The Complete DR Sabbatical Checklist: What to Do in the 60 Days Before You Go

Planning a sabbatical to the Dominican Republic is exciting. It's also a lot of logistical work. The difference between showing up completely prepared and showing up scrambling is about 60 days of focused preparation. This checklist will get you there.

I didn't have this checklist when I planned my own sabbatical. I figured things out as I went. Some worked out. Others didn't. I'm giving you what I wish I'd known so you can avoid the scrambling part.

Financial and Legal: Days 60-45

First, get your finances in order. Sit down with a clear understanding of what money you'll have, what you'll need, and what timeline makes sense. Calculate your essential monthly expenses (housing, insurance, food, medications). Multiply by the number of months you're staying. Add 20 percent as a buffer. That's your target savings for this sabbatical.

Next, notify your bank and credit card companies that you'll be traveling. Many freeze transactions that look unusual. Tell them your dates and that you'll be in the Dominican Republic. Ask about ATM fees in the DR and whether your card works internationally.

Get copies of important documents. Make digital copies (password-protected PDF) of your passport, birth certificate, nursing license, insurance cards, and any medications you take. Put these in a secure cloud storage. You'll need them if your physical copies get lost.

Check your passport expiration date. Your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay. If it expires within six months of your return, renew it now. Dominican Republic entry stamps won't be a problem, but passport issues will derail everything.

Investigate international health insurance options. Get quotes from three to five providers. Most cost $150 to $400 per month and cover you not just in the DR but globally. Compare deductibles, coverage areas, and what counts as emergency care. Buy your policy at least two weeks before you travel.

Medical and Medications: Days 45-30

Schedule a checkup with your primary care doctor. You want a clean bill of health before you go and records in case you need them. Bring a list of everything you take, including supplements and over-the-counter medications.

Get prescriptions refilled. Call your pharmacy and get all your regular medications filled. Ask your doctor for additional prescriptions if you need more than a three-month supply. Stock up on anything you use regularly and know isn't available in the DR.

Get dental work done. Dental cleanings and basic maintenance before you leave mean you don't deal with emergency dental issues while trying to enjoy your sabbatical. If you have anything questionable, have it addressed now.

Get current on vaccinations. Ask your doctor about routine vaccines, yellow fever if you're considering travel to other Caribbean islands, and typhoid if you're interested in being especially cautious. The CDC website has an updated list of recommended vaccinations for the Dominican Republic.

Get copies of your recent medical records. Ask your doctor's office for copies of your health history, any recent lab work, imaging reports, and medication lists. Carry these with you. A Dominican doctor will want to know your medical background.

Travel Logistics: Days 30-21

Book your flight. Look at airline options, flight times, and prices. Early morning or late evening flights are often cheaper. Consider whether a layover is worth the price difference. I recommend flying in the evening or overnight so you land mid-morning the next day.

Book your initial accommodation. For your first week or two, book a place you know is reliable. This might be an Airbnb in an area you've researched, a guest house recommended by someone you trust, or a hotel. Don't commit to long-term housing before you arrive. You need time to see neighborhoods and find where you actually want to live.

Arrange ground transportation from the airport. Research whether you'll use a shuttle service, pre-book a taxi, or arrange a pickup. Know how much it should cost so you're not overcharged. Have a plan before you land.

Make copies of your documents and separate them. Keep originals in one place, copies in another. Keep digital copies in cloud storage. If you lose one set, you have backups.

Banking and Money: Days 21-14

Open a separate checking account for your sabbatical funds if you haven't already. This makes tracking spending easy and separates sabbatical money from your regular finances.

Arrange for money transfers to the DR. Decide how you'll get money there. Research options like Wise, PayPal, Western Union, or your bank's wire transfer service. Which has the lowest fees and best exchange rates? Do one test transfer before you leave so you know the process works.

Research Dominican banks and ATM options. Which banks have the most ATMs in the areas you're considering? Which have the lowest withdrawal fees? Withdraw pesos from ATMs in the DR rather than exchanging dollars at the airport. You'll get a better exchange rate.

Notify creditors and service providers of your travel dates. Tell your credit card companies, bank, insurance provider, and any other services that might see unusual activity that you're traveling and when you'll be gone.

Create a budget for your sabbatical. Be specific. Housing costs X per month. Food costs Y. Transportation costs Z. Allocate money for activities, dining out, travel within the country. Know where every dollar is going.

Home Preparation: Days 14-7

Set up automatic bill payments or arrange for payments while you're gone. Your mortgage, car payment, insurance, utilities, loan payments, and other bills don't stop just because you're not home. Make sure they're handled. Have them auto-pay from your US account if possible.

Prepare your home for your absence. Have someone check your mail, water your plants, or keep an eye on your place if you're leaving for an extended time. Consider having trusted friends collect packages or handle emergencies.

Store valuables. Jewelry, important documents, and irreplaceable items should be in a safe place. Safe deposit box, home safe, or with a trusted family member. An empty house can attract attention.

Do a walkthrough. Leave your home in a state you'll be happy to return to. Clean, organize, and prepare it for your absence. Pay any outstanding bills, cancel services you don't need while gone (cable, if desired), and arrange for someone to check on things periodically.

Leave instructions with a trusted person. Give someone your itinerary, contact information, policy numbers, and details about how to reach you. If something goes wrong at home, they know what to do.

Work Preparation: Days 7-3

If taking a leave of absence, complete all transition work. Finish documentation. Train your replacement. Complete handoff meetings. Leave your unit better than you found it. This matters for your return.

Set up out-of-office messages. Email, phone voicemail, and any other business communications should indicate you're unavailable and who to contact in your absence.

Download apps and set up communication. WhatsApp, Google Maps, a translation app, and your banking app should be installed before you go. Test them. Make sure you have your banking login and password (safely stored).

Take care of last-minute tasks. Any appointments, paperwork, or commitments that you meant to handle should be done now. You don't want to leave worrying about unfinished business.

Packing Preparations: Days 3-Departure

Pack strategically. You don't need as much as you think. The Dominican Republic has stores. You can buy things. Bring comfortable clothes, medications, important documents, sunscreen, a good book, and items that bring you joy. Bring less luggage, more memories.

Pack a separate bag with essentials. Medications, passport, insurance card, and documents in a carry-on. If luggage is lost, you have what matters.

Leave detailed information with a trusted person. Your emergency contact, itinerary, passport number, credit card information (secured), insurance information, and how to reach you in case of emergency. They need to be able to help if something happens.

Get rest before you travel. Don't stay up late the night before packing. You want to arrive refreshed, not exhausted. Travel is tiring. Your sabbatical starts when you arrive rested.

Once You Arrive

Take your first 48 hours to get acclimated. Sleep, eat, walk around your accommodation area. Don't book activities or make commitments immediately. Let your body adjust to the time zone and your mind adjust to the new environment.

Register with the US Embassy if you're staying longer than 30 days. This isn't required, but it's recommended. If something happens in the country, they know you're there.

Find a doctor and pharmacy. Ask your accommodation host for recommendations. Visit the clinic or pharmacy. Know where you'll go if you need medical care.

Explore neighborhoods. Spend time walking around. Talk to people. Eat at local restaurants. Get a feel for different areas. This informs decisions about where you might want to live if you stay longer.

"The 60 days of preparation buy you a lifetime of peace while you're away."

This checklist is long, but most of it is just administrative work that takes minutes. Spread it across 60 days and it feels manageable. Done all at once, it's overwhelming. But done incrementally, you'll arrive in the Dominican Republic prepared, financially sound, and ready to actually relax.

That's the whole point of a sabbatical. Not to arrive stressed and scrambling. To arrive ready to breathe.

Coleen Huie Garcia is a Registered Nurse with 30+ years of experience who currently lives semi-retired in the Dominican Republic with her husband Ricardo, a native Dominican and 15-year police officer. She is the founder of the Burnout to Bliss Abroad community on Skool.