Saturday, November 5, 2016

For The Love of Nicaragua




Is it even possible to love somewhere you've never been?

Possibly. I mean, I guess so. I probably fall in love on Facebook or Twitter a half dozen times a day.

This (albeit one-sided) love affair with Nicaragua started last year. The idea of possibly becoming an ex-pat came to me and I hit the interwebs. Nicaragua was not my first. I had a little fling with Costa Rica but it didn't stick. More about that later.

Why Ex-Pat?

It's not something to be taken lightly. This highly personal decision is based on profound disappointment in where the country I was born and raised is headed. It certainly is not the country I grew up in and have lived my entire life. I dream of a life more simple. A healthier lifestyle near the ocean which has been a siren song for my entire life. A song that has gone unheeded but always heard.

Becoming an ex-pat is not the same as renouncing your citizenship. Renouncing is another critter entirely and is definitely a black-black-no-tag-back decision. No, an ex-pat just chooses to live in a different country.

Why Nicaragua?

This all started when I downloaded a book, Happier Than a Billionaire . It chronicles the adventures of a couple that dropped out of the rat race and moved to Costa Rica and opened my eyes to the possibility of becoming an ex-pat. It also became the starting point for my fervent research on what it would take to eventually move to Costa Rica.

Ultimately, after reading dozens of articles and watching several forums, Costa Rica fell out of favor. Seems like I'm a few years behind the ball - the story of my life. CR has become very popular and thus the cost of living has skyrocketed (though still far below the US). As well, petty crimes that are rampant throughout Central America have been turning more violent towards the Gringos.

And that's how I stumbled across Costa Rica's neighbor to the north, Nicaragua.

Many of the things that attracted me to Costa Rica can be found in Nicaragua. One of the most compelling are the Nicaraguan people or Nicas. All of my research tells me that they are warm, hospitable folks who work very hard for very little.  The cost of living is certainly attractive as well in that you could live quite comfortably for about $1000 a month.

Since being near the ocean is at the top of the priority list for me, I've shied away away from cities like Managua (pop 2.2 million) and even Granada in the central part of the country. I seem to have landed in the relatively small Pacific side community of San Juan Del Sur.  It has a small ex-pat community and is of course right on the ocean. While more of a surfer, younger crowd place, it looks like a good place to start. There are neighboring rural communities that are close and may be my ultimate landing spot.



Worries?

Sure. There are plenty of them.


  • It won't be easy. Some of the things I now take for granted will probably be absent.
  • The residency requirements are cumbersome.
  • Security. Most crimes are related to petty theft and those are fairly common.
  • Bugs and other unknown critters. At least Alaska doesn't have scorpions.
  • Health care. Plusses and minuses  and kind of complicated.
  • Being so far away from my daughter whom I am sure will want to remain in Alaska.
  • The unknown.
On the Plus Side

  • My lifelong dream of living near the ocean can be realized.
  • A healthier lifestyle will be easier to manage.
  • Exposure to another culture might bring me out of my shell.
  • An environment conducive to writing.
  • Being able to live comfortably upon my retirement.
The Five Year Plan

I'm working on a five year plan. The makes sense for a number of reasons. Primarily, my daughter will be 18 and ready to begin her journey, whatever that may be. Five years will also allow me to save and contribute to my retirement fund. It will also allow me to make several trips to ensure that everything I've seen on the Internet is true. ;-) Finally, it will allow me to become fluent in Spanish.

Is this all a pipe-dream? I don't know. My heart doesn't believe that to be true. I have a burning ember of passion for this deep inside and it's been there nearly a year.

I'm interested in what you think about this grand plan. Have you ever considered something like this?

4 comments:

  1. Your story sounds just like mine, except for the five year plan. I'm afraid if I wait that long, well, that I'll miss the boat. Nicarauga is already becoming very popular, especially SJDS.. I was planning on going in febuary, but might have to postpone for a bit. I Have a 21 year old son who will be coming with me. I Will probable only be able to stay a few months, money issues, don't have much. Like you though, I'm looking for that more simple, healthy lifestyle, and being near the ocean is a must. Maybe we will be neighbors one day... Good Luck

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    1. Hi Heather. Thanks for stopping by and the kind words. I wish I were in a position to go sooner, I really do because the sense I have is that you are right about the changes happening so quickly. Life does have a way of working out so maybe my dream will be realized sooner rather than later.

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  2. I would say visit (first) Nicaragua sooner rather than later. Five years ago we decided to check out Nicaragua with the intention of looking at properties near the beach. Granada was going to be home base for a month while we explored the coast. Instead, we fell in love with Granada and realized that beach life was going to be way more expensive. Our compromise was to live in Granada and do short excursions to the coast. In Granada we don't need a vehicle and have easy access to shopping, Dr.'s, restaurants and closer to the airport. Believe me even in 5 years I've seen a lot of changes already. Wishing you well and keep that dream alive!

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    1. Hi Gigi. I'm planning for a visit next year. I've actually read quite a few good things about Granada. I will make it a part of my visit for sure. I can only imagine the changes you've seen and I'm sure there will be more to come. Thank you for your words of encouragement.

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