In light of recent saftey concerns.....

[zahmbie]

Just a quick question for those down there - does there seem to be a lot of break-ins in the student apartments? What about peoples spouses and families? Has anyone heard of them being harmed while the signifigant other is off in the library or where ever late in the evening? My spouse is coming with me, and before I get the 'Do not bring her' posts, it is really our only option. I know the university claims that many people bring their spouses, but is this the reality? Any feedback will be very helpful. Thanks in advance.

Z

[MitchDC]

I have my spouse here and wouldn't have it any other way. She has enjoyed it here and travels all over this island by herself. MANY students have their spouses here and many have kids here too. Despite what you may have guessed from the recent event and all the chatter about it, this place is really a safe place. More crime happens around pretty much every US medical school (and their hospitals) than they have every had here in total (that may be an exaggeration, but really its safe). There are not a lot of break-ins and only a couple robbery incidents per semester that I know of. The University doesn't hide anything, in fact we always get an e-mail about the incidents and suggesting how we should go about protecting ourselves or chaning our bad habits. The Univesity also tells us what they will be doing to help us. They also have a large security "force" that are very close to the Dominican Police.

Don't worry about the safety here. Use your common sense, live near other students, and you and your spouse will be just fine.

-MitchDC

[Ross]

My wife has lived on this island with me for the last eight years. She and two other wives of faculty are off to Roseau today for a social/shopping day. They are driving and traveling by themselves. These outings are a regular occurence.

She feels quite safe on the island. She and the other wives do go to beaches but use a Dominican driver for more remote ones. They have yet to have any real problems. When she is not touring the island, she is often alone on the property and again she has had no problems while I have been at work.

I think it is safe to say that she and I both feel as safe here as we did in the United States before we came to Dominica.

[zahmbie]

Thanks for the input. It is appreciated.

[pablo]

I don't have time to post a big post, but I would like to add something about crime and safety. When I first came down here I was very careful about trusting any local b/c of diff. things I had heard. I was wary to pay in u.s. when I first got here b/c I thought that I was probably being screwed...what I have learned (i am 3rd semester) is that your avg. dominican is very honest...they are very geniune people..one example of this all of you will see is that if you don't have any money, or are a couple of dollars short just about every vender at the shack's will defer payment and trust you to pay them..some don't want you to pay with big bills when only spending a few dollars and will tell you to bring them smaller bills later.

Obviously, anywhere you go there is going to be some crime, but I don't think it is that bad here. When there is crime usually nobody is physically injured..I have not heard of anyone being physically injured at all..I have not scene or heard gunfire the entire time I have been here. One bad thing is that I am not to confident in the police dpt. here...I really have no basis for this just a hunch.

One final word..I would much rather walk down a street here at night than in any major city in the u.s.

[MitchDC]

Good points Pablo, I agree! -M

[medNoir]

The van was full last night and a van's full of people were left behind to wait for the next one.

So I walked.

The way was clear and open and occasionaly lit. The most noteworthy event was that I almost stepped on a crab whose shell was around 6inches wide. It looked like a freakin tank. It waved menacing pincers in the air. My flashlight caught it in time and I detoured. Angry wildlife has the right of way.

Almost there, my flashlight was getting dim. That would have been inconvenient since with an overcast night, dead batteries would have plunged me into darkness. But that didn't happen.

[MitchDC]

The FREE transports now leave every half-hour from the front of the library. With this new schedule, we have no excuse to walk home late at night. While the harmless crabs or harnessed cows hiding in the bush will likely be the only things you meet as you walk home, it never hurts to be extra cautious.

Thanks for the drama (as always) though!

MitchDC