Meet Paloma Sofia Bellingan - a creative, surfer and mother currently living in Southern Nicaragua, in the small surf town of Popoyo, where life moves at its own rhythm, slow, intentional, and deeply connected to the land.
What began as a spontaneous leap with her now husband turned into building a home, raising their son close to nature, and creating a life far from the pace of the “rat race.” Her days are shaped by sunrises, surf, community, and motherhood, all woven together with a growing creative practice. Get to know how Paloma has created a life rooted in presence, simplicity, and freedom in this interview with us at Minga.
Tell us a little about you — where in Nicaragua you’re living right now and what your days look like lately?
I am currently living in Southern Nicaragua; Popoyo to be exact. Our days here are quite slow. We wake up with the sun, work a bit, chase our toddler around, head to the beach to surf, watch the sun go down, and chase our toddler around some more…haha. It’s beautiful, really, just intentional living and true presence in our bodies and this place.
We’re curious, what brought you to Nica and what was the process like deciding to make a life there?
My story sometimes feels like a cheeky romance movie plot. Back in 2022, I met my now husband teaching a surf lesson and just fell so hard for this man! I remember that day thinking, “Oh wow, I’m gonna marry this guy and this is going to be a wild ride.” Just 5 months after meeting, we literally sold all of our belongings, packed up, and set out south with no plan whatsoever other than to get away from the rat race. Everyone thought we were just bonkers (I mean we were). Both my husband and I are first generation immigrants. We never felt that the US was ‘home’, and so we set out in search of a place that did.
Popoyo was our first stop, and I just remember feeling like I hopped in a time machine and went back 200 years here. There were people getting around in ox carts, wild horses everywhere, and a deep cowboy culture, like the old western movie type! Not to mention the incredible surf year-round. We kept extending our trip until deciding to stay, buy a little piece of land near the beach, and begin to build a life here.
How has living there shaped the way you see the world and your creativity?
Living here has taught me the art of noticing. When you remove the noise of the first world, you are left with this incredible silence. It’s equally terrifying as it is fascinating; sitting with yourself and your thoughts for the first time. You slowly begin to appreciate every sound, every bird, every tree in the garden; you notice the little changes in each season. It’s how we were meant to live in my opinion. I've never felt closer to God + more aligned and inspired to create. I picked up a camera a couple years ago and discovered a passion for capturing the magic of this place; playing with different light, textures, feelings. I’ve been a writer most of my professional life, so entering this new medium gave me the ability to turn poems, scenes, and stories in my head into a tangible image or video. 
What does raising a child close to nature and a slower rhythm of life mean to you right now?
It’s everything. I have the ability to enjoy every moment, because it’s true what they say about how quickly it goes. Living simply gives me the opportunity to be the mother he deserves; a present one. Every day, we get to go out and explore a new place together, get our feet dirty, say hello to the monkeys, and interact with people from all walks of life. I feel that this place is shaping him into such a rad little human being; someone who will make the world better one day (I hope) and not succumb to society’s pressures.
Tell us about the creative work or business you’re building — what are you making these days?
After a couple years of living here, we began what is now Buena Onda Creative- where we offer businesses creative direction, photo/video projects, and storytelling. Our work is centered around intentional creation and connection; really evoking some sort of emotion through words or visuals, and capturing the essence of every client, brand, space, etc. In the age of AI generated everything, we want to preserve what’s real.
We’ve also recently started a little apparel brand here called Popoyo Surf Club, which is pretty much a celebration of the moto/cowboy/surf culture of Popoyo and just an ode to the people who make this place what it is. 10% of our profits go to supporting local surf talent in contests currently, but we’re evolving this into being able to support people beyond surfing. Additionally, my day job involves creative strategy and storytelling for a rad agency (JellyShot) based out of Colombia. I feel quite privileged to get to create in every aspect of what I do, I know many people don’t have that opportunity. It really makes work not feel like work; I wake up every day excited about what I’ll dream up that day.
How does the place you live influence what you create?
There’s a sense of freedom here that strips away the limits that we sometimes place on ourselves creatively. Popoyo has taught me to try new things without fear of failure; that’s how you grow. Creating anything is hard if you are worried about what others will think. But the moment I was able to peel back that layer of self-doubt is when I really began to tap into my own creative potential and sense of expression.
What has creating your own path taught you about yourself as a woman? And how does that impact your relationship to your son?
I was so lost before moving here; excited about the unknown but really still having no idea of who I was nor what I wanted to make out of life. Having Bodi has awakened a sense of purpose, power, and capability that I didn’t even know was in there. I want my son to grow up knowing he can do whatever he sets his mind to. That hard work and dedication can take him to the stars. He has been my mirror, and my mission right now is to become everything that I want him to be one day. In the beginning of my motherhood journey, I felt there would not be any space for me to have a career AND raise my son. Mom shame is so real, and I still struggle sometimes not feeling guilty for putting time or energy into something other than him. But with support from my sweet mama friends, amazing husband, and community, I’ve realized that there is space for both of these versions of me, and that I owe it to myself and him to pursue a career I love and grow creatively. The balance will come eventually, I haven’t quite found it yet. But, I’m really happy with where I am at right now.
What does community look like for you where you are right now?
The community is what really has anchored me to this place. We have this diverse melting pot of locals and expats living day to day together, learning from one another, and supporting each other. When there’s a fire, we all show up and put it out. If the road is messed up, we all pitch in to fix it. When the grocery store is out of diapers, there’s a mom at your doorstep dropping off extras. I have never experienced something like it before. I feel that it has honestly made me a better human, because you have to show up for the community that shows up for you.
We are so grateful to have you in the Minga community! We’re curious, what are your favorite Minga products and how do you use them?
I love everything you guys do! Your mission and the way you create really speaks to me, and gives a story and origin to every piece. I am obsessed with all your hand knit sweaters, but for obvious reasons could never wear them haha. I am a big fan of the Summer Bucket Hat - anything checkered is a yes for me.
What are you slowly dreaming up next? How can we keep in touch with you? IG/ Website etc?
Right now, we are in the finishing stages of our house build, so really hoping to spend this next year making it a home and settling in finally. We plan to continue growing our little businesses and just see where all of that takes us!
I want to continue learning and showcasing how rewarding going the unconventional route can be, maybe inspiring others to leave it behind and take the leap into the unknown, because that’s where the magic happens. I want to continue to evolve creatively and just see where my career takes me.
Our long-term goal is finding a way to split time between here and Colombia, my homeland. So, still dreaming up what that can look like for us. We want to have a couple more babies and just really soak up every second we have with these little rugrats because time is just flying!
:) IG: paloma.sofia_ @buenaondacreative @popoyosurfclub
