Moving to Nicaragua...maybe

To be honest...I don't get the reason for your post. Most of your responses seem to be justifying why moving is a fine idea for you and your family. Sounds to me like you made up your mind already...are you really looking for an opposing perspective or just floating this out there...

Hope it goes well for you.

 

This ^^ +1

Seems like sparky is seeking validation for his own already-set decisions.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking.

 

Its my understanding that a lot of the murders are in and around San Juan. I would not go near San Juan or adjecent areas personally. I was thinking Rincon area mostly, after 4 trips there I feel pretty comfortable. Not to say sh*t can't happen there too but I understand it's not nearly as bad. That said, I'm not leaving FL anytime soon.

 

Actually...I think most people are saying its a horrible idea (myself included). Sounds to me like this guy is going through a tough patch in life and is looking for an "escape". Moving is one of the most stressful things you can do with a family (sometimes worse than a death in the family). This guy wants to move to a third world country, not knowing the language, with very little upside for his family's future. There are so many countries that are a better move than Nica.

 

I hope things have changed because this is where I plan to stay the spring semester.... guess i should start juicin now maybe start dibbling into angry drugs so everyone will think im a whack job. fck

 

I hope things have changed because this is where I plan to stay the spring semester.... guess i should start juicin now maybe start dibbling into angry drugs so everyone will think im a whack job. fck

 

It's not moving, it's immigrating, and it's a major life-changing event. I don't know Nicaragua. Maybe it is the land of milk and honey with super-honest, super-freindly, super-helpful people who will make a wealthy foreigner and his family feel right at home, so he can kick up his heels, read his books, and watch the land heal the hearts and minds of his industrious kids as they farm kumquats and teach themselves astrophysics between killer surf sessions. Maybe that's what happens when you immigrate from the 1st world to the 3rd world, but I doubt it.

My experience was not this way. Every time my family and I immigrated, we went to a place of greater economic opportunity and then busted our asses to make it work, and we had a deep understanding of our destination and established support structures there ahead of time.

I've never found that the culture is that much better anywhere, just different. If you don't like American corporate or government influence, you'd better get an idea if you like Nicaraguan corporations or government better, before you immigrate.

Getting a job in America is going to be much harder for kids who have spent the last decade in Central America. That's just simple fact. You need connections, skills, resume, and references to get any job. Living in Nicaragua is going to mean no connections, and no real references that employers (fire departments, electricians looking for an apprentice, or Wall St. firms) are going to take seriously. You're going to need to have a plan to bring your kids back to the US on the regular, or just settle for them taking a local job/wife/kids/life in a rural developing country.

I don't think it's impossible. I think you could immigrate to Nicaragua and have a great life, but it's going to take a ton of work. A lot more work than staying where you are and improving your situation in the USA. The benefits could be worth it, though, if you're willing to put in the effort, you make solid plans, and you have some luck in executing them.

 

I bought my unit at the condo bldg at Iguana / Playa Colorado back in 2006. Villa Rio Dulce #8. Dale Dagger was my next door neighbor.

It took the Oldenburg development group 4 long years from the time of my initial deposit to actually finish the building.

I weighed the decision between purchasing land & building on it vis a vis a condo purchase. In the end, the many, many horror stories about land with fake/no titles, crooked land use attorneys & the very real lasting legacy of the Ortega-Sandinista corrupto land grabs steered me to condo ownership.

Like everyone else that's done something like this, I figured it was a good bet. It wasn't.

The rampant fees that appear, seemingly from nowhere, are inescapable. Nica seems inexpensive when one visits. It's a whole 'nother deal when you're a 'dueno.'

You get clipped, repeatedly. One of the Oldenburg partners, unbeknownst to anyone, was a Sandinista ex-general. The guy is in the history books with a lot of campesino blood on his hands. He decided to 'sell' the owners (all of whom were gringos) a generator to power the building during the frequent power outages. The gennie cost $25k; we, the owners, paid $75k. The price of admission, kidz. And that generalissimo wasn't somebody that anyone questioned.

Elevator was usually broken. I didn't care, I walked up to my place, but the (owner) repair payments to the elevator company were very high.

The management company was corrupt: they would stick wealthy Nicas in units where the owner was in the USA or Canada without telling the owner & pocket all the rental fees. Meanwhile, the owner was stuck with a very high electric bill 'cause the AC in the unit was running 24/7. Wear & tear....stuff would disappear or get smashed by guests & the management company wouldn't replace, as they were mandated to do under terms of the contract.

And, no, you weren't allowed to utilize a different management company - - although I understand that has changed by now.

But I had enough. Sold it a year after I bought it. Haven't been back since.

 

Just blend in best you can, lay low and don't call attention to yourself. Be respectful toward everybody (a given) and don't put yourself in sketchy situations. Stay out of the ghettos and keep away from drugs. Those things alone should increase your odds of being safe.

 

i was actually just reading your thread from like 2012 about you planning a trip to PR how did everything go?

 

PR is sounding more like mexico the more i hear your guys stories

 

Was in PR a month ago with family and all went well. I'm sure San Juan has got a rough side but Rincon was pretty chill. If in Rincon go to the bakery beside the Lazy Parrot (Jose is super good guy) and to Mi famillias pizza. People were extremely friendly everywhere we went. Went to different attractions and had no hassles and no shake downs. Actually driving was the most dangerous thing I witnessed but personally I enjoy a good driving free for all We went to a waterfall that all the locals were at swimming,parting (family oriented) and grilling, place was packed. I was explaining to my boys that you should observe what the locals are doing, kinda like a surf break, you just don't paddle straight out in the pack if it ain't your break. Anyhow, some dude hears me and comes over and starts telling us where the deep spots are and the order for diving ect. we get to talking and he offers me a beer and food off his grill. Good dude. Just sayin' there are good people all over if you can be open minded and don't be a ****.

 

sounds pretty rad on a scale from gringo to pablo how much spanish should i know... my buddy id be staying with is pretty much fluent so he could help me get by but i dont wanna look like the azzhole you know

 

I'm am not anywhere near fluent but I try, which usually makes me sound pretty goofy. People don't usually want to kick your butt if you can make them laugh with or at you. I have always tried to learn key words and phrases where ever I travel like please, thankyou, sorry, beer ect. ect. Being a southern boy I don't speak english all that well either.Most people there speak decent english or spanglish untill ya get out of the cities. Had no problems communicating 95% of the time. Roads are flippin insane to navigate. Having a bud there should help a lot. Good luck. gotta run.

 

im not following ur idea.im sure the main reason hes moving to nica is to have uncrowded surf.its basically the exact same scenario whether ur going to costa rica or Puerto rico.Puerto rico is actually a lot more dangerous and way too many murders.
so should he move to California or Australia where they got good waves but its way overcrowded?u spend enough time in a country u will pick up their language.I been working with Spanish people my whole life lol,I can speak(not fluently,but words,mostly curses) English,Italian,French,portugese,Spanish,and a bit of polish.

at the end of the day its h20 guys life.don't waste ur life thinking oh what does my wife want,what do my kids want?its selfish to waste ur life away to please them.not saying be a douche lol,but do what u want to do.I wasted a good part of my life trying to please others when it fuks u up in the long run.like for instance,missing the swell of the century because I got to take my girl to job interviews all over the state.

 

Been there 4 times, all about a week long, went perfect every time, stayed at Mar Azul surf shop, safe, clean, friendly, if you need anything surf related it's right there. Short walk or drive to beach. Epic waves, amazing food, especially the mofongo, check out Red Flamboyan, Ship Wreck, Tamboo, Calypso, and Villa Cofresi.

I would love to open a legit sports bar or a really nice billiards / pool hall. That place desperately needs those two things and would be the only real game in town. One day man...

 

The real estate law situation in Nica is tricky. Gringos actually can't buy beach front property (can only be leased). Even if you get around that one, which people have, there is absolutely no protection for foreign real estate owners plus there is no agreement between the US and Nica. If the country degrades into revolution you could lose everything with no recourse. One of the main reasons foreign real estate investments exploded in Costa is directly a result of change in international laws with the US.

Not saying not to do it. Just be careful. Get a Nica lawyer to explain the nuances.