La Flaca

oh sweetie! You sound just like me when I first moved here! lol!!!

I am originally from a super small town in NC but when I met my husband we moved to Marin County. If you are from SF, you should know what I am talking about!

I can't say anything in spanish! I have been here 2 years and my spanish is horrible :-( I have a full time translator though! (my hubby is originally from here). We came to Isabela and I have to tell you, Ramey Air Force Base is only 10 minutes away and EVERYONE around here speaks english. Most things are "americanized". I am able to watch American Idol and HBO in english.. as well as every other american channel you get on your tv.. there are a few spanish channels thrown in here and there, but you get the point. I eat at Ruby Tuesdays, Outback, Ponderosa, Taco Maker, Taco Bell, McDonalds and every other fast food place. Pizza places, gas stations.. they are all the same.

No passport required for US Citizens

You can stay here as long as you like.. I have been here for 2 years now and don't have plans to ever go back to the states!!

The cost of living: The reason I stated I lived in Marin County is because I have probably the closest estimate from your region. The cost of living compared to No.Cal is REALLY REALLY REALLY CHEAP. We are renting a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with an ocean view for $500 a month. You can't rent anything for $500 a month in SF.. I know that for a fact ;-)

Its really nice here, so much that I would have traded Norther Cali for here any day.

Good luck and enjoy your stay!

lasm97

PS...you can get the american newspapers like the USA Today and Wallstreet at a bookstore like Borders, and the airport shops. Their daily English newspaper is San Juan Star.

starfire75_50501

Most everyone speaks English but not everyone. You don't need a passport to go there. If you are an American citizen you can travel and stay there as long as you like. I have visited Old San Juan and the prices were very reasonable. I'm from Iowa and we are cheaper than the coasts, if that helps.

darkman

(1) Being in PR would be comparable to LA and NYC . The people are bilingual (and you have the locals who only speak Spanish, but in the "tourist" spots they are bilingual and/or English speaking.
(2) all of the fast food chains found stateside can be found in PR. But I highly suggest and encourage you to stay away from that and experience real Puerto Rican food. Trust me you will never want a warmed over burger and cold fries again.
(3) As a US citizen, you only need a valid government issued ID (i.e drivers license, military ID, Non Drivers ID)
(4) you can stay forever (I suggest you do but the employment situation is rough)
(5) The cost of living would be comparable to any major US city and since PR is a tourist destination, it may even be a little more expensive than most cities. Again, given the employment problem, you would probably struggle to make ends meet unless you process an extremely marketable skill.

Enjoy your time there and enjoy the time with your father

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