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The bay of San Juan del Sur. Nicaragua is suppose to be the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere, but also one of the safest. Although Nicaragua hasn't had good relationships with the US over the last three decades, it did become a very popular destination for US citizens to migrate to. US News & World Report even recently declared it one of the most favorable in the world.

The boulevard of San Juan del Sur. Nicaragua is suppose to be the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere, but also one of the safest. Although Nicaragua hasn't had good relationships with the US over the last three decades, it did become a very popular destination for US citizens to migrate to. US News & World Report recently declared it one of the most favorable in the world even.

A retail broker in San juan del Sur. Nicaragua is suppose to be the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere, but also one of the safest. Although Nicaragua hasn't had good relationships with the US over the last three decades, it did become a very popular destination for US citizens to migrate to. US News & World Report even recently declared it one of the most favorable in the world.

Bill (65) & Penny (56) Ashman "We live in the old town council of Grenada, we bought it in 2005, we finished the renovation in six months, we had 128 workers full time, we wanted it to be ready for Bill's sixtieth birthday. Bill is from Pasadena, USA and Penny from Weesp, Holland. We started here several foundations to help poor children. We basically try to help finding a solution for poverty here. Before we lived in Seattle I had an online training center and an environmental engineering firm, we cleaned up oil spills for example. Penny is an artist and an interior designer; I designed the interior of this house."

Jane Brugger (80) "I am from St. Louis and I came 13 years ago to San Juan del Sur. It was not a tourist destination, just some backpackers. After the USA mistreated Nicaragua and El Salvador I wanted to do something back and I came to Nicaragua. I met my business partner and we started a small hotel, the proceeds were going to pay for the education of local students. My business partner wanted to grow bigger and the hotel got very fancy and has a lot of debt.. Not what I envisioned but the foundation still gives grants to students".

James Santiago Mateer (53) and his wife Gwendolyn Beachy (39) came 5 years ago on a school bus from California to Nicaragua. James bought a piece of land a couple of years before. "I enjoyed being south of the US border more than working hard up North. I didn't agree with the system in the US and wanted to move away. Gwen came with me. Gwen finds it more difficult, she misses her friends and family, but feels there is no hope for the US. 'We lived four years in the bus, now we live in the house we build. We grow vegetables and fruits and we use solar energy. We have a good relationship with the neighbors, but we are not close friends; they are very religious".

Bonnie Hayman (ageless) is from San Diego, California and was born in Buffalo, New York. "In 2006 my daughter took me for a surprise trip to Nicaragua, I fell immediately in love with the country. I met a broker here and asked: is there a house that nobody wants? This is the house nobody wanted, because it had no air-conditioning. I have two daughters who are 25 and 26 years old. I have two houses in the US, one in San Diego and one in Florida, but I will never live in that country again; its boring. I do here volunteer work, I work in a center for abused women and I teach aerobics. This place is like a magnet, its charming and the people are nice".

Beverly Gene Marte (74) "Everybody calls me BJ here. I came 10 years ago and I am from Wilmington, California. I came on a yacht. It was a long trip from Florida, via Cuba, Cayman Islands, Panama Canal. In Costa Rica the yacht nearly sank, it took two years to fix it. In the end I made it to Nicaragua. I don't want to live in the US anymore, Obama ruins the country. Now I have my monkey Cindy. Years ago I was photo model and I also worked for the US coast guard. The sea is in my blood".

Every Saturday there is a "farmers market" where mostly Americans come to buy and sell their products, to meet each other and have a drink. On the left BJ and in front Captain Zatara.

Tom (55) & Patty (62) Lowy are from San Francisco area. In 2004 Tom bought land close to San Juan del Sur. "I paid far too much, now we live here, in our gringonized house. We brought the TV chairs from the US. I earned good money in the US: $400.000 a year, I was a retail broker and I saw the crisis coming. We wanted to leave, we don't like the politics of the US, the patriot act, the propaganda from the mass media and the misinformation. Here is a safe place, safe for a nuclear war. We watch US television, but most of our friends are Nicaraguan, we believe we should integrate".

Tom (55) & Patty (62) Lowy are from San Francisco area. In 2004 Tom bought land close to San Juan del Sur. "I paid far too much, now we live here, in our "gringonized" house. We brought the TV chairs from the US. I earned good money in the US: $400.000 a year, I was a retail broker and I saw the crisis coming. We wanted to leave, we don't like the politics of the US, the patriot act, the propaganda from the mass media and the misinformation. Here is a safe place, safe for a nuclear war. We watch US television, but most of our friends are Nicaraguan, we believe we should integrate".

Fred Goldfarb (60) "I am from the San Francisco bay area. I always had a desire for traveling and in 2006 I came with my girlfriend to Nicaragua, she didn't like it, so that is where our relationship ended. I had a company in the US and in 2007 I bought 350 acres of land. With my business partner we build environment friendly houses to sell. In 2008 the market collapsed, we are selling less now then before. I build this house actually to sell, but for the time being I live here. I don't like the politics in the US and the cost of living is very high".

Mark Kane (50) & Wendy Sabrina de Kane (29) "I bought, six years ago, property here on the beach and three years ago I came down from the Washington state. I was in the fruit and vegetable business, but in the US 'the wheels were falling off the bus'. I met Wendy two and a half years ago and we married in July 11". I am here to stay, its feels like the wildest, its not over regulated as in the US and Nicaragua is affordable. Wendy: "I am from Managua and had to get used to this life on the beach. We recently opened a bed & breakfast".

Greg (44) & Darling (31) Benford. "I am from Orlando, Florida and came in 1986 for surfing. With my friends we drew a sketch of the surf resort we wanted to build in the future. I send it again to them in 2002, but no one was interested anymore. I bought 7 acres of land in 2005. I was financing it with the pre-sale of houses on this land. I wanted adventure and get away from the social constraints and the corporate America. I met Darling in July 2010 at a bar. We have a baby now, Sophia, she is three months old. My dream came true, we have 25 employees working for us.

Kathy Aley (64) "I am from Newport Beach, California. I came here on holiday in October 2000 and while I was watching the sunset on the beach I knew I had to move here, I came in February 2001. I need the warmth and the slow life. In the US money and beauty are the power, but I am looking for something else, I left because of the greed and the selfishness in that country. I worked as a aerobics instructor and for the school district, but I tore my muscles. I have two daughters in the US, they are 40 and 32 years old. I live here with my eight dogs, ten cats and my parrot. Every morning I jog the beach up and down, with my dogs and parapet. They need the exercise."

Kathy Aley (64) 'I am from Newport Beach, California. I came here on holiday in October 200 and while I was watching the sunset on the beach I knew I had to move here, I came in February 2001. I need the warmth and the slow life. In the US money and beauty are the power, but I am looking for something else, I left because of the greed and the selfishness in that country. I worked as a aerobics instructor and for the school district, but I tore my muscles. I have two daughters in the US, they are 40 and 32 years old. I live here with my eight dogs, ten cats and my parrot. Every morning I jog the beach up and down, with my dogs and parapet. They need the exercise".

Kathy Aley (64) "I am from Newport Beach, California. I came here on holiday in October 200 and while I was watching the sunset on the beach I knew I had to move here, I came in February 2001. I need the warmth and the slow life. In the US money and beauty are the power, but I am looking for something else, I left because of the greed and the selfishness in that country. I worked as a aerobics instructor and for the school district, but I tore my muscles. I have two daughters in the US, they are 40 and 32 years old. I live here with my eight dogs, ten cats and my parrot. Every morning I jog the beach up and down, with my dogs and parapet. They need the exercise".

The beach of San Juan del Sur. Nicaragua is suppose to be the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere, but also one of the safest. Although Nicaragua hasn't had good relationships with the US over the last three decades, it did become a very popular destination for US citizens to migrate to. US News & World Report recently declared it one of the most favorable in the world even.