In both Moon: Nicaragua and Moon Living Abroad in Nicaragua we have consistently emphasized that getting involved in your community is a great way to experience Nicaragua in a way that casual travel can't do. That goes doubly for expats and long-termers, who will be richly rewarded if they reach out to the community that welcomes them.

Here's a great example of someone who has done just that. From the Loveland Reporter Herald of Colorado:

Jane Mirandette is giving power to the people of Nicaragua — one book at a time. In the past seven years, the Lovelander has established the first lending library in the country, created a traveling reading program to schools and helped found 25 more libraries around Central America. And she’s done it all purely through her drive to help others. ... Mirandette’s work in the country wasn’t part of her initial plan, she said. Instead, it began with a vacation. She and her partner, Loveland’s Mike Iacoboni, were searching for a possible vacation home in the country when they ended up buying a hotel. “I really fell in love with it,” she said.

And it was while she was working at the hotel that Mirandette made a strange observation: There simply weren’t any books to be found in the community. So she decided to do something about it.

Jane's San Juan del Sur Biblioteca Movil ("Mobile Library") is now the source for over 12,500 books. What a phenomenal way to make a difference and to dispel the criticism that gringo expats are only here " to despoil". Congrats, Jane!

Read the rest of the article here.