Our Man in Granada

Bloggers that make me mad

Okay comment moderation seems increasingly widespread.  To me it's against the whole principles of blogging but whatever.

Worse still, I went to leave a message on Lifehacker and was asked to "audition" first to be a commenter.  Audition?  Really?  I was half way through writing a rude message when I decided to rise above it.

Recently on a couple of blog posts I have had vague issues with the accuracy of what had been written so I left a querying message.  When I checked back later the blog post had been changed, the mistake corrected and my comment gone. No recognition of the comment and no acknowledgment of the change.

But far far far, worse than all of these are bloggers who simply ignore their comments.   Why would you do that?  Do they think your point is beneath them?  Do they see their contribution as just the blog post and nothing more?

I don't get it.  Worse still, they give a warm welcome to friends' comments which makes the overlooking of your words of wisdom even more obvious.

It just makes me want to post another post saying: "Hello, hello...anyone out there.  Can you hear me?"

But that would not be cool.

A Nica blogs round up from a very hot, smelly gringo

Lots of Nica blogs and links below.

First off I got linked here.   My limited Spanish isn't really up to it but with the help of Babel Fish it seems friendly and it appears to be from a site cataloging Nica Blogs.

I've added it to my Nica Blogs list, in the right hand column,  where it sits alongside my own collection of other people's work. 

A Dollar a Day

Check out this great post by Dave - a Peace Corps volunteer, who, like I did when I earned a similar amount in Vietnam, has come to the conclusion that even on his stipend salary he's still one of the lucky ones.

He writes:

"So, given the money that most people are living with, my salary of $6.67 per day puts me at a level that very few in Nicaragua reach. Tack on to my salary the health benefits I have through Peace Corps and an American credit card, and I'm one of the most fortunate persons in my town, despite living at a level that is lower than any I've experienced in my life. And though I now have a better idea of what one dollar a day means and I can see everyday the people living at that level, I'm convinced I could not do it. Whether I'm sitting in a $720/month apartment in Ann Arbor or a $27/month house in Nicaragua, one dollar a day is not right."

Big Link Thursday

Traffic today on this blog today has been far more Hanoi than Granada. Comparatively speaking of course.

Hot on the heels of the Pieman's Noodlepie nod is a link back from an article I wrote for Brave New Traveler.  Entitled "10 Reasons why Volunteering is Better than Traveling", it argues for less hammocking and more helping.

Expect more from me on the, really rather good, BNT site soon.

Elsewhere Gadling has made my melon shot "Photo of the Day" - I'm honoured, although several hours after I have tried to correct them, via their comments box, they still maintain I am in Grenada.  Apologies if you read this after they put it right.

Finally, let us spread the link love that is coming my way.  Congratulations to Timen who is heading to my old stomping ground, Vietnam, to work for four months.  Maaaan, you'll never want to leave.  Read what Patty has to say on the subject of saying goodbye.  My own over emotional leaving is here.

Timen, life here in Nicaragua is very good but I envy you setting off on your new adventure.  Vietnam wears down most foreigners eventually but nothing can beat those first few months there.  What an adventure.  What an experience.  Good luck to you. I haven't been reading your blog long but I like your style.

Nicaragua needs water

Several Nicas and Gringos have already told me: "Granada is not Nicaragua".

It's true.

While I'm picking up my perfectly washed and folded laundry and having daily showers, out in the countryside life isn't so easy. 

Granada, Nicaragua's Disneyland?

Gringolandia, originally uploaded by bralapa.

Stuck, as I still am in Hanoi, and with the great voyage to Granada set to start tomorrow, I'm still combing through blogs trying to get a feel for what will be my new home.

Needless to say 99.9% of what I read is good.  Granada is charming, the people are friendly, the food is good, the weather warm.

The downsides?  Well stray dogs and litter for starters - but that could just as easily by where I am now or any other developing nation.  Glue sniffing is an issue too.  Strange, I recall it was a huge issue in the UK back when I was still in Primary School - some 25 years ago.  It became illegal to sell solvents to minors and the problem seemed to disappear or maybe it just became old news.

I guess the biggest attraction, as an expat, to Granada is also my biggest fear.  In short, while it appears to be used to foreigners and well set up to meet their needs, a place can lose its identity altogether.  To put it bluntly, there is a fear that Nicaragua and Granada are becoming Florida retirement overspill.

Blogging it for the Chavalos

You might have spotted the Nica Blogging section on the right is starting to take shape.

There are a couple of new additions but, in particular, I'm chuffed to see my new employers Cafe Chavalos joining the blogosphere with this.

Hopefully when I finally make it over there (five days and counting) I might be able to help update it from time to time. 

In the meantime, it's all about the link love.  More details on Cafe Chavalos here.

Best Blog Yet

When I first started OMIG, I thought that English language blogs were virtually non existent in Nicaragua.

Then I ran into a whole cluster of Peace Corps bloggers who I have duly linked on the right.

But the best yet, with some beautiful writing, is Picasso Dreams.

While so evocative of Nicaragua, it also reminds me very much of my life here in Vietnam.

One month from today, I will also be in Nicaragua. 

The good, the bad and the ugly, from Picasso Dreams:

So, You Want to Work in Nicaragua?

From the always busy and occasionally lively, part blog, part forum website, Nicaragua Living, comes these gems from fyl, an American who has been living in Esteli since 2004. 

He takes us through a five point "reality check".  I've cut and pasted below.  You can read the entire post here, including comments.

1. If you have first world debts, don't even think about it. Pay them off and then come back here for the next step.
2. Labor in Nicaragua is close to free. If the only "skill" you have is a strong back, forget it.
3. Still reading? Ok, do a skills inventory. What can you do that the average Nicaraguan can't.
4. Look at your skills inventory and figure out who could afford to pay you to use those skills. Being a computer programmer that can work on-line with customers in Germany is good. Being the best person on the planet to teach English to Spanish-speaking rural farmers is not.
5. Do you have the business sense to actually use your skills to make money?