Looking for help with practical DR questions

Hello, I'm scheduled for surgery Sept 4 in the Dominican Republic and wondered if anyone could give me tips for calling back to the US. Sprint quoted me something like $1 a minute for talk and $.50 per text. That's insane.  Has anyone purchased a phone card in the DR for calling back to the US, and what kind of phone would I need to do that? Also, any suggestions on a hotel  and or fun things to do?  I'm staying at a recovery house for ~2 weeks but because I'm 62 and having extensive lipo, I decided not to fly back for 3 weeks just to make sure I am out of the woods and my graft is taking, so I'll have a week or 10 days to kill.  Hopefully I'll be up for some site-seeing at that point.   Thank you everyone who posts here for your help. You guys turned me on to the DR for surgery.  I'm going there not just because of the price, but because everyone says to find a surgeon with lots of experience with your procedure.  Apparently most of them are in Santo Domingo!  LOL.  I'll post details of my surgery on the Tummy Tuck board -- that's my greater need (been "8 months pregnant" for 25 years now   :).  The BBL is icing.