9 Types of Expats You Will Find In Nicaragua

In every country around the world, you will find expats.  Expat is short for (Expatriate), which is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of their citizenship.  For the most part you will find similar expat types in each country, however below we have highlighted the top 9 types of expats that you will find in Nicaragua, more so in the town of San Juan Del Sur.

The expats range from families and partiers to hippies and retirees.  Check out the 9 types of expats that you will find in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua.  Which one would you be if you lived in Nicaragua?

1. The Family

More and more families are making the move to Nicaragua, as it's affordable and they can still work from home, make US dollars, and purchase in Cordobas.  Most families send their children to a multicultural school that teaches English and Spanish, and hire a Nanny to take care of their children or help with house duties. 

2. The Surfer

A lot of surfers travel the world looking for the perfect waves, which brings most to Nicaragua as it's a short flight away from North America, inexpensive to live and has a variety of surf beaches which you can surf almost year round.  Nicaragua has a certain aura that attracts and keeps surfers in the country.  There are a lot of expats that now call Nicaragua home because of the surf, and who have opened up surf shops, small hotels, and other various businesses.  

3. The Hippie

Nicaragua, especially San Juan Del Sur attracts a lot of what you would call "Hippies" or people with free spirits. You will see many people walking around bare foot, tons of jewellery, shirtless and most the time selling bracelets, clothes or performing arts such as fire dancing, magic or circus acts.  The reason being is that the prices are still affordable, and Nicaragua offers a freedom of living how you want.

4. The Entrepreneur

Almost all expats living in Nicaragua are entrepreneurs as they have created a business to sustain themselves and to allow them to live in Nicaragua, with something to do, while making money.   It is fairly easy to open a business in Nicaragua, however still with the disorganization of the local city halls, they introduce rules as they go, making it sometimes frustrating, but this only makes it a little more challenging.  However, luckily these types of road blocks do not stop entrepreneurs from fulfilling what they came to Nicaragua to do, as Southern Nicaragua is growing at a rapid pace with expat businesses.

5. The International Local

These expats are quick to pick up Spanish and immerse themselves in the local culture.  Usually marrying locally and raising a family in Nicaragua.  They have no intentions of moving back to where they came from and now call Nicaragua home.  Most usually have their residency and consider themselves Nicaraguan.

6. The Retiree

Granada and San Juan Del Sur are popular destinations that retirees now call home.  There are many retired people, young and old.  The younger retired crowd are usually still working on some kind of business to keep busy, while the older retirees, you will find at certain bars throughout the day and night, usually gossiping about everyday things that go on in town.  They now call Nicaragua home and plan to spend the rest of their lives taking it easy.

7. The Globetrotter

After traveling the world in search of happiness, they find themselves setting up base in Nicaragua for the same reasons that almost all expats who wound up in Nicaragua and now call it home.  They usually still take vacations from their vacation, traveling every 90 days when they need to do their visa renewal.

8. The Do - Gooder

You will find this type of expat volunteering constantly and striving to do things to better the community, usually teaching English, environmental cleaning or building houses for the less fortunate.  There are also many church or volunteer groups that have a few expats in each city trying to spread their message of being good, and helping out the local communities.

9.  The Partier

We all party and celebrate on occasion, but this person takes it to the next level.  This person usually is out partying every night, either looking to be the center of attention or to just have a great time.  Usually spends the days hungover over and the nights partying, all week, month and year.  Every town has its partiers, however they can usually go for a few years max, until they venture off to the next destination, end up in rehab or go back home to work before saving up and doing it all over again.

So which Expat are you? or which Expat do you think you would be if you lived in Nicaragua?  Let us know in the comments below!