Attracted by the natural beauty, security and tranquility of dozens of Americans and Europeans who came as tourists They stayed to live in a coastal town in NicaraguaOblivious to the country’s political turmoil.
The perfect place to retire or start a business, commune San Juan del SurIs., located on the Pacific coast 140 km south of Managua and close to the border with Costa Rica The main tourist pole of the countrywith a majestic bay and charming beaches.
“I like Lifestyle Nicaragua in general, ”says the American Christina Alti, who 10 years ago came on vacation for a month, attracted by surfing and is now devoted to the real estate business.
One of the attractions of San Juan del Sur is its beautiful landscape. Shutterstock Pictures
Amid international condemnation of President Daniel Ortega for his authoritarian role and a disputed re-election since 2007, foreigners live happily in this quiet area that offers Beaches, restaurants, bars, whale watching, hiking and scenery.
Bilingual schools and outdoor life
There are many options here for people who love style outdoor lifeAdds Alti, 37, a mother of two who attend a bilingual school in a town with a population of about 17,000.
“My clients are probably from all over the world. Many of them are American or Canadian, and they also have a different lifestyle (…). The pace of life is much slower Here from whence they came.”
The city attracts with its beaches, and is also a Mecca for surfers. Shutterstock Pictures
As Alty walks along the beach, some tourists rest on chairs, while others lie on the sand, play sports, or enjoy a swim in the sea.
Foreigners educate their children in two bilingual schools that integrate formal classroom instruction with natural open spaces.
“we are in A very natural environment; Four kilometers from the center of San Juan del Sur, we are surrounded by mango, almond and jucote trees,” says the director of Escuela Adelante, Jaime Lynn Hunter from the United States.
Foreigners send their children to bilingual schools. Shutterstock Pictures
“And I think parents love sending their kids here because of that They don’t feel confinedThe 38-year-old teacher, who has lived here for 13 years, adds:
This school, which has 170 pre-school and primary students, was born in 2016 to teach English to children in the region with the support of US NGOs and Japan Cooperation.
Students, 30% of them are foreignersThey attend classes for eight hours and receive instruction according to the program of the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education, one week in Spanish and the other in English.
“We are happy that our children are here safe and can study in an environment like outside, not with locked gates and doors, and that You don’t have to be afraid of dangerous things Like the shootings we see so often these days” in American schools, Hunter says.
There are many options for those who love an outdoor lifestyle. Shutterstock Pictures
She came to work as an English teacher in 2010, fell in love with a Nicaraguan, married him, and had two children who grew up in contact with nature.
“Here’s what I like about it They still play in the street, and they still go to the park; I think kids here are more kids and it makes me think when I was a kid, I’d go out to play until it was dark.”
The other bilingual school, San Juan del Sur Day School, enrolls 175 students 43% of them are from 17 countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain, Russia and Costa Rica, among others.
About 30 cruise ships dock at the port of San Juan del Sur each year. Shutterstock Pictures
The way of the Americans
in the port of San Juan del Sur About 30 cruise ships dock each year from the United States, Canada and Europe, according to the Tourism Institute.
In the middle of the nineteenth century, this city was part of American way Attracted by the gold rush, they traveled from their country’s east coast to California. Others have done so through Panama.
Thousands of Americans traveled by boat to the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua and, after going up the San Juan River and Lake Cochipulca, arrived at San Juan del Sur to embark on San Francisco, California.
“Everything is nice and cheap, and the people are nice,” says a tourist. Shutterstock Pictures
was one of them Writer Mark Twainwho shares a monument in the city square with Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío.
“I love coastal towns, and I also love the ocean a lot, right here Everything is nice and cheap and the people are nicesays British tourist Mark Gittler.
“I love surfing and there are many beaches nearby […]. It’s a very beautiful country the weather is fineI love people, I love the ocean, I mean what more could I ask for? “
France Press agency
