Latin America Collection

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and informed, rather than withdrawn and uninterested.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.