Blogs

Marcos Zamorro, who did the notary work for my cedula, drew up the lease, which has the usual stuff in it that I'd expect for a lease anywhere -- don't bring horses inside, don't build fires in the courtyard on the ground.

Met with the carpenter and the new landlord to figure out how to handle the security issues, the wall paint (leaving for now), getting a washing machine (the landlord's aunt sells used ones and I asked, "Do they work?" and we all laughed), what to do about the stove (use the cooktop for now and put the gas cylinder in my cooktop cabinet that's actually rigged for that), what to do about the boxing training bag in the passage way (whatever), and where stuff goes.

The other conversations I had yesterday: report from one guy that the expat on a walker here has been robbed a second time in Jinotega. He's the only one I've know who has been physically attacked for money -- twice here since I've been here and once in Leon. I tell people that this is not a good place for mobility-impaired people. The other friend I talk to fairly often said he and his wife had gone up to the zipline near San Raphael del Norte, which is $15 instead of Mombacho's $50.

My Toastmaster hot air popcorn popper burned out which is what I'd read that that brand does when used to roast coffee, so I went to the Sollentuna Hem for breakfast, briefly saw one of the people connected with that who I hadn't seen in the while. He told me I was losing weight, and I went on to the second hand store to buy another hot air popcorn popper -- the Wearever Popcorn Pumper which seems to have a better reputation for the work than the Toastmaster. Used a tin can as a chimney for the first load, then a glass lamp chimney for the second -- which works better. Was watching a Dr.

(Note: title has been changed from "Nica Hypocrisy" per Juanno's post below.)

So I've recently become "tio" (uncle) to three different kids (none of whom are related). Don't ask. I'm not going into the loony details. :)

One of those kids -- a 6-year-old boy -- spent the past several days at my house with my roommate, who's his grandmother (though she's only 42, so dispel any traditional grandmotherly stereotypes you have).

The work will take place this Sunday from six in the morning and for seven hours (1pm)

Affected will be: The central and western sectors of Matagalpa, Barrios Yaguare, La Virgen, San Francisco, El Porvenir, Germán Pomares, Juan Pablo II, Rodolfo López, Palo Alto, Pancasan, Apante, Santos López, Guanuca, 10 de Junio, Habita, Reconciliación, El Cementerio, El Tule, Edmundo Castellón and Manuel Baldizón.

Also:

Fred's house is new construction -- haven't seen it yet, but talked to his wife just now and they're paying $30K US for the whole house and lot, with a 15 year mortgage with something like $270 a month payments if I heard correctly. Fred and Rosario seem to have the best economic mix for a couple here -- he's got the coffee farm and she has a bank job, and so far, they only have one child. So, they can pay cash for some things and probably her job gives him some cushion against having to borrow too much for growing a crop (he's a coop member).

http://www.ticotimes.net/Current-Edition/News-Briefs/Costa-Rica-medical-...

More than 250 businesses from 15 countries will gather April 24-26 in Playa Herradura, on the central Pacific coast, for the fourth annual International Medical Tourism Conference. The summit, which was introduced Wednesday morning at the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT), will feature speakers, presentations and workshops geared toward helping develop the industry.

Fred and the big and little Rosarios have bought a house about two blocks away. As far as Fred knows, this house hasn't sold, but I'll probably be getting new neighbors (or offered the rent of the whole house, which I'm not interested in particularly). The rent before the first of the year was low and the coffee harvest apparently was good enough, so they've saved enough and moved on. Rosario has family (mother and sisters) living across the intersection from me, so they're staying close to family and they're staying in Jinotega where the schools are better than out in the campo.

Spent some time talking to another expat friend who had the same experience with Nicaraguans that I had with one of the gringos -- short term work project doesn't make either of us feel obligated to do long term maintenance of another person.

One of the other expats said of the poor Nicaraguans he knows that they tend to make long range plans as though the money that they're getting now would never go away.

A one-day action packed conference. Great for anyone serious about moving down here, investing, relocating, retiring, etc.

http://www.elportonverde.com/2013/04/03/the-nicaragua-lifestyle-conferen...

The Nicaragua Lifestyle Conference is a jammed packed information day for retirees, entrepreneurs, investors, – expats and future expats, all of those, in fact, considering Nicaragua as a relocation destination.

The Nicaragua Lifestyle Conference taking place May 15, 2013 in Managua is designed with these people in mind.

Early morning numbers on Monday 1st April (April Fool’s Day) were no laughing matter with La Prensa reporting 41 deaths in Nicaragua over Easter Week.

By the afternoon, and after the customary official press conference, ten more deaths had been added to the total. Crime was down 11% with 2,465 incidents reported versus 2,775 last Easter.

Totals (2012 figures are in brackets)

20 died by drowning. (30)

21 Violent Deaths were reported. (22)

10 Deaths were reported on the roads (12) and another 93 (105) were injured.

Last night, I got what I think was the basic FSLN political officer's lecture from someone who was an FSLN political officer at 15 while pregnant. And further stories with her husband trying to find the English to translate what she'd just said. Her jefe saved her life by ordering her off a helicopter that the Contra brought down with a surface to air missile. And I found out that Paquita, that wry and ironic old woman, had been the lover of a FSLN fighter before the Revolution and Roberto, whose English is a bit better perhaps than my Spanish, was their son and her only child.

A Nicaraguan and a Scotsman, bound by love affairs, decided to venture into the commercial side. The scenario: Estelí. The result: La Casita.

http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/economia/281670-casita-finca-turistica

It also made me wish to visit one day.

Fears of a US$ 100 fine per month of expired work visa kept many Nicaraguans from their families this Easter. Many border businesses (buses, taxis and restaurants) reported that business was slow and immigration confirmed that the numbers (only 15,000 this year) are about half of what they were last year. As well as the fine, workers whose cedula has expired for more than 3 months could face a cancellation of their status. Apparently, many workers are using the money they would have spent on vacation to legalize their status.