What is it like for an American to move and now live in Puerto Rico?

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Lovepurple

Just like moving anywhere else except that you need to learn some Spanish. The climate and food are different but wonderful. Other than the normal adjustments it is a beautiful place to live.

Texan_in_Puerto Rico

I think it is a handicap NOT to know Spanish unless you are in the tourist areas. Most people are friendly. The driving is crazy but you soon find yourself driving like everyone else. The country is beautiful but there is alot of trash on the sides of the roads and noone picks it up so it's something you have to look past. Everyone is on "Island Time" so the customer service sucks...it's not what we've come to EXPECT in the US...be prepared to wait anywhere you go. If you can get in the same mind frame as the local, it's not a terrible place to live.

Dorado is the cleanest town on the island and alot of Americans live there.

I'm still looking for a great Puerto Rican place to eat...I've found great Mexican and Chinese food.

madtvfan1989

well you have to get used to the year-round heat ranging normally from 75 to 90F. You have to learn spanish and you have to brace yourself and develop patience from all the bad drivers on the road. Take it from someone who lives there and curses almost everyday at people because they dont stop on red lights and don't even care...it's horrible..think about it. On a lighter side, it has great beaches...

that guy

i moved to PR when i was 11, its the best, you dont have to live like others want you to live, you live how you want to live your life, public schools are crazy though, but way to much people smoking pot, almost every guy 14+ has earings, and no sales tax, the price you see is the price you get, but currently pr is an economical crisis, the government is closing down, a lot of "huelgas" today so its been kinda krazy this past week, schools are out a month early, but who cares, rosello is a loser

maravi1951

Moving anywhere demand changes from your part.If you are willing to deal with the changes you will find a warm country with very warm and friendly people.you will not missed anything from the continental USA because we share the same currency,postal rates,restaurants and mainly the difficulty will be if you don't speak Spanish,but is a lot of people who speak enough English for you to make yourself understand.

mothergoose

If you are a person that likes your privacy, forget Puerto Rico. (HINT: #1 show is a show about gossiping!) If you don't know the Puerto Rican language (not spanish)...this is not the place for you. (Puerto Rico lanuage has it's own idioms and coloquialisms, plus all the "s" in words are silent.) I moved here about 2 years ago, after about 2 weeks I wanted to go back, and now I am dying to go back to the U.S. The school system sucks here. The schools are behind the schools in the states, they don't even have toilet paper (you have to supply your own for your kids), the teachers & principal (director) takes lunch at the same time (no one is watching your kids, so you'll have to go there), racial tolerance is rare unless demanded, violence amongst students are tolerated (if not, encouraged...there's no suspenstions or expellings for those kids--not even an apology), AND if your kids don't speak the language, they will fail your kids because the exams are given in their language; even though your kids have already learned the stuff 2 years ago. So if you have kids (especially if they don't speak the language) you'll be doing them a great injustice. NOW, if you don't speak the lauguage either, DON'T DO IT!!! Unless you have a serious job already lined up, don't move here. The jobs are scarce and work you like a horse. You'll be doing the work of 5 people and still be getting less than minimum wage. There is no overtime. The companies are money grubbing blood sucking leechs, worse than the states. Everything thats 3-5 times longer, regarding paperwork. If you get into an accident, your insurance only covers about 10%. If it's not your fault and proved with police statement, you'll still get less than 1/3 of your estimate. Bathrooms, most places are still using septic tanks and small pipes where you can't flush the paper, instead you have to put it in a garbage pail. Water pressure, forget it...you'll have water most of the time (so get a water reserve). Electricity, you'll need a generator...they will cut the power at any time, without warning. Humidity is intense so it's HOT here...plus, MOLD (yes, I said mold) grows on all of your clothes and your clothes that you rarely use, hanging in your closet, will reek of funk! If you don't have a drivers license, you better get one and learn to drive really well. (Picture one of your wider lanes for one car...hold that thought...now picture it used to a two way and people walking on either side...because there are hardly any sidewalks.) The drivers have no driving skills none what-so-ever! There's no courtesy when it comes to the drivers either but they love speed and stupidity. They are not, in any way, cautious drivers. FYI, if you don't like bugs...throw away this idea of moving to PR. Everything bites: mosquitos (little ones/big ones), flies ("mimes" pronounced "mE-mes"), black ants and red ants. They even have these little ants that get into everything. If you have a hole about the size of this period (.), they can crawl right through that!!! If you are a city person, definitely forget it. The food is expensive here. Everything is imported. S&H is way more and even though we don't pay taxes yet (cause that is currently going to be implemented) the s&h makes it expensive. Well, I suggest you visit someone that lives here and start accounting for everything as if you lived here. Then see if you want to live here. The schools are currently closed for over about a week now with not holidays because there's not enough money to sustain them open. Gas prices we pay close to the same. Ratio-wise, we pay more for everything because in the states you get paid way more...current starting wage (which will practically never raise is a little over $5!!!) I would seriously reconsider if I were you. Think it over with your family. There was a man that moved here to be with his mother. For seven years, he looked for work and finally moved back to the US and stated that he will NEVER come back...not even to visit. A relative has a bachelors in computer programming and hasn't been able to get a job in 8 years!!! You think about it long and hard while visiting. Add up the stuff and compare it to a wage of $5. See if you would want to live here and if it's worth it. For me, I'm moving back to the states and taking my family with me. Take care.

boricuaviajero

There are a lot of similarities between PR and the USA. Visas are not required and the we only use American dollars.

People are friendly but it is to your benefit to learn some Spanish.

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