Nicaragua Forum

majicjack
Joined 2011
Posts: 667

9 years ago

Living in Nicaragua

9 years ago

It takes no one special to live in Nicaragua. However it does take someone that has patience, will power and being able to adjust.
Medical! Regardless if you are a citizen or tourist in Nicaragua the medical care is free. This is at public facilities. Do not expect the treatment you will get in the USA. If you need hard narcotics to live pain free, you wont get it here. In the same token, if you are not in good health you probably don't need to live in Nicaragua, but then again this is as good a place to die as any.
If you can't live without being able to run to the nearest 7/11 or mall then this place is not for you.
If you lifestyle is based on luxury you will pay a hell of a price for it here. Yes, the cost of living here is cheap depending on what lifestyle you want to live. Cheap and good do not always run together.
People write asking about the climate. This is the tropics and it gets hot. There are places you can live here and the climate is a little cooler but it still gets hot. We live IN the mountains and it gets hot.
Language schools. A lot of people come here and enroll in Spanish classes and it is probably a waste of money. If you get you a dictionary and get away from all the expats and live amongst the natives you will learn because you will be forced to and you will use it everyday.
Americans can't hardly do without a vehicle but vehicle ownership here is hard to come buy unless you are a resident. Public transportation is cheap but not what you are use to in the USA.
The people on most part are very friendly but also very curious. You will be stared at a lot. They all assume that if you are an American you are rich. They will not even know you and be knocking on your door asking for money for a number of reasons. If you are not cautious and take care you can and probably will be robbed or have items stolen from you. You can make friends here but there is quite a difference between friends here and people you can really trust.
People want to come here to live and the first question is where are all the expats at. Why in the hell move to a different country and then ball up with a bunch of people that come to live with what they left?. Too many Americans bring their troubles with them.
This country has been here longer than most. If you think you are going to change it or make a difference forget it. It is their country and it is you and not them that will need to do the changing.
If you can not accept beggars, thieves, corrupt politicians, cops and extreme poverty then you need to look for someplace other than Central America to live.
Nicaragua is a beautiful place filled with history(some good and some bad) It is not a country for whiners and candy asses. We have been here for 5 1/2 years. We live in the mountains and are the only gringos here. We are accepted as member of the community and treated with respect and give the same in return. You will be living in a country of extreme poverty. Nicaragua is rich but loaded with poor people. They basically have four options; work, beg, steal or starve. If you can' handle this you don't belong here. In reality, 90% of the expats that are going to retire in Nicaragua end up back where they came from in the first year. Surprisingly most of those that end up making it are on the conservative side with ambition.
I have seen and worked all this country. I have been I prison here. Beat the charges, worked all over Nicaragua. Lived on river banks dredging for gold, farmed and lived with the natives in there black plastic and mud houses. If you are looking for a free ride without out challenges forget it.

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Help others in Nicaragua by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Nicaragua.