3/24/14

Good Morning Nicaragua!

Feeling much better and hard to believe March is almost over.

As Amy constantly states, every day is an adventure. Received a phone call from a woman shouting at me in Spanish then later in broken English that a wall was falling down on her mother. Always sensitive to walls falling on mothers, I kept listening hoping to eventually determine who is calling and why they are calling me. After several minutes of the one-way conversation with someone that was getting more upset and agitated, I eventually discovered she lived in the La Via section of town and had come across one of my old business cards. The house next door to her had water constantly running (broken pipe or something) and it was weakening the common adobe wall between the homes. The adjoining home was owned by some old gringo and really, don’t we all belong to this secret society of gringos?

A logical response would have been to suggest moving her mother to a safer part of the house but she was not listening to me and then threatened to call the police. I informed her I thought that was an excellent idea. She eventually was contacted by the property management company and the issue was resolved. Be careful where you leave your business cards!

We attended the piano recital Saturday night at Tres Mundos by Ana Marija Markovina. She was fantastic and a world class pianist. Only about 100 people showed up which I found surprising. This was a free concert and we do not get many cultural events in Granada. I discuss these things with neighbors and ask them why they would not attend such an event but never a clear answer. Of course, not everyone likes classical music and many people do not enjoy piano music. Even if not your thing, it is always enjoyable to watch someone that has truly mastered their instrument. She played most of the predominantly Wagner pieces without music which I find amazing. I don’t know the tune “Happy Birthday” without music.

Don’t forget the Spring Fling March 29th 7:00 PM at Hotel Granada this Saturday. Have fun while helping the Sacuanjoche International School.  $25 includes dinner, live music, silent auction and a show. More info below.

Property Taxes Due

You must pay your property taxes by the end of March to get the 10% discount. Just bring your previous year’s paid tax form to the alcadia and they will prepare your new taxes. Lines can be long but the process is quick. You can pay in dollars or cordobas.

Remember that taxes are based on the cadastral value of your home which the lawyers call the symbolic value. It is considerably less than the sales price or real value of your home. There is little rhyme or reason to the determination of the cadastral value – another reason to treat all city officials well. Our annual property tax was $280 in 2006 and has steadily gone down to $205 this year primarily due to the falling value of the cordoba.

Jazz Concert – Masaya

Cafetín Literary Kolschitzky, this Saturday March 29th we invite anyone interested in jazz to hear Quarteto H20, presented for the first time at Cafetín. We have a new Chef Vincent who specializes in Mediterranean delicacies.

Saturday 29 March 2014 7:30 PM
Curacao 50 MT WEST, Masaya
Cover charge C$100. –  Book your place 8961-1680   2522-2341

Ma Isabel Tiffer Alduvin [email protected]
Literary Cafetín Kolschitzky

DB – I hear about so many great places in Masaya. Would someone list some for us?

Visas For Non-Profits

I hadn’t even heard of the “ONG Visa de Courtesia” for a while but then even when I did I figured “too good to be true, somewhere I read that no matter what visa you go for, if it’s not a standard tourist visa it takes tremendous paperwork and a very long time” – but not so. If you’re a …

Read the whole article.

DB – Timely article with all the volunteers coming into the country. One problem is that the NGO or non-profit must be listed with the government of Nicaragua and the majority are not since it requires extensive work to do so and periodic accounting to the government. So it appears you would be limited to working with the larger NGOs.

Spanish Lesson 11

LESSON 11 by George Wu Online Spanish for Expats CONJUNCTION-2 Like I said, they are not as numerous as ours. In fact, they omit our reciprocal conjunctions and go easy on subordinating conjucntions. if=si Si la mesa no es tan alta como las montañas, es más alta …

Read the whole lesson.

4 Ways To Purify Water With Fruit

There is a cheap and easy way for any community in the developed (or underdeveloped) world to purify their water. The peels of some of the most widely consumed fruits in the world are remarkably efficient at absorbing a wide variety of harmful pollutants, including heavy metals, and they can be transformed into effective water filters with only minor preparation.

Interesting article. Click on the link below to read it.

http://www.trueactivist.com/4-ways-to-filter-and-purify-water-with-fruit/

Vehicle Inspection and Emissions Check

It appears it is immediate the need to have your vehicle inspection form and emissions sticker. The fine is C$320. There was some confusion that this would begin in May.

I just returned from the emissions inspection station. Cost was C$100 cords then you get a nice new sticker for your windshield. No, they don’t remove the old one. Yes, you must do this every year. But they actually check your gas emission unlike the car inspection where they just take your money.

Weekly Topical Forums

Recently we had the pleasure of hearing Deloy speak about local fruits and vegetables at the monthly Meet and Greet and then Nancy spoke about happiness at Shi-Sha. Both were well attended. Glenn has spoken in the past on home security. The community has grown enough to perhaps have a weekly forum on different topics so that we can all learn.

Would you attend a weekly forum where a local speaker would give a talk on some topic? The topic could be anything. A couple expats are discussing starting a photography club so someone might speak on photography. Other topics could be birdwatching, colonial architecture, getting your residency, learn to play the guitar and about anything else.

If this idea interests you, please contact:

Nancy Bergman   [email protected]

Nicaragua Trivia

Nicaragua is larger than Ireland and Portugal put together or roughly the size of New York state.

Need a Part from Canada

Looking for someone who is flying from Canada to Nicaragua that could bring a couple light weight parts for my bike trailer built in Canada for Mountain Equipment Coop. It could be shipped to your address in Canada and then I could pick it up in Managua or Granada. Will compensate you with Coconut oil, Organic soap, Organic lip balm or cash.

Gracias 8444 4241(C) 8455 7099 (M)  [email protected]

Award for Elimination of Child Labor

León-York received an award in recognition of his efforts to eliminate child labor from the production of coffee, which includes the prohibition of child labor on his own coffee farm that employs over 760 workers.

León-York uses a portion of his farm’s profits to fund a school for the children of workers there and has committed to provide his workers and their families with decent wages, food and health care. He is also helping expand a public-private partnership called Educational Bridges, which provides education to children of coffee workers and prevents child labor during the coffee harvests. León-York has been a prominent advocate for child labor reduction efforts in Nicaragua’s coffee sector, supporting a network of coffee growers and seeking to gain commitments from other coffee plantation owners to eliminate the use of child labor in the sector.

For the whole story:

http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=1808500&CategoryId=23558

DB – At first I thought they were giving an award for not doing something bad like rewarding me for not beating up my wife. As it turns out, this gentleman is doing a lot to fight child labor.

NGO Needs Granada Coordinator

People Helping People Global, a small microfunding nonprofit which has been operating in Granada, San Juan de Oriente, El Diamante, and in various locations around Matagalpa, celebrated its fifth year on March 25, 2014.  It is currently seeking a new coordinator who would live in and work out of Granada.

People Helping People Global makes small zero-interest loans to people who make less than two dollars a day.  These loans help people create and expand small businesses, such as running pulperias, making clothes and shoes, buying and selling clothes, raising chickens, growing beans, selling firewood, running small food stands, making ceramics, etc.  The organization has numerous clients in Pantanal, a neighborhood of Granada south of the market as well as in the nearby communities of Diamante and San Juan de Oriente.  Another set of operations is centered in Matagalpa.

People Helping People Global is now looking for a new coordinator.  The new coordinator would live in Granada and oversee all of the operations in Nicaragua.  The organization can provide housing in Granada and a small stipend.  This is also an ideal opportunity for someone who is already living here and who would like to get involved in anti-poverty work.  The requirements are pretty basic: being able to get along in Spanish (your Spanish does not have to be perfect!), the ability to use a computer and the internet, and a strong desire to help others.  If this is you, please contact Steve Marks at [email protected].

http://www.phpgmicrolending.org/

Golfing

Tuesday April 8th we will be going to Hacienda Iguana to play golf. Leave Granada around 7:00 AM, play nine holes, have lunch, play nine holes then return to Granada. Cost is around $40-45 and includes the rental clubs. Van cost is divided among players. If interested, contact:

Darrell Bushnell    [email protected]

Government Increases Minimum Wage

The Nicaraguan government increased the minimum wage scale by 9.80% for small and medium-sized enterprises, 10.77% for the agricultural sector, and 10.27% for the other economic sectors. The adjustment will beginretroactively as of March 1, 2014.

An estimated 160,000 Nicaraguan workers earn the minimum wage. The new minimum salaries still do not allow workers to cover the cost-of-living, calculated in Nicaragua by the cost of a “basic basket” of food and products. A farm worker at the lower end of the range will only be able to cover 24.5% of the cost of an average week’s shopping with their minimum pay; a construction worker will achieve buying power of some 55%.Labor Minister Alba Luz Torres said that the minimum pay was decided based on the accumulated inflation rate (5.7%) and the country’s economic growth (4.6%) in 2013.  (Granada Network 3/19/14)

La Carreta: Smokin’ Party Mondays

By Brooke Rundle

Located on a choice corner on the only road leading into San Juan del Sur and the beach, La Carreta Bar y Restaurante is where it’s at on Monday nights.  If you like swinging music, hearty food and German beer then you’re in for a treat.  You’ll find more than just Tona and Victoria on offer when it comes to beer.   And there is definitely no other place in town where you can dine on Jaegerschnitzel or Rouladen.

If you come on Monday nights then you’ll want to either make a reservation or arrive early.  The tables are taken by 8pm due to the popularity of the music. It’s an upbeat jazz and blues mix with a feel good rhythm that makes you want to dance. The dueling harmonica and saxophone solos are guaranteed to lift your spirits.

For the complete review – http://sanjuandelsur.org/la-carreta-review/

News Update from SJDS

Greetings from stunning San Juan del Sur!

We consistently get the same question year around: “How is everything going down there?”  The answer to that often asked question is:  Everything is going GREAT!

The real estate market in SW Nicaragua hasn’t been this charged since 2007.  Vacation rentals are up all over the area, and sales of lots and homes is higher than any year in recent memory!  San Juan del Sur is looking very good, too, thanks to infrastructure upgrades (see articles below about the new boulevard entering town and paving of part of La Chocolata) and a concerted effort by the city to keep the streets clean.  You can’t help but feel the renewed positive energy all over town!

Read all the news.

DB – Yes, this is from a real estate office but they have written up an excellent summary of events going on in SJDS. We have been waiting 10 years for the paving of La Chocolata.

In the pottery village –

I hitched a ride to Managua on Thursday morning. The wife of my neighbor Frank Davila works for her dad and they commute from Granada every day. I asked if I might ride into town with them and they said it would work. Robert said I should meet him at Tejuantepe rotunda at Kilometer 14 even before getting …

Read the whole article.

Granada Travel Club – March 2014

Hi Granada Travel Club,

Thank you to all that participated in the Leon trip for a wonderful trip. As a recap:

We got on our beautiful, new, air conditioned bus around 6:15 and left before 6:30.  Our hope was to miss Managua traffic.  It was quickly evident that was not going to happen.  We were most grateful that we …

Read the whole story.

We have less than a week left! Tickets available at PURE, Cafe de Arte,  and Sacuanjoche International School. Please help us raise money for a great cause.  $25 includes dinner, live music, silent auction, and a show.

We need to give our final count for the dinner on Wednesday so if you have not bought your tickets, email me and I will gladly deliver them to you.  We are looking forward to your support as this is the first Gala of this type to happen in Granada for the community. Please also note that all the profits raised will go directly to our Scholarship Program in order to offer a great education to local children. IF you will not be able to attend, perhaps you could purchase a ticket which we will happily give to one of our teachers or to a parent who otherwise could not attend.

Janice Gallagher    [email protected]

Less than 3 weeks to another historic “hackathon!”  For the second year,
Universidad Americana (UAM) will host NASA Space Apps Challenge in Managua.
The 48-hour event will be held on April 12 & 13 at the Centro Cultural
Nicaraguense Norteamericana (CCNN).

This year the event will include 40 new challenges and 25 projects from last
year’s Space Apps that support NASA’s mission directorates in five themes:
Earth Watch, Technology in Space, Human Spaceflight, Robotics and Asteroids.

For more information and to participate, go to:  www.spaceappschallenge.org

PUEBLO Cocina de Mexico

(Burrito “Mojado” 2 types of Fresh Salsa – made at the restaurant – In fact, thinking about it, the restaurant doesn’t have a can opener, or microwave).

Free Margarita, or Tequila Shot w/Meal. Any Time.  Any Day!!!!!!

PUEBLO Cocina de Mexico
NOT on Calzada
In Front of Casa los Tres Mundos

Tequila is an anti-aging and cancer fighting agent.  It also improves concentration, makes you better looking and improves your spanish.

How This Works

This newsletter is generated by www.nicaragua-community.com. This website has all of the past issues, articles, classified ads, event calendar and much more. The websitewww.nicaragua-guide.com is more of a reference guide on Nicaragua for expats living here, people considering moving here and longer term tourists. It even has information such as doctors, dentists, services available and information on most areas of Nicaragua. Both websites list most of the significant websites, blogs and forums about Nicaragua.

Submission of Articles

Shyness and being an expat do not go hand in hand. We need articles and all of you know something of interest. Write about the shock of coming to Nicaragua, what you like best about Granada, an interesting trip you took, your success in starting a business, financial tips, building tips, Nica music you like, etc. Come on! I’m not a great writer but I’m an interesting writer and so are you. Submit a rough article and we will clean it up for you.

Just send the article directly to me at [email protected] of at least 500 words. You may also send a photo in JPG format and smaller than 150,000 bytes. I will resize it if necessary. Due to the number of weird expats living here and some pessimists which should return to the country of their origin, we reserve the right to refuse articles or to edit them. Sorry, but some of you are just not happy about anything. We do accept constructive, intelligent opinion pieces.

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Statements and opinions expressed in articles, reviews and other materials herein are those of the authors, editors and publishers.

While every care has been taken in the compilation of this information and every attempt made to present up-to-date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that inaccuracies will not occur. Nicaragua Community will not be held responsible for any claim, loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of any information within these pages or any information accessed through associated sites. Remarks of cynicism or sarcasm may be dispersed among the nuggets because that is just the way I am.