US$1 equals 17.85 Nicaraguan cordoba
When I was a teenager, 18 years ago, I lived in Nicaragua for a year and a half. By the time I returned, in 2004, I was married and living in southern California with my husband and our 4-year-old daughter.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when we arrived in Managua, the capital.
As we drove around the city I stared in disbelief. To my husband and daughter nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but for me the transformation was astonishing.
I noticed immediately that the pervasive shortages I’d remembered were thing of the past. La Colonia supermarket in Managua was fully stocked with American-goods: Jiffy peanut butter, Oreo cookies, Danone yogurt, Pringles chips, and even paperback novels in English. Those items were simply unheard of before. I wandered the wide isles, mouth agape.
When we went to the Metro Centro Mall, I found myself stunned once again. This is not a Third World mall. It’s spacious and clean, and features, among other things, a Liz Claiborne store, a food court, and a movie theater.
| Is Nicaragua safe? We felt quite safe on our trip to Nicaragua. I’ve read that it’s the safest country in Central America, and that held true for us. We were never menaced, threatened, or frightened. And we didn’t keep to gringo-only spots either. We strolled the streets, squares, and outdoor markets. We even rode the local bus a couple of times. We were often the only obvious foreigners, but we never felt singled out or targeted.The biggest danger we encountered was the bad roads and the aggressive taxi drivers. Driving at night in Nicaragua can be hazardous. There are few lights and more than a few obstacles (potholes, livestock, etc.).Grinding poverty has abated somewhat (compared to what it was before). That’s not to say that this country is well off, it’s still a poor country. However, there are visible signs of improvement. The locals are well dressed and fewer children are without shoes. There are new cars on the road-a few fancy ones as well. Even the animals look heartier. |
International franchises were evident everywhere-Burger King, McDonald’s, Subway, Arco, TGI Friday’s, Marriott, Payless Shoe Source. There was a fancy coffee shop near a sushi restaurant. Sushi in Nicaragua! Today’s Nicaragua looked nothing like what I remembered.
Managua had fallen into disrepair after the 1972 earthquake leveled the city and it was never properly rebuilt. But now I could see the emergence of a revitalized city; many buildings looked new and well maintained..
More surprises in Granada and beyond
The city of Granada was even more impressive. Colonial buildings there are being restored one by one. Many foreigners have to Granada to live and are meticulously undertaking these projects. We found ourselves charmed by the brightly colored buildings, the scenic town square, and the horse-drawn carriages. (We paid less than $25 for a two-hour carriage tour of the city.)
Our carriage tour included a half-hour boat trip to the Isletas de Granada-small islands on Lake Nicaragua. Many of these islands have boat docks, and some have houses built to resemble mini-castles.
In Nicaragua we found beauty-even luxury-at a fraction of what it would cost elsewhere. Granada’s Hotel Colonial, with its center courtyard pool surrounded by bougainvillea, is stunning. And rooms cost from $60.
Tele Pizza was also big hit-and cheap. A large two-topping, deep-dish pizza cost us less than $5. Sometimes it’s hard to get a decent pizza overseas-not so here.
Granada now has several upscale restaurants, too. Mediterráneo is one of the ones we tried. We loved the fact that this sophisticated restaurant still features hammocks between the elegant courtyard pillars. A nice way to relax between courses-and we saw well-heeled patrons doing just that.
Laguna de Apoyo, a crater lake, is worth a day trip from Granada. I heard one expat lovingly refer to it as “a womb.” I don’t know about that description, but I can say that the lake is safe, clean, and soothing.
Speaking of hammocks, I discovered a lazy way to spend an afternoon here: in a hammock just up from the lake, watching howler monkeys in the trees above. I was startled the first time I heard one. The noise these animals make is more of a grunt than a howl.
The Pacific Coast beaches of Nicaragua are a must-see. Being from California, we’ve seen our share of nice beaches. However, Nicaragua’s beaches are more beautiful-and definitely less crowded.
We’ve seen plans for several of the new beach communities. If these plans come to fruition the results will be nothing short of spectacular.
The potential cannot be overlooked. The roads and construction projects serve to bring Nicaragua what it needs most-jobs and capital. So we imagine that the changes currently underway on the Pacific will only accelerate.
| Discover the opportunities Nicaragua holds for you This August 16 to 18, 2006, we’re hosting our fourth?? Live and Prosper in Nicaragua Seminar. We’ve invited the most experienced and connected Nicaraguan experts to this event. You’ll meet leading authorities in Nicaraguan real estate, banking, development, and legalities. Plus, you’ll meet expatriates living and prospering there already. You’ll have a great time. And you’ll find out everything you need to know about this fast-growing land of opportunity. Nicaragua’s time has come. And now is the time for you to discover it for yourself and prepare to prosper in the days ahead. To reserve your place for our Live and Prosper in Nicaragua Seminar, August 16 to 18, 2006, contact our Conference Department today at t el. (866)381-8446 (toll-free in the USA/Canada) or (1)410-223-2688; e-mail: events@internationalliving.com. |
Foreigners are flocking here
It was immediately apparent that there were many more foreign visitors in Nicaragua than there had been previously. These foreigners appeared to be tourists and entrepreneurs rather than people motivated by politics (like those in the 1980s).
The Nicaraguans I spoke to were grateful for the employment opportunities that generally accompany foreign projects. The gringos of today are providing jobs. The gringos of yesterday were more likely to attempt to do a Nicaraguan’s job. Back in 1986, I met many North Americans who wanted to build housing projects and schools with their own hands. While the goals were laudable, the reality was often comical.
I once visited Nicaragua as part of a Church Youth Group from Philadelphia that had come down to build a school in the town of Sebaco. It took 14 of us more than a week to build the same wall that two Nicaraguan bricklayers put up in less than a day. (Actually it wasn’t quite the same wall. Ours was lopsided and theirs was perfect.) I’m surprised the Nicaraguans were as patient with us as they were. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed, the locals were gracious and kind back then, and they still are today.
And, they don’t take their visitors for granted. Tourism is still relatively new and the Nicaraguans are not jaded. Another plus: we weren’t prodded or pulled into stores by people trying to sell us stuff, as we’ve encountered in other countries.
Despite tourism’s relative newness, Nicaraguans are becoming more accustomed to foreigners. The number of Nicaraguans who speak English is also dramatically higher.
The revolutionary divide
One thing that really struck me about today’s Nicaragua is the divisions caused by the revolution seem to have faded, by and large. I didn’t feel the energy or emotion for or against any political party. People seemed to just want to provide for their families and get on with their lives.
It says a lot about Nicaragua-after years of intense strife, the hand over of power in 1990 was peaceful. Retribution bloodshed was noticeably absent.
While in Granada, we witnessed one Sandinista rally and it was rather lackluster. Daniel Ortega, the one-time Sandinista leader, gave a short speech. If people knew he was coming no one mentioned it, and it didn’t seem to be causing much commotion. Most people simply walked by. Many didn’t even look at him. This was a far cry from the fervent May Day and revolutionary parades of yesterday’s Nicaragua.
People, too, seem to have regained faith in their currency. Inflation is no longer rampant and the U.S. dollar is no longer king. Money changers are prevalent on street corners and border crossings, but you’ll find that they’ll bargain aggressively for a good cordoba/dollar exchange rate. If the gringo won’t accept an agreeable rate they’ll keep their cordobas.
I visited the school I had attended in 1987 (an American-Nicaraguan school) and found that it had changed much in the way the rest of the country has. There’s a new, spacious gymnasium, an increased number of extracurricular activities to choose from, as well as several new eating establishments.
While there was only one International School before, today there are several. (There are even German and French schools.) People tell me that the academic standards are high across the board. But today there are more choices. That’s a dominant theme in the New Nicaragua.
Costa Rica versus Nicaragua
While on our visit to Nicaragua we also visited its much-mentioned neighbor, Costa Rica. Costa Rica is undoubtedly a beautiful country, but in our opinion Nicaragua has greater natural beauty. The beaches are stunning and unspoiled and the country also has Laguna Cocibolca with its numerous islands. The largest island, Ometepe, has two volcanoes and is surrounded by a lake populated with freshwater sharks.
Nicaragua is unique and people are noticing. For years it has longed to be more like Costa Rica. Now you hear that Nicaragua is seducing foreign expats away from their neighbor.
In fact, we liked what we saw in Nicaragua so much that we returned again last year. The Nicaragua of today is a place where we could imagine living. My husband and I have talked seriously about moving there. For me, the draw is that Nicaragua has always held a special place in my heart. For my husband, the draw is the natural beauty, warmth of the people, and excellent growth opportunities. For our daughter, there is are exceptional international schools. We could imagine building a new life here. IL