Some Sound Advice

Whether you are retiring, working or just playing in Nicaragua, there is plenty to do here to keep you busy, happy and healthy.

From baseball games and cinema, to poetry festivals and hiking volcanoes, there are an abundance of recreational events here – both in and outdoors – to keep you occupied and sufficiently entertained.

And with the growing expat community here, you can most likely find a playmate that speaks your language and shares your interests (although you can’t always be too picky about age).

The expat community in cities like Granada is generally a friendly lot of people, many of whom are eager to meet others and socialize. They are a curious cluster of people from a wide range of backgrounds and demographics, but are generally accepting of new members (unlike the situation here five or ten years ago, when there were just a handful of grumpy expats here who operated like a weird clique or fraternity).

There is a wide range of leisure activities in Nicaragua, which are highlighted in this chapter. Though some of your favorite hobbies may not be offered here (especially if you have a penchant for ice hockey or curling), it shouldn’t take long to find interesting new ways to pass your time. In many cities, the expat community is still small enough to network quickly and find other folk with interests similar to yours.

Learning Spanish and taking the time to familiarize yourself with local customs, the political situation and current events also opens new doors, and will make it easier to meet interesting Nicaraguans and make semi-intelligent conversation. Many in the expat community in Nicaragua don’t seem to follow current events in the news here. If you take the time to read the papers (The Nica Times is available in English for non-Spanish readers – see below) it will help you feel like you are a bit more plugged in, and Nicaraguans will view you as someone who is engaging and informed, rather than withdrawn and uninterested.

Foreign residents who seem to be the happiest here are those who make an effort to keep abreast of what is going on in the country, and immerse themselves fully in Nicaragua. This means learning the language and making an effort to get to know the Nicaraguan people.

Be advised that in small cities such as Granada, it is easy to make a reputation for yourself. If you drink everyday, it won’t take long for people to know you as the new drunk in town. If you are snippy with people, you will quickly become known as the new jackass in town. If you are promiscuous, that soon will become your reputation. But if you are engaging and try to speak Spanish, you will make friends. It is important to remember that, as a foreigner, you will be under the microscope here, and will be pegged quickly in a traditional society that likes to know what everyone’s role is in the community.

Like the old Head and Shoulders advertisement warns: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Or is that a deodorant ad? Regardless, it’s good advice in Nicaragua.