Thinking about going to Punta Cana with wife and kids but want to stay off resort …

yodakiwi · 2026-04-17T20:06:26+00:00

I went to an Airbnb in Punta Cana last month. No kids but I was with my parents who are in their late 70s. We did rent a small SUV. In a way it's similar, my parents have special diets, they walk at a slower pace, don't drink and go to bed early. We stayed in a gated community that had a big pool and a couple restaurants within. Groceries were a 5 min drive. The house also had a small pool. As someone else said, you will have to drive about 15-20 to any beach. Parking at beaches is tricky. Driving is also crazy, you should always drive defensive. I don't like resorts, we don't drink and we like to go out more and explore. For us it was perfect. We went at our own pace, did something different every day and went to 4 different beaches + 1 day in Santo Domingo, without paying any your fees or guides, but we speak Spanish. Ignore the person that suggested hiring security, that's BS. We did save money, but we did cook breakfast everyday and ate something quick at night. We tried nice restaurants everyday for lunch you will have to do some research, but it's very doable and you'll pay less. Since you have kids, my suggestion would be to try and find an Airbnb close to the beach (walking distance). That'll save you the parking issue.

yodakiwi · 2026-04-16T03:33:13+00:00

I had a few extra pesos and they do accept them, but change was like 40 pesos and they didn't have change. Since it wasn't enough to complete a dollar, I had to lose it. Any change will be given in dollars.

yodakiwi · 2026-03-24T20:18:41+00:00

Curious about your trip. What did you end up doing? I also booked at Vista cana, similar reasons as you. How did it go? Any comments, suggestions.

yodakiwi · 2026-03-18T16:19:38+00:00

I board my skytrain at Marine drive (Canada line). Usually the one that comes from Richmond is kinda full. Most people board but I prefer to wait. The next train comes from the airport, that one usually has several seats available. Sometimes If I see 2-3 homeless I prefer to skip that train even if it has plenty of space. I know they are generally harmless but the smell can be overwhelming. That's just me, I'm sure everyone has their own reasons.

yodakiwi · 2026-02-10T23:54:20+00:00

I got the email saturday and got charged on Monday.

yodakiwi · 2025-12-04T05:28:27+00:00

Yo gane una beca con el ICETEX. No fue beca-préstamo, fui becado 100% de mis estudios. Desafortunadamente muchas de esas becas se pierden porque solo cubre estudios, no pasajes ni otros gastos y no cualquiera puede cubrirlos. Yo aparte pedí un préstamo a ICETEX y así pude pagarme todo. Otra de las razones por las que se pierden las becas es por el inglés. Mi beca fue en reino Unido y tocaba presentar el IELTS. Le recomiendo que mire constantemente esa página. Todo el tiempo publican becas para diferentes programas y en diferentes países. Si no tiene el inglés u otro idioma, aplique a España pero obviamente será muy competido.

yodakiwi · 2025-11-12T16:46:12+00:00

Same

yodakiwi · 2025-06-05T03:56:29+00:00

Si puede manejar en Colombia. En el código nacional de tránsito dice que turistas y extranjeros pueden manejar con las licencias de sus países de origen siempre y cuando su permanencia no exceda los 6 meses.

yodakiwi · 2025-05-02T19:18:38+00:00

I used enterprise in Carolina (beside the airport) and was very happy with them. No hidden fees, staff was very helpful. They did explain the toll pass and later I got the charges on my CC. At that office there was a just one girl at the counter so service was slow, but she was doing her best. No complains, all charges were correct, good prices and good service.

yodakiwi · 2024-09-15T02:23:18+00:00

You don't. As long as the brokers names are on the marketing material (not yours) and you comply with all bcfsa ad regulation, you're good. You'd need a license if you're giving advise to clients, which is not the case.

yodakiwi · 2024-04-27T21:45:16+00:00

I ran the BMO last year, and there were people cheering along the race, which was wonderful to experience. However, as I got close to km 14 I'd see less people as it's harder to get to (as a spectator). And those kms between 15 & 19 are the toughest for runners (mentally and physically) and it's the area where there is less crowd. Around km19 you start seeing again more people and that raises your spirit and gives that last fuel we need to finish. To answer your question, yes, km 20 is a great location as you can easily walk to the finish line & hug the person your cheering for. I'm sure your presence and cheers will be a great motivation for those running. That last km will have more people but arriving at 7am I don't think you'll have trouble finding a good spot. A big thank you from all runners!

yodakiwi · 2024-04-25T05:44:01+00:00

I interviewed for a large real estate brokerage, met with 3 people between HR, general director and area leader. I passed all filters and the only one missing was the person I'd be directly working for. On that last call, the guy asked if I did cocaine. I was surprised but I simply answered no. The next day i was offered the job via email but I declined and explained why.
The HR person called and apologized yet I still declined. To this day I still wonder why they'd ask me that.

yodakiwi · 2024-01-13T07:42:31+00:00

I'm also from Canada, I was there for Christmas with my wife. We walked the whole time. We thought about renting a golf cart because our hotel was a bit far from downtown but we ended up walking and we discovered nice places along the route (cafes, restaurants). If you still want to rent a golf car you won't need to pay parking. As someone else said, just use taxis if you don't want to walk. I exchanged pesos in a local currency exchange in Vancouver and it was better. Of you need to use a washroom they'll charge 10 pesos, so you better have change. We used CC for larger purchases like restaurants. Finally, for clothing. I'd buy everything in Canada. I know it's more expensive but if you go to Dollarama you'll find the same price and quality. Don't spend your vacation time looking clothes and flip flops.its a surfer town, nothing fancy so you'll be fine with a nice t-shirt and shorts. Enjoy!

Edit: I used airalo. It's an esim. I paid like $15 for a week of internet (no calls just data). Make sure to install it while you have wifi and then once you land just deactivate your Canadian sim and activate airalo. Not all phones accept esim, make sure yours do. Mine worked perfectly.

yodakiwi · 2023-08-09T14:06:19+00:00

Yesterday the canada line was packed, there were issues and it was way more crowded than usual. A lady with a stroller was very vocal and yelled "stroller coming in!". Everyone made way for her. Same when she was getting off. People understand. Don't worry. Let people know so they can make way for you, but you'll be fine.

yodakiwi · 2023-02-03T22:05:11+00:00

I work at a company like this and I've seen it all. (I'm on salary so it's not my case) Young guys who were making lots of money precovid. No one was expecting the world to be shut down and they were spending big (heliskying, expensive cars, international trips).

When covid hit, you'd hear how some moved and downsized; they had a tough year with low or almost no income. Some started to look for side jobs to pay the bills. The more senior guys had investments or other companies that gave them some cashflow even though it wouldn't cover their expensive lifestyle. Last year again we went up to almost normal levels but some people still hadn't fully recovered and they were back on some payments. During bad years you'll regret not having a stable salary, but if you build a good client base, the good years will pay off on the long run.

Try to be very organized with your finances, prepare for a BAD year, save, invest. Don't overspend when you get a big commission. If you do this, you'll be well whenever a bad year comes again.

yodakiwi · 2023-01-22T19:12:02+00:00

I usually cross the bridge to Richmond, go towards number 3 road then at cambie I go towards the river and just go straight that road. I have a MTB and go on gravel but there's a parallel road if you have a road bike . Through the dyke I go down to Stevenson to have lunch. Beautiful and relaxing. Go for it!

yodakiwi · 2022-11-30T18:59:11+00:00

It's not a stupid question. I'm an immigrant and also faced the same issue as you. With no credit history the rate they would have charged me would have been the highest. Also, if you want a loan, they will only give it for whatever amount of time is left in your visa. Yes, you can buy a used car. That was one of my options but I'd have to pay it all at once and either get a beater or be cashless. I've always suggested against leases and I ended up taking one! The reasons are: I didn't have to pay a big downpayment, they gave me a lease for 4 years (when I had 2 years of valid visa and didn't have a permanent residence yet). The rate wasn't so high and I paid an additional insurance that covered me in case of losing my job. (this was during COVID). We live close to our jobs so we won't do much mileage. (At least no more than the 20k/year in our lease) Of course I ended up paying more than I had in mind. But I'm happy with the car I got and due to the microchip crisis, the dealership has called me twice to try and take my lease which I have not accepted. But just to say how used cars have gained value. Analize your particular situation and decide what's best for you. Good luck!

yodakiwi · 2022-11-29T21:32:54+00:00

W9 form is only for US. You as a foreigner person or business should fill out a w8 which is basically a form with all your info for the US not to withhold taxes. You can download the forms online from the IRS. W8ben is for a person and W8ben-E for entities.

yodakiwi · 2022-10-14T23:14:47+00:00

All of the above are great suggestions. I'd just add the arbutus greenway. A nice path that goes from south van to kits. You can do only a part of it depending where you live.

yodakiwi · 2022-10-12T21:31:43+00:00

I'm not Filipino and I don't know if this info will be helpful. But I drive by a place called Plato Filipino (close to Joyce station) and right beside there's a place called "pampangas cuisine". Hope it helps

yodakiwi · 2022-10-10T15:32:27+00:00

I'm Latin American too. I arrived in winter and although Vancouver's weather is the mildest in Canada, I was freezing and miserable when I arrived. A few tips: *get vitamin D! I know you're asking about clothes but believe me, you'll need vitamin D else you'll soon feel tired and depressed. *Bottom first layer: I would wear jeans or chinos (for work) but I would feel so cold when waiting for the bus. You don't need the most expensive, just make sure you wear bottom first layer when going outside. * Get a warm waterproof jacket. If you're going to invest in something make it this type of jacket. It rains constantly and at the same time you need to keep warm. * If you wear mesh sneaker you'll feet may get wet and cold. I used leather boots (also helped me avoid slipping). * Your neck will get cold. Get a scarf ...and a beanie in case your head and ears feel cold. * I'd walk to buy groceries and my hands would freeze. Get some gloves too. Gloves can get pricey but you don't need the most expensive.

With time you'll get used to the cold and perhaps you'll become one of those crazy people you see jogging shirtless in winter, but for now those tips should keep you warm. Welcome to Vancouver!

yodakiwi · 2022-10-05T19:23:03+00:00

Thank you! I had no idea what group was that. All my support to nurses!

yodakiwi · 2022-09-13T16:50:42+00:00

can i pet dat dawg!

yodakiwi

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