Gone are the heady days of the 1980s, when internacionalistas (foreign voluntary workers) came from Europe, North America and other Latin American countries to help the Revolution. By all accounts this was a rewarding experience for the mostly young people who found voluntary work placements in Nicaragua, doing anything from road-building to picking organic coffee.

Now, with the political shift to the right, internacionalistas still come to Nicaragua, but in much reduced numbers compared to those of ten or fifteen years ago. As overseas NGOs and aid agencies take over, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find good voluntary positions in Nicaragua. One place you can try is the Casa Ben Linder in Managua (three blocks south and one and a half blocks east of the Monseñor Lezcano statue; tel 266-4373), the Nicaraguan base for a number of primarily US voluntary groups and agencies. Most towns have a local IXCHEN women's centre ( casa de la mujer ), whose work is largely based on health, family welfare and community issues. Women are always welcome to visit and if your Spanish is good and you have some qualifications, they may be able to advise you regarding voluntary work with women.

Unless you are sponsored by an overseas government, agency or voluntary organization, however, opportunities for work are few, and what does exist is likely to be unpaid. In a country where unofficial unemployment figures hover around seventy percent, foreigners will only find casual work as teachers of English. Even so, the Nicaraguan government is strict in its immigration policy and to undertake any paid work you need a long-stay working visa; if you are sponsored by an overseas company they will probably take care of this for you.