Advice from ex-pats and/or Dominicans about moving to the Dominican Republic?

I'm a 25 year old female, and I want to move to the DR (for the first time) for about 3-6 months to see if it's a move I could make permanently... any advice? Do I need a visa or special permit? I'm a dental assistant, and I have my shots... am currently using Rosetta Stone to get the basics of spanish... what else do I need to know? I've been warned of the water & veggies, and Tigres...power outages, etc... what else do I need to know? I was advised to save about $3,000 US, a friend of mine owns an apartment there that I could use...I've been told I look Dominican, will that help me? lol Would it be better to live in Santo Domingo as opposed to Santiago? Ayudame por favor :))