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questions!
Submitted by penelope on Wed, 2008/09/17 - 15:10.
hello all,
i have just moved to nicaragua for a few months, i am currently in Esteli and have been here about a week. I´m currently looking for a place (ideally with a stove and refrigerator) to rent, so i was wondering if anyone had any ideas. Alternatively, i am looking for volunteer opportunities anywhere in nicaragua. A farm or nature reserve would be ideal, and also ideal would be some sort of food and or lodging in exchange for work, as i am not exactly rolling in dough.
so! any advice or anything anyone has would be welcome. I emailed fyl the moderator of the geek ranch but got no reply. Also, if anyone has any advice for lovely things to do in or around esteli i´d love to hear that as well.
And a final question: does anyone have visa advice??? i received an entry card at the airport for only 30 days, which is a huge hassle as i really don´t want to have to leave the country every single month. Do i just need to ask for a longer one next time around? I had thought 90 days was standard (i am from the united states). Also, i just heard today that going to honduras was not good enough because of some sort of border agreement- that i had to go to costa rica. has anyone heard about this? advice please!!!
and thank you very much for your time.
Volunteering
Familia Padre Fabretto has some volunteer opportunities, and you might be able to work something out with their farming or forestry programs. Here's a link to the page on their website where those programs are mentioned:
http://www.fabretto.org/vocational.htm
They do have a site in Estelí, but I think that might just be their kids' after-school program. But if you'd like, I could put you in touch with a couple of their Estelí volunteers. They could probably give you more info, and might even know of other places looking for help or maybe have some pointers on where to find a place to stay.
I don't know if they have
I don't know if they have volunteer opportunities or not, but if you are looking for something more ag-related Miraflor nature reserve is only about two hours away by bus. Which, its actually really close its just kind of a bad road. I love that place, one of the best trips I took in Nicaragua. They are a giant self-sustaining cooperative that sell organic coffee and care for the environment. You can rent a room with a family there for a few days and work out in the fields probably. Bring your botas and warm clothes.
There is an NGO on the highway out of town toward Matagalpa/Managua called CECALI that does AG stuff. I participated in a workshop with them when I was in the Peace Corps and they were really organized and had some great ideas. Don't know if you could volunteer with them or not. And you would have to have pretty good spanish.
The good thing is that there are a lot of places you could check out in Esteli. I know that Peace Corps trains their Ag trainees on farms right outside of the city and they get charlas from NGO's and learn techniques up there.
Let me know if you have any other questions and I can do some research, thats just whats on the top of my head.
Erin
Esteli has an assortment of places
You didn't mention how good or bad your Spanish is,and where you are staying now as a base, however, just past los Arcos Hotel, same street,maybe a block away towards the Pan-Am is a corner burger joint/restaurant owned by an American Lady-she has rooms that are reasonable and clean, also quite a few "Budget" minded Gringos and Gringas go there. I'm sorry I forgot the name of the Place. Esteli is small enough that if you walk around, buy a coffee,beer,inexpensive meal, and ask it's not long before you get a response. There are homes in Esteli as well, that rent rooms and have shared kitchens. Believe me it won't take you long if you ask around.
On the visa
All the visa forms say 30 days. What matters is what is written in your passport. Assuming you are from the US, that should be 90 days.
you are completely right- my
you are completely right- my passport says 90 days. Hurrah! That is extremely welcome news, thank you so much.
"Also, i just heard today
"Also, i just heard today that going to honduras was not good enough because of some sort of border agreement- that i had to go to costa rica. has anyone heard about this? advice please!!! "
Honduras is not an option for getting a new 90 day stamp. Costa Rica and Mexico work for that purpose. Also once a year you can buy a 90 extension from an immigration office, it doesn't cost a lot, maybe $25. Dan Polley
CA-4
Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala are in what is called the CA-4. If you are in any of the countries, you are not restricted to travel between them. So, yes, the result is that you have to not just leave Nicaragua but the CA-4 to "reset" your visa.
Note that a visa renewal is for a maximum of the amount of time of the original visa. If it was 90 days, the renewal (or series of 30 day renewals) can be for a total of 90 days. If it was really for only 30, then the renewal can only be for 30.
While we are on the subject, 30 days is really 29. Both the day you enter and the day you leave are counted. Where this hurts is if you are calculating when to do a renewal. Stay overtime and you only get one 30 day renweal (back-dated to when your previous visa expired) to "go away".
Assorted stuff
First, I don't remember getting an email from you but I get a few hundred messages a day in about five accounts so who knows. PM me here.
As for housing/options there are lots. For room and board, Esperansa Ponce (Las Segovias, 70 varas norte, across the street, purple and white house) has rented to internationalistas for like 25 years. Finding something furnished but "your own" will be hard so someone such as her would probably be the best option. There are, however, rooms for rent with kitchen access for very cheap.
Besides a PM, you can call (713-3919) and talk to my wife Ana. She is likely to know lots of choices that I do not.
no offense meant
i figured you were quite busy and i was not trying to imply anything negative. Thank you for all the advice given, it is extremely helpful!
Glad you recommend Nica owned places
I applaud that aspect fyl. The fastest way to learn a country's customs is to spend time with the locals.
By patronizing local (not foreign owned businesses) The money stays in the country and you help strengthen the local economy.
When traveling, I make it a point to only patronize locally owned business.