Reflections on Nicaragua

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We crossed the border of Penas Blancas into Costa Rica just before lunch on December 27th leaving Nicaragua behind after four months on its territory. So we feel a moment for a little reflection about this place and its people.

When we meet and chat with other travellers and they ask us our thoughts about Nicaragua our normal opening gambit is something like ‘we really don’t understand the country, particularly the culture’. Awareness of our ignorance is important as our four month stay doesn’t qualify us to be anything more than vaguely trained observers. Interestingly those amongst the long serving expat community there don’t seem to have much clarity in their cultural diagnosis either. A large proportion of travellers who we’ve spoken to who’ve seen a good sweep of Central America place Nicaragua as their favourite destination normally stating its ‘authenticity’ as the main rationale. Nicaragua perhaps provides a more challenging travelling experience and the wealth gap between the average backpackers weekly beer budget and the typical family income is probably more substantial than elsewhere. However, in truth we found the draw of Nicaragua lacking.

The bizarre cultural blend of fervent male machismo meeting a matriarchal society is flummoxing. Unfortunately it’s incubated a nation of males that show no accountability for their offspring, their nation and almost everything else in between. We know it’s harsh but the majority (not all that is for sure) of Nicaraguan men appear their own worst enemies. They take no responsibility and seemingly morosely dwell on their lack of control and influence. However, the country has (most likely as a consequence but potentially a cause) bred an incredible female population whose pride and dedication to their families and their homes you can not help being impressed by. There is no question who rules the roost. The women in Nicaragua in our minds stand ten feet taller than most of the men. Of course this is deeply simplified. Culture is a profoundly intangible and complex topic but we’ve found this analysis brings some useful clarity to the behaviour we observed and mused over for four months.

It’s clear that Nicaragua seems unhappy with itself and does feel underprivileged and a victim of much outside meddling. The unfortunate result of a country (similar to a person) that does not like itself is that it becomes very hard to be liked. We do not feel captured and charmed by its ways. We left Nicaragua like we left ours jobs. Very grateful for the experience and enriched from the learning but we will not morn its loss.

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