Maintaining Your Lifestyle

First, things you once took for granted back home are now considered luxuries. You can certainly maintain the lifestyle you had back home, but you will increasingly consider luxuries gadgets like the following:

Broadband Internet access: even if you are not much for email, being able to call home on services like Skype means great money savings. Furthermore, you will find you consume more news, entertainment, and cultural offerings from back home using your computer than you expect, simply because it is simpler to do. Most of Nicaragua is still on dial up, but you can now get broadband in Granada, Leon, and Managua, and the list is growing. See chapter "Communications" for additional details on how to get connected.

Hot water: you never thought of hot water as a luxury before, but your first early morning cold shower will convince you otherwise. In hot cities like Granada you might learn to do without; elsewhere it's nice to have the option. You can get electrical spigot water heaters throughout Nicaragua but if you really want the luxury lifestyle, consider shipping down the real deal, as you will not find water heaters of this caliber on the Nicaraguan market.

Satellite TV: cable television in Nicaragua is better than you would expect, but it's a Latino market so much of the programming is in Spanish. If you still don't habla like you should, satellite TV will provide you a greater selection of English language programming. See the section on "Media" for more about television options, or start your search online at DSTV.

4 wheel drive vehicle: it's more an issue of clearance than of good traction, but a decent 4 wheeled vehicle will broaden your possibilities for travel and facilitate the gear handling you will inevitably deal with while moving in (how much lumber can you fit in the back of your two door rent a car?) See chapter "Travel and Transportation" for details on how to ship your car south, or purchase one in country, like many expats do.

Air conditioning: some learn to live without it, others can't be without it. If you are in the latter group, think about bringing down some fancy equipment with you. You can get window air conditioners easily enough in Managua but for the rapid-cooling goodness you remember back home, you will have to bring down some heavier weaponry.

Swimming Pools: There aren't many construction companies that deal with swimming pools, but there are certainly enough to get you what you want. If lolling around in the A/C doesn't do it for you, take the (expensive) plunge.

Additional Things to Consider

When you budget for what it will take to make a country like Nicaragua your new home, you might also want to consider some capital improvements to your property that will ensure you live well and aren't unduly affected by the vagaries of the local infrastructure. That includes

Diesel Generator: For bonus points, every time the electricity fails, crank up the air conditioning and complain to anyone that listens about how chilly you are. Just kidding, but it's true the electricity is irregular throughout much of the year and dealing with brown outs and black outs will be a part of your new lifestyle. A generator will ease your way over these inevitable bumps in the road. Not cheap, but it means a lot. The generator in this picture is the industrial strength version, but you can find many models to suit your own needs.

Surge protectors: even more important than the generator, do not even think of plugging your electrical appliances into the wall without using surge protectors and, for your expensive electronic equipment like computers, a voltage regulator. These things will seem expensive to you at the time, but will save you the much greater expense of replacing your equipment when a voltage surge spikes through your home wreaking having with your electronic goodies. For added protection, get one that protects your phone line from surges as well.

Water Tank: You might not have considered this one when making your budget for your new overseas lifestyle, but in a world of irregular water supplies, many expats take matters into their own hands. You won't need your own water tank (and pump, probably) frequently, but the times you do you will be glad you thought ahead. Budget this one into your investment list for upgrading a Nica property and sleep well knowing at least your basic needs will be taken care of in the case of emergency (or a simple failure of the city system).

Water Distiller: For the same reason, water supplies in many developing countries are not potable, and you are forced to find your own drinking water solution. You can buy bottled water, but that's not sustainable over the long term. Consider investing in a water distiller, which keeps a steady supply of drinking water at your finger tips; otherwise, stick to cold beer.

Mosquito protection: speaking of sleeping well, spending the money to mosquito-proof your home will go a long way towards your peace of mind, and will dramatically decrease your risk of contracting something uncomfortable like malaria. While you are at it, splurge on mosquito netting for the bed and seal up every loose crack you can find. Remember when the sun sets, it's mosquito feeding time, and you are on the menu. Don't be afraid to spend a little extra money to get screens put on the windows and doors, and spend a couple bucks to put a mosquito net on every bed. It's more than worth the investment. See the chapter on "Health" for nearly thirty pages more on health, safety, and wellness ideas.

Finally, you will find several resources available you were not able to take advantage of back home. But primary among them is:

Hired help: This is a big subject we cover in great detail in both the sections on "Finances" and "Housing Considerations". You will quickly learn that having hired help makes the difference between living and living well. Bonus, if you are a considerate and generous (think personality, not money) employer you will have many opportunities to teach, train, and otherwise affect people who will benefit as a result. After all, development and diplomacy both happen one person at a time. For more ideas on how to help, see the chapter on "Working for a Nonprofit".