debunking misconceptions...

I feel like I should have written a post like this shortly after my arrival, but better late than never, right? The truth is, I knew very little about Central America as a whole before I came here, never mind Nicaragua in particular. Unfortunately, even in Texas my knowledge of what was going on "south of the border" was pretty much limited to Mexico. So I can understand that people have a lot of ideas (some outdated, and some just wrong) about Nicaragua...which I want to hopefully correct through identifying the following misconceptions (these all come from real experience talking to North Americans!) and providing some up-to-date information.

Misconception #1:Nicaragua is still an unsafe place to visit.
No, actually, Nicaragua is the safest country to visit in Central America. Since the end of the Contra war in 1990, the country has witnessed 3 fairly held democratic elections and peaceful transfers of power. The incidence of gangs and violent crime is also much lower here than Guatemala or Honduras...and other than the hurricanes and earthquakes that are a risk on any geological faultline or tropical zone, the potential harm to visitors is practically non-existent.

Misconception #2: Modern conveniences are unavailable.
In fact, the majority of the population owns a cell phone (though whether someone has minutes depends on how close to payday it is), internet cafes are sprouting up on every corner (50 cents an hour), cable companies offer access to US channels, and even very poor families have radios and often televisions. Local grocery stores sell a variety of US brands of everything from juice to tuna fish to personal hygiene products. There are air conditioned movie theaters and ritzy malls. About the only thing you'll have trouble with is directions, as there are very few street names, and many dirt roads, and everyone gets around on the basis of landmarks.

Misconception #3: There is no good medical care if I get sick.
There are lots of doctors who offer consults for $2 out of their homes for general care, and at least 3 extremely reputable hospitals in Managua that can handle anything from your garden variety parasites to childbirth and complex surgeries. In addition, while medicine sales are not regulated, local pharmacies carry a wide variety of commonly used drugs (I buy Alegra-D regularly over the counter here). There are also lots of good dentists (including my neighbor).

Misconception #4: If I get a mosquito bite, I am going to get dengue or malaria.
The risk of contracting these diseases here is certainly real, but it is very uncommon in urban areas, and during the dry season (Jan-May), I don't even wear bugspray.

Misconception #5: All people ever eat is rice and beans.
I hope I've sufficiently put this to rest elsewhere in this blog. Most people do still use open flame (wood burning "stoves") or gas for cooking, not electricity, because of how expensive it is, and how unreliable it has been.

Misconception #6: There is no clean water.
Managua water is not the best, so we buy bottled water to drink, but it is still perfectly safe for me to brush my teeth and use tap water for cooking. In some parts of the country, like Leon and Carazo, the water can be consumed straight out of the tap. The country is blessed with a number of clean water sources--but infrastructural issues prevent it from being delivered as effectively as it could be.

Even though Nicaragua continues to struggle with poverty, disease and corruption, there is no denying that the 21st century and all of the trappings of globalization have arrived. But that's a whole other post.