I'm happy to announce the very first (non-Amazon) sale of Moon Living Abroad In Nicaragua! The happy customer, Kathleen Moore, is planning a trip south next summer with a group of families and friends. They are "looking for a house to rent in a Spanish-speaking country with beach/natural/outdoor experiences for the kids."

The families, Kathleen writes, are accustomed to various comfort levels of travel. Also, rolling with small children "adds a whole new spin on things." Understatement of the year, I imagine.

Kathleen says her group is considering taking this pilgrimage every year, perhaps to different countries, and she is looking for an appropriate place to begin their tradition. Costa Rica may be "more accommodating" than Nicaragua, as her friends have told her—at least in terms of available creature comforts and services. Or perhaps the pioneer feeling offered by Nicaragua is more their speed. Who knows.

Utlimately, the decision of where to go is a deeply personal one and the first step is to gather facts, as Kathleen has begun to do. Moon's Living Abroad series will provide her with a different set of information than a standard travel guidebook like Moon Handbooks.

For example, Moon Living Abroad In Nicaragua offers sections on renting a house, traveling with children, adjusting to the culture, and studying Spanish. So does Erin Van Rheenen's Living Abroad In Costa Rica, Ken Luboff's Living Abroad in Mexico, and Lan Sluder's Living Abroad In Belize.

Then there's Spain, Italy, Japan, France, etc. As they say in Spanish, no importa. It doesn't matter where Kathleen and her family end up. The most important thing is that she—and her children—are going to have an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.