A fireman hoses down ash on a street of Chinandega, Nicaragua on Thursday.

Girls are caught by a gust of wind after a mass in which about 550 children had their first communion at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Managua, Nicaragua on Dec. 12.

Girls wait to receive their first Catholic Holy Communion at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Managua, Nicaragua on Dec. 12. Around 550 children received their first Catholic Holy Communion during a mass organized by the Sandinistas radio station.

A fisherman rests on his boat on Xolotlan Lake in Tipitapa, some 12 miles from Nicaragua's capital, on Nov. 16.

Nicaraguan Mauro Castillo puts his fishing net away after returning from Xolotlan Lake in Tipitapa, some 12 miles from the capital, on Nov. 24.

A man puts puts the fish he bought from fishermen on Xolotlan Lake on ice, to later sell it in Tipitapa, some 12 miles from the capital, on Nov. 16.

Fish caught in Xolotlan Lake, also known as Lake Managua is sold at a market in Tipitapa, some 12 miles from the capital, on Nov. 16.

Thirty-five-year-old fisherman Adonis Mena, throws his fishing net into the waters of Xolotlan Lake in Tipitapa, some 12 miles from the capital, on Nov. 20.

"In the US, money and beauty are the power, but I am looking for something else," said Kathy Aley, originally from Newport Beach, Calif., who moved to Nicaragua in 2001. "I left because of the greed and the selfishness in that country. I worked as an aerobics instructor 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, 10 cats and my parrot. Every morning, I jog the beach up and down with my dogs and parrot. They need the exercise."

Captain Zatara, 53, and Katy, 41: "It was our dream to sail around the world and live and sail in the tropics. We bought our boat in Washington state in 2003. She is a beauty. We came to San Juan de Sur three years ago and we wanted to make some adjustments to the boat … (now) we are rebuilding it from scratch. In the meantime Katy runs a massage salon, so we earn some money. I think it will take another two years to finish the boat. We have five children, one is with us."

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 than before. I built 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."

Tom and Patty Lowy (55 and 62 respectively), from the 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," he said. "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."

Beverly Gene Marte, 74: "Everybody calls me BJ here. I came 10 years ago and I am from Walminton, Calif. 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."

The tranquil bay of San Juan del Sur is pictured. Although Nicaragua hasn't had good relationships with the US over the last three decades, it is a popular destination for US citizens.

A man covered in motor oil takes part in the festivities honoring Santo Domingo de Guzman, Managua's patron saint on Aug. 10, 2012. Domingo's image spent ten days in the Santo Domingo church and will return to his shrine at the church of Las Sierritas, Managua.

A child takes part in festivities honoring Santo Domingo de Guzman, Managua's patron saint on Aug. 10.

Painted children take part in the festivities honoring Santo Domingo de Guzman, Managua's patron saint on Aug. 10.

A man lights fireworks during festivities honoring Santo Domingo de Guzman, Managua's patron saint on Aug. 10.

People touch an image of Santo Domingo de Guzman during celebrations at a church in Managua, Nicaragua on July 31, 2012. The first 10 days of Aug. are reserved for the carnival-like celebration of Santo Domingo de Guzman with processions, bullfights, parties and church services.

A woman holds candles during Santo Domingo de Guzman celebrations at a church in Managua, Nicaragua on July 31.

Police officers carry the coffin bearing the remains of Tomas Borge on May 2, 2012 in Managua, Nicaragua. Borge, who was the last-surviving founder of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), died at the age of 81.

Sandinista supporters take part in the funeral of Tomas Borge.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, left, and relatives of Tomas Borge stand during his funeral.

Segundo Zapata Palacios' daughter hugs his body as his children mourn for him inside their home in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, Jan. 26. Zapata, who worked as a sugar cane cutter for 20 years at the San Antonio sugar plantation, died of chronic kidney disease on Jan. 26 at age 49. From left to right are his children Laura Maria, Ababell Paola, and Hector Danilo. A mysterious epidemic is devastating the Pacific coast of Central America, killing more than 24,000 people in El Salvador and Nicaragua since 2000 and striking thousands of others with chronic kidney disease at rates unseen virtually anywhere else. Many of the victims were manual laborers or worked in the sugarcane fields that cover much of the coastal lowlands.

Left: A sugar cane cutter smokes a cigarrette as he rests from cutting cane in the fields, Jan. 20. Center: Sugar cane cutters work as smoke from burning cane rises behind them in the fields of the San Antonio sugar plantation in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, Jan. 27. Right: A sugar cane cutter drinks an electrolyte solution supplied by his employer at the San Antonio sugar mill in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, Jan. 20.

In this Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 photo, former sugar cane cutters Juan Cruz, 50, right, and his brother Hilario Perez Cruz, 30, pose for a portrait in their home in Trohilo, Leon, Nicaragua. Both Juan and Hilario suffer chronic kidney disease and can no longer get hired by the sugar mill due to their illness.

Ernestina Aleman, right, watches over her son Jesus Ignasio Flores, who suffers chronic kidney disease, as he rests in his bed in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, Jan. 4. Flores, 51, who died of chronic kidney disease on Jan. 19, worked as an irrigator and construction worker for 23 years at the San Antonio sugar plantation and mill.

Segundo Zapata Palacios rests in a hospital as his wife Emma Vanegas sits at his bedside in Chinandega, Nicaragua, Jan. 24. Zapata, who worked as a sugar cane cutter for 20 years at the San Antonio sugar plantation, died two days later of chronic kidney disease.

The body of Segundo Zapata Palacios is driven to the cemetery during his funeral procession past the sugar cane fields where he worded in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, Jan. 27.

In this Friday, Jan. 27, 2012 photo, Wilson de Jesus Zapata is embraced by his wife at the tomb of his father Segundo Zapata Palacios after his burial at the cemetery in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua.