Nicaraguan women dress the spectrum from long, conservative dresses to bright, tight, and revealing outfits, though this is less common in rural communities. Unshaven internationalistas wearing stained shorts, ripped T-shirts, and dreads stand out like sore thumbs, even without their trademark bulky backpacks. A little effort into your wardrobe and hygiene will go a long way.
Practitioners of certain careers sometimes drop their names entirely and go by their profession. This is less common in the countryside. Men will offer you their hands for a limp handshake. Nicaraguan life goes according to la hora Nica Nica Time , which means a meeting scheduled in Managua for pm might not start until 3pm, or an hour later in the countryside.
Foreign travelers accustomed to la hora gringa, in which everything starts and stops exactly when planned, will spend their days in Nicaragua endlessly frustrated and consistently early for meetings. Excerpted from the Sixth Edition of Moon Nicaragua. Get recommended reads, deals, and more from Hachette Get recommended reads, deals, and more from Hachette Sign Up.
A mother and daughter standing on their porch in Nicaragua. Of all the countries in Central America, the Nicaraguan accent is the most distinctive. Even the most seasoned of Spanish speakers will sometimes have to ask a Nicaraguan to slow down while in mid flow.
Like other parts of Central America, the Caribbean coast English-speaking. This is a remnant of British rule on the Mosquito Coast. Alongside English, Creole is also spoken by many in the Caribbean. It dates back to the days when pirates hid out among the islands and cays that make up the coastline.
Add into this mix the local tongues like Miskito, Rama, and Garifuna, and you have some fantastic Creole going on. To this day, poets in Nicaragua are often feted as rock stars. The International Poetry Festival held each February in Granada attracts poets and fans from all over the world. Spoken word has always been important in countries where the literacy level was low, and where political and social injustice prompted passion, and Nicaragua is no exception.
Latter-day figures such as Ernesto Cardenal and Gioconda Belli have followed in his footsteps to make Nicaragua the spiritual home of all things poetry. Unlike the majority of Latin American countries, Nicaraguans do not see soccer as their main sport.
Baseball is king here, an influence from the years of United States occupation in the early 20th century. They then began a programme of agrarian reform that gave land back to those living in poverty, nationalised industry and set up health and literacy programmes.
But peace was short-lived. The Sandinistas lost popularity during the Contra war, but Daniel Ortega survived as leader and, after losing the , and elections, he was re-elected in and, controversially, again in and is still in power today. Did you know? Nicaraguans greet each other with a handshake, or for someone you know well, a kiss on the cheek and a hug. Casual dress is fine in most situations, although some formality will be expected in business situations.
If offered something to eat, try to accept or at least try it; refusal may cause some offence. Whilst travelling around Nicaragua, be prepared to be stared at, especially if visiting more rural areas — this is more out of curiosity than anything else. The same goes for conversations; while you may get a few very blunt questions, it is generally not out of rudeness.
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