FreakAuth_light®

FOREWORD ............................................................................xiii
CHAPTER I
NICARAGUA'S LAND, HISTORY AND PEOPLE ......................1
THE LAY OF THE LAND .......................................................1
MAPS ..................................................................................3-4
WEATHER...............................................................................7
WHERE TO LIVE IN NICARAGUA.......................................8
A GREAT ONE-OF-A-KIND TOUR .....................................22
NICARAGUA'S HISTORY IN BRIEF ....................................24
GOVERNMENT ...................................................................30
ECONOMY ...........................................................................34
THE PEOPLE .......................................................................35
CHAPTER II
SAVING MONEY IN NICARAGUA ..........................................41
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO LIVE IN
NICARAGUA?........................................................................41
MONEY .................................................................................46
TIPPING ................................................................................48
AFFORDABLE HIRED HELP ..............................................48
STAYING HEALTHY .............................................................57
HEALTH........................................................................59
DENTAL CARE .............................................................62
PHARMACIES...............................................................64
COSMETIC SURGERY..................................................65
CARE FOR THE ELDERY............................................66
BANKING..............................................................................66
TAXES ...................................................................................69
TAX PROTECTION ...............................................................75
FORMING A PANAMANIAN CORPORATION ...................78
INSURANCE .........................................................................81




CHAPTER III
MAKING MONEY IN NICARAGUA.........................................83
INVESTING IN NICARAGUA ..............................................83
The Tourism Boom ........................................................92
Investment Opportunities ................................................99
Food for Thought: The Sandinista Factor ......................101
NICARAGUA'S NASCENT STOCK MARKET ....................107
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT............................................109
Rentals ..........................................................................109
General Advice When Buying Real Estate
in Central America ........................................................112
Building A Home.........................................................113
Speculating....................................................................117
Rules for Buying Property in Nicaragua .........................122
Steps to Buying and Registering Land ...........................124
Real Estate Taxes ...........................................................126
Home Insurance............................................................126
Special Considerations for Tourism Projects ...................126
Special Considerations for Buying Property
in Granada ...................................................................127
Steps for Remodeling a Home in Granada .....................129
FINDING WORK ................................................................132
STARTING A BUSINESS.....................................................133
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR FOREIGN
INVESTORS ........................................................................135
ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS IN NICARAGUA................136
OCCASIONAL ROADBLOCKS TO DOING
BUSINESS IN NICARAGUA ...............................................139
COMMON BUSINESS SENSE IN NICARAGUA................139
CHAPTER IV
RED TAPE ...............................................................................153
DEALING WITH BUREAUCRACY ....................................153
HOW TO BECOME A LEGAL RESIDENT OF
NICARAGUA .......................................................................155
IMMIGRATION AND OTHER MATTERS .........................167


SHIPPING AN AUTOMOBILE OR HOUSEHOLD
GOODS TO NICARAGUA ..................................................167
DRIVING AN AUTOMOBILE TO NICARAGUA...............172
HOW TO FIND A LAWYER ...............................................173
FOREIGN EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES
IN NICARAGUA..................................................................179
NICARAGUAN CONSULATES ABROAD ..........................180
CHAPTER V
STAYING BUSY AND HAPPY IN NICARAGUA ....................185
SOME SOUND ADVICE .....................................................185
BOOKS, MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS ......................187
TELEVISION AND RADIO ................................................189
VIDEO RENTALS ...............................................................190
SHOPPING ..........................................................................190
NICARAGUAN PASTIMES ..................................................192
ECOTOURISM ....................................................................193
BEACHES ............................................................................196
ADVENTURE SPORTS .......................................................198
MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES ...................................199
BASEBALL IN NICARAGUA ..............................................200
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS ................................................203
LOVE AND PERMANENT COMPANIONSHIP................204
NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT ..............................206
GAMBLING .........................................................................208
MOVIES AND THEATERS IN NICARAGUA.....................209
CHAPTER VI
COMMUNICATIONS ..............................................................211
TELEPHONE SERVICES ....................................................211
INTERNET SERVICES........................................................215
MAIL SERVICE ...................................................................216
RECEIVING MONEY FROM ABROAD.............................218
CHAPTER VII
EDUCATION ...........................................................................219
HOW TO LEARN SPANISH ...............................................219


NICARAGUA'S INSTITUTIONS OF
HIGHER LEARNING .........................................................231
PRIVATE ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOLS.............231
CHAPTER VIII
GETTING AROUND...............................................................239
AIR TRAVEL TO, IN AND AROUND
NICARAGUA .......................................................................239
TRAVELING BY BUS IN NICARAGUA..............................242
BUS TRAVEL TO AND FROM NICARAGUA....................243
TRAVELING TAXI IN NICARAGUA .................................244
AUTOMOBILE RENTALS...................................................247
DRIVING IN NICARAGUA ................................................248
TRAVELING BY BOAT........................................................253
KEEPING YOUR BEARINGS STRAIGHT .........................254
CHAPTER IX
MORE USUEFUL INFORMATION........................................257
AFFORDABLE FOODS ...........................................................257
NICARAGUA'S HOLIDAYS .................................................262
RELIGION...........................................................................264
BRINGING YOUR PETS TO NICARAGUA .......................264
UNDERSTANDING THE METRIC SYSTEM.....................266
CHAPTER X
PARTING THOUGHTS AND ADVICE ..................................267
PERSONAL SAFETY IN NICARAGUA ..............................267
LIFE AS AN EXPATRIATE ..................................................273
ADDITIONALSOURCES OF INFORMATION
ABOUT LIVING IN NICARAGUA .....................................277
INTERNET SOURCES ........................................................278
SUGGESTED READING.....................................................284
IMPORTANT SPANISH PHRASES .....................................286
IMPORTANT CONTACTS...................................................289
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS......................................303
INDEX .................................................................................307


Foreword