I returned today from my 5th venture to Nicaragua, the land of volcanoes. There truly is nothing better than a visit to a foreign land to reset one's perspective on America. I believe that a lack of perspective creates tremendous naivety in a majority of people in this country.
For some political perspective...
Over a week's time, I spoke with Nica natives including our 4 executives (one our Nica CFO and another our Nica attorney), managers, regular team members, a few restaurant servers, hotel workers, a couple of friends of our executives, a coffee plantation owner and his family, and some of the plantation workers and their families. These people vary in skin color from white to black. Some speak perfect English and know 2-4 languages. Some don't speak a word of English. All of my employees have college degrees. The coffee guy (who was awesome) is a 6th generation farmer and exports 1/3 of all Nica coffee exports...equaling just over 1.5million lbs annually. Some people are working hard and making $150-$600 a month. Some belong in the category of "poorest on earth."
The immigration ban was their #1 topic for questions. The educated ones asked about tax policy as #2 and gun control #3, on average. Every single one wanted to know our feelings about Trump first. Sometimes we discussed in groups, and sometimes individually. We gave short answers and then prompted them to talk every time.
Almost 100% support Trump. Some don't like him, but still support him. The very few who didn't were millennials and doing ok financially. 100% agreed with the immigration ban, but Nicas have a good bit of disdain for Mexicans.
The more aware business people asked me about the NICAct, which would defund Nicaragua unless the governments gets rid of the corruption. They like our stance, but have no faith the their government to comply. They all asked about what Trump's stance will be against dictator-like governments like their...because they said Obama did nothing. They all desperately want Trump and America to stand up to socialist/communist governments and influence their government in the people's favor.
They all had very interesting perspectives on America, and this trip they were the most inquisitive and forthcoming of all my visits because of the election. Some of this perspective has been formed through the federally owned media...which is the only media in Nica FYI. But that also causes them to not trust it. There is no freedom of the press.
Anyone have any specific questions?
For some political perspective...
Over a week's time, I spoke with Nica natives including our 4 executives (one our Nica CFO and another our Nica attorney), managers, regular team members, a few restaurant servers, hotel workers, a couple of friends of our executives, a coffee plantation owner and his family, and some of the plantation workers and their families. These people vary in skin color from white to black. Some speak perfect English and know 2-4 languages. Some don't speak a word of English. All of my employees have college degrees. The coffee guy (who was awesome) is a 6th generation farmer and exports 1/3 of all Nica coffee exports...equaling just over 1.5million lbs annually. Some people are working hard and making $150-$600 a month. Some belong in the category of "poorest on earth."
The immigration ban was their #1 topic for questions. The educated ones asked about tax policy as #2 and gun control #3, on average. Every single one wanted to know our feelings about Trump first. Sometimes we discussed in groups, and sometimes individually. We gave short answers and then prompted them to talk every time.
Almost 100% support Trump. Some don't like him, but still support him. The very few who didn't were millennials and doing ok financially. 100% agreed with the immigration ban, but Nicas have a good bit of disdain for Mexicans.
The more aware business people asked me about the NICAct, which would defund Nicaragua unless the governments gets rid of the corruption. They like our stance, but have no faith the their government to comply. They all asked about what Trump's stance will be against dictator-like governments like their...because they said Obama did nothing. They all desperately want Trump and America to stand up to socialist/communist governments and influence their government in the people's favor.
They all had very interesting perspectives on America, and this trip they were the most inquisitive and forthcoming of all my visits because of the election. Some of this perspective has been formed through the federally owned media...which is the only media in Nica FYI. But that also causes them to not trust it. There is no freedom of the press.
Anyone have any specific questions?
