Why Not Nicaragua?

This has been a little late in posting.

In truth I wanted to put some distance between me and Granada before I updated.

I’m referring, in most part, to time passing and the ability to put my experiences in context.  Then again if people don’t like what I have written then the geographic distance is no bad thing either.

Relax, I’m not going to slag anybody off.  Well not much anyway.

So why didn’t it work?  Why, when I was so excited about going there did I not stay longer?

Well let’s blame me, or rather us, first.  I think we were a little jaded.  Developing world living can take it out of you.  We'd been in Vietnam for two and a half years previously.

Secondly we were both under-employed.  For whatever reasons our volunteer posts just didn’t work.  They didn’t take as much of our time as we had hoped – other bill-paying gigs we hoped to scare up simply didn’t materialise.

You can add to this an absolute absence of social life.  We met some nice people.  We hung out.  But not very often.  It seemed that most expats were the older retired “Florida Overspill” brigade. 

People tried to tell us that actually there was a real social expat scene.  But honestly I never saw more than a dozen people in an expat hangout at one time. We frequently went for days without talking to anyone but each other.

And apologies, but while we’re talking about white faces in Nicaragua, the whole missionary thing was new to me and a little unsettling.  I wonder sometimes how my country would react to overseas visitors selling their religion to us.  An ear-splittingly amplified US evangelist in Leon town square felt frankly sinister.

I know that most missionaries offer more than just religious support so I’ll leave it at that.  Suffice to say, I have never come across so many Christians before.

Call me a bad influence but I missed people who drank too much, listened to loud music and swore more often. 

But what of Nicaragua?  Well, it is beautiful. Really beautiful.

As the rains came, and it became more green, it turned even more gorgeous in front of our eyes.  If I can no longer personally recommend Nicaragua as somewhere to live, I have no hesitation in telling you to take a holiday there.  It is stunning.

And as for the locals... well I thought the Vietnamese culture was  far removed from my own but in many ways Nicaraguan culture was, to me, even more odd.

It’s easy to see the people, particularly the men, as lazy and maybe that is a criticism that can vaguely be leveled.  But that is harsh.  Me, I prefer to see people as content.  People whose parents had grown up with nothing seemed content to get by on very little too.  Kids weren’t sent to school because their parent themselves were barely literate and “they’d done okay”.

Certainly, while people worked hard to buy rice and beans.  They didn’t appear likely to want to work harder still to lengthen that shopping list.

I don’t want that to be seen as a criticism.  Nicarguans families spend more time together than their developed country counterparts.  You can’t put a price on that.

Nicaraguans, like Nicaragua, will continue to scrape by for the time being.  But with neither having much in the way of cash in the bank – heaven help them the next time a disaster hits – be it war or weather.

I guess that is what we work for in developed countries – wealth as a buffer that will help us during the bad times.  Nicaragua has no such luxury which makes you fear for its future all the more.

While we’re talking of future it seems impossible to talk of Nicaragua without talking of the Sandinistas.  You can hardly fail to have noticed that I have sympathies for them.

Do I think they will enjoy political success and make great strides for Nicaragua?  Well no, I don’t. 

Let me put that in context.  I don’t think any government could.  Not with what they have to work with.  In addition, there are too many powerful people and individuals who will conspire against them.  There will also be corruption.  It seems corruption comes with all governments.

Do I think anybody else can do any better.  I don’t know. I don’t think so.  But the barely functioning Nicaragua I saw was, for the most part, what US-pleasing, neo-liberal governments produced. 

So, I guess I should sum up Nicaragua and my experiences.

In a strange way I miss it already.  I miss its simple pleasures.  It’s down to earth people.  It’s fresh air and space.

I feel a little embarrassed that, having moved there, I failed to make it work.  In that sense I feel that one day I have a duty to return.

Most of all I hope that will not be because Nicaragua is struck by disaster.  I hope its future is less bleak than its past.  If I do go back, I hope it is to enjoy the country and play a part in its future development – not to help clean up after a tragedy – be it an act of God or man.

So, if you’ve never been, go.  Go to Nicaragua.  Enjoy it all.  If you’re holidaying then you’ll have more than enough to see and do in your couple of weeks.  If you plan to stay there then make sure, before you take the plunge, that you’ll have enough to occupy your time.

We didn’t.  We left.

But I will never forget Nicaragua.  It is a place that gets its hooks into you. 

I’m glad, even if it was only for a while, that I was Our Man in Granada.

* Don’t give up on this site just yet.  I’ve been putting together a short film of our time in Granada which should be appear soon.  In the meantime I have already made the switch home.  Our Man in Newcastle is up and running.

Comments

[minxlj]

I'm glad to see you still have a positive outlook on everything and can evaluate the whole experience...I suspect many people would blame the country's failings as their reason to leave, and not look into their own errors or expectations.

I can't even imagine how much of a culture shock it's been coming back here - pretty jarring, I expect. There are days here when it's starting to get to me and I crave peace and quiet and not seeing anyone for days on end!! LOL

[Jesus Reyes]

I spent 2 or 3 weeks Nicaragua awhile back. I wonder if it was Granada. Granada felt more like Disneyland than a real place to me. I spent a week in Esteli and a few days in Leon and I liked that much better. I did find that the people weren't as friendly as say, Guatemala or Mexico, but they did warm up to you after a while. I also met some really great people way of the beaten path at a "mom and pop" hostel en Ometepe.

Anyway, I think these places like Antigua, Granada, etc are pretty to look at but really arent working cities.

I could be wrong, my experience is short. Anyway, I'm sorry you are leaving. You put together a great blog.

[Susanne]

Hi,
after having followed your blogging from Hanoi to Granada (always really enjoying your writing), I was noticing an absence of information on Cafe Chavalos over the last months - in great contrast to KOTO-related tales previously. Interesting how two projects which looked so comparable superficially ended up so different in their impact for you...
Still, Nicaragua sounded like a great adventure, and we certainly found out a lot about the place through your posts, so thank you very much for all your writing and good luck with life "back home", whatever that means!

[Claudia Gonella]

Hi Steve - good to hear from you. You may have had a different experience had you lived in San Juan del Sur rather than Granada. In terms of the expat scene anyway. San Juan has a much more thriving expat circle driven in part by the surfing. It's a real shame that you have left as would have loved to see you and Tiff again. Maybe back in Blighty? I'll continue reading Our Man in Newcastle

[Pleenky]

Thanks for this thoughtful post.

[Nic]

So sorry that you're gone! I always meant to meet up with you for a beer the next time I was in Granada. I always thought I had more time and I'm sorry to have missed the chance. At the same time, it's obvious you put a lot of thought into the decision and reasons to move on. I wish you the best of luck and thank you for what you brought and contributed here.

[ourman]

Thanks - all.

Minxlj - something tells me the culture shock is yet to hit. There are initial surprises but I am reckoning on some of the reasons why I left, coming back again - at some point. But then again we all have ups and downs.

Jesus - agreed. I visited Leon just before we left and I liked it very much. Esteli I liked but not sure I would want to live there. As much as I hate to admit it - Granada, as far as expats were concerned, seemed pointed towards retirees.

Susanne - yes I was aware that Cafe Chavalos was conspicuous by its absence. My lack of activity also meant not much to write about. Also I hated even more the feeling that if I mentioned CC I was taking credit for - whereas in reality I was doing next to nothing.

Claudia - thank you. Wish we could have met up too. Shame you guys were out of town when we were in it. Thank you thank you thank you. For your kindness. Say hi to the dogs for us.

Thanks Nic - and keep writing your blog. One of the few expat blogs in Nica that are more than just snapshots for family and friends back home. Keep up your great work too.

[:: Suzanne ::]

love the photos. Thx for sharing them!

[Alex]

yo steve,

yeah the lack of meaningful employment can be a killer. but i have to say moving to granada from Hanoi is not exactly an easy task. I can honestly say that in three years in Hanoi I was never bored - not even for a day. there is always some crazy shit going on. Granada on the other hand - while incredibly beautiful - is boring. everything seems to revolve around tourism and environment. I agree with the other poster - leon defitinitely has a different vibe - more young people, lots of students etc. but i suspect you would have run into the same issues eventually.

anyway great to see you maintain such respect for the place and its people - a true gentlemen. I guess we´ll have to get that beer another time - maybe in Bia Hoi A2 or perhaps even some dive on the bigg market.

[Travel Betty]

Thanks for all your lovely posts on Nicaragua, OurMan. I look forward to hearing about your exploits in Newcastle!

[Nia]

So...
"If I can no longer personally recommend Nicaragua as somewhere to live, "

What place CAN you still personally recommend as somewhere to live?

(Based on your own preferences and knowledge--1st hand or not, no matter).

Thanks.

By the way I like the format that you set up for your destination sites. Nice and tidy.

All the best,
Nia

[sam]

Steve,

I had an amazing time meeting you guys. It's too bad that you had to leave so soon. I enjoyed Nicaragua, but didn't have the chance to travel as much as I had hope. I'm planning on going back there in December to see some old friends and my students. In the mean time, I want to wish you two the best and keep me posted will you?

Take care!

[Mark]

GREAT post! Hopefully, it will make some people realize that moving to Central America, or anywhere for that matter, might not always work out.

Glad to see that you have made the best of a trying situation and can chalk it up to a life/learning experience.

[stupiddy]

I have been to San Miguel Allende, Antigua in Guatemala, and I was thinking of going to Grenada but I think your post answered my questions....

I have also been to a place called Banos in Ecuador which is the nicest place of all...there is an ex pat scene....and lots to do in this beautiful town....it's the nicest Ive ever been to so far...I've been all over but not everwhere in Mexico, Guatemala, visited Chile, Argentina looking for small colonial towns like San Miguel Allende...which has really changed for the worse...there's too much of an ex pat community for my tastes of retired people in the financial industry....

Anyway check out Banos...

[Account Deleted]

It's a very informative and thoughtful article.

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[Bob Courtney]

I’ve been to both Costa Rica (2003) and Nicaragua (2006) and enjoyed them both for different reasons. As a Californian, I felt that Costa Rica was 1950's Cal and Nicaragua 1900's.

In particular, Nicaragua excited my entrepreneurial spirit to develop or manufacture for export.

Due to their eager inexpensive labor and lack of local entrepreneurial vision, they seemed clueless of how to get started harnessing local opportunities to join the economic world.

I had a great introduction to Nicaragua thru my college (Gonzaga University, Spokane, Wn.) friend Nancy, who owns the beautiful B&B Hotel San Francisco in Granada. She introduced my younger
brother, Kerry, and I to many local and expat friends who collectively showed us all over.

Then, we ventured south/west alone and hit all the little towns ending in Playa del Sur. Except for their resurfaced highway 1, the remaining dirt roads tried to swallow-up our Toyota 4x4 at every turn.

Living there would be rough except for travel pioneers who can shop and survive at local markets. (They were building a new Supermarket in Granada when we were there.)

Politically, I don’t support the Sandinistas as you do. While the people need fish...what they really need is to learn how to fish. Which will require capitalist incentives and protections to
encourage both local and foreign entrepreneurial investment incentives.

In conclusion, I think if someone wants a vacation go to Costa Rica.... if you want an adventure go to Nicaragua. Start at the Hotel San Francisco in Granada.

[Account Deleted]

It' good to hear that after all that had happened you still have a positive outlook. That's the spirit!

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