About topdiggy2

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Nicaragua: ***keywestpirate******:

check your spam folder. sent you 3 emails.

Honduras: Shipping:

@lduper When are you leaving? Im planning to have some stuff shipped to La Ceiba myself, and im in Atlanta also. Im backpacking down with another expat (to learn the ropes) then having my pallets shipped down as soon as i grab a spot, which should be around sept-october.

Nicaragua: DOES ANYONE NEED A LIFT:

sent you a PM

Nicaragua: Driving to Nica & Transporting my stuff...question???:

Hello: This question is a follow up to all the other advise i have received on here from everyone else. So, let me just say that i have been planing this for a while and i have collected a few items that i want to bring down PRIOR to receiving residency. Okay, so, my question is relating to the drive down and what i can bring....AND what kinda vehicle can i drive down in? Question #1 instead of driving my old Land Rover suv, what about if i drive in a BUS? Yes, a short yellow school bus....no RV conversion. The idea here is that i still get the off road power train. And its versatile...while im there i have cargo space to move materials around. I can camp in it when necessary. And if i need to make a quick buck transporting people/cargo i can. Will this qualify under the tourist vehicle permit? Question #2 If I can drive the bus in, then I can load up most of what items i will need initially and save on shipping. Stuff like my, shop tools (powered and hand tools). power genny, welder, computer/home office stuff, clothes, kitchen stuff?? Again, entering as a tourist by driving, i guess the issue is whether or not i will have to pay duties on whats in the bus it or not. Any ideas? Thanks

Honduras: Propane Gas Availability in La Ceiba???:

I know this may very well be a silly question. But as im crating up my building supplies and other items to have shipped to Honduras i need to know if my gas appliances are good idea or not. I am wondering about the availability of Propane gas tanks/refills in or around LaCeiba. If so, how much does it cost to refill your typical propane tank? The land parcel im building on is off-grid so my goal is to keep the electricity load down as much as possible. thanks

Honduras: Builder Question: Material Cost in LaCeiba???:

Hello: I am planning to purchase some property in LaCeiba and build my own home on the property. I am trying to get an idea of what building materials are readily available locally or can be sourced in the area. The house I am building calls for concrete walls and floors, truss roofs & title/clay shingles. What is the availability of heavy equipment there? What are the lumber sources? Concrete supply? Lumber yards? What about procedural things like permits and inspections any comments to this?

Nicaragua: Residency App Prep: Criminal past & transalations?:

i just read thru a few threads about this and i just wanted to ask in a new thread, I had a few specific questions. I am preparing my apostilized docs and everything before i come down for my trip. # - Criminal record I have a criminal history, a few felony driving infractions and a fraud conviction from 2010. No violent crimes or drugs. I have no pending or open cases, or probation. Does this disqualify me for residency? What about as an investor? Do they actual verify this criminal report or just rubber stamp it? #2 translations of criminal history report, birth certificate, and health records. I understand that i need to have all the US docs apostilized here in (georgia) US, but, do i need to have the translated documents stamped here as well? Or is that something I can have done in Nica by my Nica lawyer/translator?

Nicaragua: Is Is Logical?:

This is a good question. And similarly I would like to know as well what is a sufficient enough savings to come down with just to have a "minimalist" lifestyle. I do not live nor have i ever been to Nica, so, I cant assist you with this question. I'm in the same boat as you as probably most others looking to emigrate to Nica (or any other part of Central America for that matter). And maybe im out on a limb here...but, there seems to be 2 different kinds of people who take the time to post here in this forum. Person A - The "well-to-do-anyway" expat This is your middle-aged retiree, who even in their home country probably made a decent living, with home(s) and upper middle class to rich lifestyles, who decided to retire with 200k+ in the bank and landed in Nica and was hit with the culture shock of not having things as easy as they had it at home. You know what i mean, the rich guy so far removed from the street life of everyday people struggling to make ends meet. Who is used to having people move when they say jump or "Im the boss thus i deserve xyz..." Who never had to call a friend of a friend to come fix a roof leak or fix a car...they use to going to the dealership and calling the "company" to come do it. You know the type. I suspect, these are the ones you will here the most screaming the "Nica is different" you gotta live here to see for yourself. It's not USA/CAN etc." So, my point with these type of comments is reconcile that with your own life and abilities. Person B - Everyday low wage earner looking for a better less stressful life where the cost of living is lower then where they are at. I fall into this category. Im not rich. Hell, Im not even middle class by US standards. Im not educated, no bankable skillset, so i work a low wage job here in the US and live paycheck to paycheck. But, im a hustler. And i know how to survive. I know how to "live off the land" if you know what i mean! In 2016, this is pretty much the disparity globally. You have the "rich" and "the have nots"....two camps. Then there are people who either don't know which camp they belong or living in denial. So yes, the idea of moving to a country where the average person can live on $3k-8k a YEAR and enjoy less stressful, less policed, less oppressive lifestyle, middle class lifestyle etc....sounds great, why not? How much worst can it be? You hear things like, "its hot down here"...well, i drive a old beatup chevy and i cant remember the last time the AC worked. And i dont run the ac at home unless its 90F degrees outside just to save money on my electric bill! So, open windows and ceiling fans is the norm anyway. You hear things like "no cable TV, no luxury shopping, bad customer service..." like, hello, thats the reality i live in ANYWAY!!! Conclusion So i feel you! And don't let anyone make you feel bad for asking your question or make you think it cant be done. I'm sure someone has done just what you and I are planning and made it work. Whether or not they participate in this forum is another thing. im planning to just pickup and go... i have $20k saved up for my leap of faith. And im just gonna make it work. But the idea of both me and my wife NOT having to work 2 jobs to make ends meet. and still be able to raise my kids and have normal dinners and family time weekends like my upper middle class counterparts...it sounds like a "can't loose" situation. Good luck to you! Hope to see you down there!

Nicaragua: Colon Hydrotherapy:

well, i think thats the problem!! Next to Russians, Americans are some of the most arrogant and "entitled" people you'll ever meet abroad. And when all of these "closet bigots" go down south of the border and try to be themselves (ie say what they want to say, make demands, play big shot, etc) then they get reality checked when they find out that...guess what, the locals aren't politically correct down there either! And mess around and piss off the right person, you end up in the ditch somewhere!

Nicaragua: Give me your experience please:):

@ mate31658649 I am looking into purchasing a farm property located outside of Esteli. I too am planning to move my young family of 5 (mother-in-law with Alzheimer, wife and I mid 30's, and two school age kids 5yrs and 1yrs). And you post caught my eye. Coming from Atlanta, GA, my wifes main concern is the availability of 1st world style education (structured schools thru high school, etc.) and access to 1st world medical facilites for her mother. On these two points (health care & schooling) do you have any comments/information that can give me a idea as to the availability of both? If not, are their other expats or natives or even organizations locally (schools or medical facilities specically) that i can research by call/email to obtain more information about these matters prior to coming down there? Thanks in advance for your help!

Date Joined:

5/2/2016

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