Just Another Day at the Office…in Nicaragua

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Sarah

Before Justin and I departed for our 3-week trip to Boston, we had a flat tire – front left. Pretty typical here in Nicaragua. The roads have improved dramatically over the last 5 years (so I’ve been told). Nevertheless, flat tires are a common occurrence. While we were gone, we were fortunate enough to have a friend help to repair it.

Fast forward 3 weeks to our return…we are back in San Juan and the front left tire is in great condition. My friend, Emily, is due to arrive in Nicaragua later this afternoon and Justin and I are planning to depart for Managua to retrieve her from the airport. Justin and I are both trying to cram in some work at Aurora Beachfront Realty and Vacation Rentals Nicaragua, respectively when Pedro (the persistent bearer of bad news when it comes to our car) strolls in to announce that we have a flat tire – a very flat tire. Annoying? Yes? Terrible? No. All we need to do is put on the spare, drive the car to the mechanic, and get the tire repaired. It’s only noon, so we’ve got plenty of time before we need to head to Managua.

There’s only one problem…The spare tire is locked to the back of our truck, lovingly nicknamed El Gallo Rojo. Okay, no problem, we’ll just unlock the spare…except that when we purchased our beloved used car, Justin threw out the little key to the spare, not understanding its very important purpose. Well, we’ll just drill off the lock. *Note, that I use “we” pretty loosely here, as it’s really all Justin running around doing the work, while I sit back and watch. However, the reality is that I’ve done this to preserve our marriage because I know that if I get involved, I’ll only aggravate the situation. So, Justin, with the help of Giovanni – who works in the office – acquires a drill from a friend, and begins drilling, only to discover that the drill is losing juice quickly and he doesn’t have the battery pack to recharge the drill. Justin is a very happy man.

The problem lock

2 pm – Justin has stripped down to his shorts and is sweating in the mid-afternoon sun. The clock is ticking and we haven’t even gotten the lock off, let alone taken the car to the mechanic. The drill is dead and the drill bit is completely worn down. We need to leave by 4 to make it to the airport in time.

2:30 pm – Justin rides the office bicycle down the beach road to pick up the charger to the drill and to buy a new drill bit.

3 pm – It’s now raining and a group of men have gathered around the car to “help,” which really means that they are all watching and giving advice, but not really doing any manual labor, except for Justin who is now under the car, still sweating, and covered in grease.

Spare tire?

The spare is off the back of the car and the leaky tire is off the front of the car.

Justin's "helpers"

In the meantime, our friends have called and emailed to offer their help in picking Emily up from the airport, which has relieved some of the time crunch in repairing the tire.

3:30 Justin is on his way to the mechanic.

The car is operational again though we fully expect to wake up to another flat tire tomorrow morning. We are heading off the Happy Hour. Just another typical day in the life of an Expat…

Packing/Moving List – Nicaragua

Posted on July 6, 2008 by Sarah

Before moving to San Juan del Sur, I was lucky enough to make a connection with a woman who had made a similar transition to Nicaragua, with her boyfriend, just a few years before us. Her advice on what things to bring to Nicaragua were invaluable. In the same spirit, I’d like to pass along some of her words of wisdom, as well as a few of my own regarding preparing for the big move:

1) Bring creature comforts that will help ease the transition – photos from home, your favorite tea, books, etc.

2) Good linens are expensive in Nicaragua – they can be purchased in places like Pricesmart (in bulk), but I recommend bringing a set or two of sheets and towels.

3) Flip flops! I rarely wear any other type of footwear.

4) Sunglasses

5) Electronics are worth bringing if they are things you use regularly, i.e. laptops, iPods, etc. Appliances are more expensive in Nicaragua, so at some point, you need to evaluate what you need from home or what you can live without. I’ve learned to toast bread in our oven and defrost food in the sun.

6) Headlamps are a great investment (and actually very inexpensive). When the power goes out, you will be happy to be hand’s free.

7) Medication that you require and you can’t get in Nicaragua. It’s helpful to know the generic names of your medications, as well as the dosage, because you can often find more common ones in pharmacies in Nicaragua.

8) Shorts – might seem obvious, but I never wore shorts when I lived in the States. I always stuck with capris, etc. However, it gets hot down here and you will appreciate having lightweight clothes.

9) Clothing in general: bring breathable fabrics – cotton, linen.

10) Raincoat – stay away from heavy, unbreathable gortex. It stays pretty hot when it rains and you don’t want to sweat under your coat. It’s also worth investing in a looooong raincoat that falls below your knees. In heavy rains, your lower half will get soaked in a waist-length raincoat.

11) My husband can’t live without his Goldbond powder – it helps to ease the chaffing during the really humid days 🙂

It’s also helpful “to reevaluate what your “needs” are and simplify them. Once you’ve spent some time among Nicaraguan families and seen how much they are able to do with so few resources, you might reconsider some things you previously thought were indispensable. This is highly personal, but you might very well discover that in your new lifestyle in Central America you can live more simply than you’d expected.” borrowed from Transitions Abroad.

Moving to Nicaragua with Dogs

Posted on June 27, 2008 by Sarah

For pet owners considering a move abroad, the question of what to do with your beloved furry friend during your sabbatical eventually enters the picture. For me, it was a no-brainer – Cooper was coming with us to Nicaragua. I’ve had him since he was 6-weeks old and I wasn’t about to abandon him in his 10th year so that I could live the tropical life abroad. Easier said than done? Yes and no. I am certain that transporting Cooper, our lab/coon-hound mutt, across the ocean caused me much more anxiety than it ever did him. Nevertheless, some planning on our end helped ease the process and produce both a frisky pup and a relieved owner at Nicaragua customs.

Some tips:

-Visit with your vet prior to your move to determine your dog’s health and ability to manage the flight. Also, request a copy of your dog’s health and vaccination records. Make sure dog is up to date on all vaccinations, including rabies. In some cases, you might be required to de-worm your dog, as well. Also, research vets in the location in which you intend to move. In San Juan, The Stone and Waves Veterinary Clinic is a good choice.

-Within 2 weeks of your departure, schedule a vet appt. to obtain necessary health certificates for your dog. We received mixed messages on whether or not this paperwork needed to be notarized, so we had it done to be safe. In our case, it actually needed to be stamped by the USDA-APHIS office, which was located more than an hour from our home. We also were told by some that the papers needed to be stamped by the Nicaraguan Consulate. After much back and forth, we learned that this was, in fact, not necessary.

-Purchase a crate for transport (must be large enough for dog to stand up and turn around in). If you don’t already own one, I recommend checking Craig’s List. The day you depart, put a t-shirt that you slept in the previous night in your dog’s crate – he’ll appreciate your scent and it will help to calm him.

-Call the airline you intend to fly with and ask about their travel requirements/restrictions. Many have temperature and size restrictions. You may need to be prepared to send your dog before or after you, due to temperature variations or change your own flight if you want to fly at the same time. Keep temperature/time of year in mind when you are booking your flight. Some might also require that your dog be de-planed by airplane staff during long layovers, which is an additional cost to you, but well worth it for the health of your dog.

-Airlines WILL NOT ACCEPT pets that have been sedated with tranquilizers, as they are not able to able to adjust to sudden movements in the flight and can get hurt. However, my vet did recommend an herbal anxiety reducer like PetCalm, which appeared to work well.

-Upon arrival in Managua, we were told that we would need an agent to receive the dog, for a fee of USD$35. This was not the case; however, we did find (while in Houston, in transit), that the Managua customs agent was leaving at 4 pm (we were due to arrive at 6 pm and told that they would be there until midnight) and they were insisting that because the agent would not be there to clear the dog, Cooper would have to spend the night in the airport. I simply refused to allow this to happen. Thanks to our wonderful friends, who arrived at the Managua airport early and pulled some strings, the customs agents stayed long enough to clear Cooper so that he was there to greet us, barking away, when we came through customs!

The USDA has a great site with helpful information on flying with pets internationally.

For people flying to Nicaragua with pets, Continental Airlines (thru Houston) will kennel your dog during layovers – taking them out, walking and peeing them, etc. We did not love the service we received, but prior to traveling, it definitely gave us peace of mind to know that someone would care for Cooper in transit.

After all the hassle, I must say that it was entirely worth it! Cooper is living his retirement in a tropical climate that has proven to be great for his health! He is happier than ever and so am I having the peace of mind knowing that my “family” is in tact!

Amigos de la Polícia – San Juan del Sur

Posted on June 16, 2008 by Sarah

Amigos de la Polícia, a new Municipal Security Initiative, held its kick-off event in the Central Park on Friday. San Juan’s Mayor, the Captain of the police, and two sub-commissioners were in attendance, as well as members of the AdP board. Dancers from the Fundacion A. Jean Brugger kicked off the event with a few dance numbers and local police were on hand to display the new motorcycles and police radios purchased with the money raised to date by the initiative. It was surprisingly well-attended and people appeared hopeful that this increased effort toward safety and security in San Juan will continue to encourage tourism in the area.

You can read the Executive Summary of the AdP plan online at Del Sur.

Amigos is now online at: http://www.amigosdelapolicia.com

Nicaragua Vacation Rentals – San Juan del Sur

Posted on May 21, 2008 by Sarah

There was a time when I complained that I didn’t have enough to keep me busy…I suspect I will curse the day I said that! I now have a second job! I have joined my good friend, Suyen, assisting with rentals at Vacation Rentals Nicaragua,a division of Aurora Beachfront Realty, where Justin is working as a Real Estate Agent.

I must admit that it’s kind of fun to drive into work with my husband everyday, even though we don’t see much of each other throughout the day!

Nicaragua is Safer than U.S.

Posted on May 20, 2008 by Sarah

When my husband and I first told people we were moving to Nicaragua, we were met with a lot of skepticism. Most were concerned about our safety, as many believe this country to be dangerous. Which is why when I read this article in CNN, I felt the need to post it.

“CNN reports that a global index of peace sponsored by the respected Economist Intelligence Group ranks Nicaragua safer than the U.S. On a peace scale of 1 (most peaceful) to 5 (most violent), Nicaragua is 1.92. It’s higest sub-ratings are earned for its respect of human rights, very low odds of terrorist attacks and armed conflict, as well as treatment of foreigners and property rights. There is crime here and elsewhere in Nicaragua, as there is everywhere on this planet, but when it happens here, it’s the talk of the neighborhood and the talk of the town, which highlights how rare it is when it happens — and how special this place is.”

San Juan del Sur Restaurant Recs…

Posted on May 1, 2008 by Sarah

One of my greatest concerns in moving here was that I would miss all of the great restaurants back home. I have to say that I have been pleasantly surprised! Not only are there are a number of great places to eat in San Juan, but we’ve come to know the owners, chefs, and wait-staff, as well and we are always greeted with a warm smile and cold drink. If you’re planning a move here or even just a vacation, I highly recommend visiting some of these local spots:

El Pozo

Bistro style menu including seafood and steak with Sushi Sundays – Plus they have the best high-end burger in town, topped with killer onion rings!

Bambu Beach Club

Nicaraguan food with an Asian flair – Daily specials, great drinks, and regular events, including movie nights.

Mauricio’s Pizzeria

No better place in town to get a pizza, play a little chess, and, if you’re lucky, sample some tiramisu.

Mexican Rinconcito

Family-style restaurant offering my personal favorite, Chilaquiles, as well as tacos, fajitas, and the popular “tacos familiar” – a large taco dish that serves up to 6 people and includes 3 different types of meat and melted cheese!

El Colibri

Mediterranean influenced food served in a garden setting. Try the chicken supreme – it’s my absolute favorite!

nuestra casita nueva

Posted on March 25, 2008 by Sarah

It’s hard to complain about life from here…our 1 bedroom casita includes hot water, back-up power (which is a HUGE bonus for those of you not living here), cable, internet, security, and housekeeping 2 times per week all for a very reasonable monthly rent. We are set back on the hillside, overlooking the bay of San Juan. Initially, I was concerned that Cooper, our dog, would struggle with the hill and lack of flat areas to “do his business,” but he’s taken to the new digs like fish to water (that is the right saying, right? I never get those right…) He’s befriended some of the neighbors in the nearby casitas, as well as the security guard who wears his sunglasses 24 hrs. a day.

Horseback Riding in the South

Posted on February 27, 2008 by Sarah

Jus and I went horseback riding through a friend’s finca this weekend. My horse was great, but Justin was a little too large for his horse – I think it might have actually been a donkey. His feet pretty much dragged the entire ride and I am almost certain that I heard the horse give a sigh of relief when Justin eventually dismounted. Nevertheless, we had a great time riding. It was a gorgeous day as we meandered through riverbeds and checked out mango, banana, papaya, and orange trees. We were treated to an awesome lunch of chicken, rice and homemade tortillas afterwards. Pretty much a great day, all around…