Trip Coach: August 5, 2008

Before you apply for a visa however, you should spend at least a few months, if not a year living in Nicaragua on a tourist card (which are given automatically when you enter the country and are good for three months at a time) before you should consider moving there. Living in Nicaragua is usually not what people expect, so please try it out and learn some Spanish (if you don't know it already) before committing.

Advantages to living in Nicaragua are many, but so are the disadvantages, and it's all pretty personal.

_______________________

Huntington, N.Y.: When I went to Nicaragua 8 years ago, I brought peanut butter just in case I couldn't find food I'd feel comfortable eating. Would this be the case today?

Joshua Berman: There are plenty of modern supermarkets in Nicaragua with a wide assortment of imported peanut butter and all kinds of processed food treats.

_______________________

Rockport, Tex.: Are there many RV parks in Nicaragua?

Joshua Berman: Nope, not in any traditional sense. There are probably a few beaches where you can park, but nothing developed that I know of.

_______________________

Georgetown, Del.: What kind of places and activities in Nicaragua would be interesting for an elementary school student?

Joshua Berman: I'd start with a couple of volcano visits (Masaya and Mombacho are the easiest to access), then keep going with a boat ride near Granada, exploring churches, climbing bell towers, and a be sure to get a walk in the cloud forest (on Mombacho maybe) to try to see some monkeys. Maybe volunteer at an orphanage or school as well, so your student can interact with Nica kids his/her own age.

_______________________