You know that feeling you get when you come home from being overseas, and you just feel BLAH?! That's reverse culture shock, and it's not easy to deal with. Some people avoid it by spending much of their lives abroad (and that's a whole different story). But what if you're back home, and trying to readjust? Well, my friend Cate has a fantastic new workbook that WILL change your life. 

The Re-entry Relaunch Roadmap is a fun, unique, and thought-provoking workbook designed to help you navigate reverse culture shock and find your next global adventure after living, working, studying, volunteering, or traveling abroad.

Filled with fresh insights, creative activities, and actionable advice, the Relaunch Roadmap will help you process your complex emotions, articulate what you learned and experienced abroad, reflect on who you are now, and identify your Global Life Ingredients.

This lively and engaging guide will then help you put what you’ve learned about yourself into a plan of action – your unique “Relaunch Roadmap” – for living a beautiful, meaningful, and satisfying global life that you love no matter where in the world you are.

Who is this book a fit for?

* Peace Corps volunteers, JET program teachers, Fulbright and Rotary scholars, etc.
* Expats who have lived and worked abroad
* Study abroad students
* Service-learning students
* Gap year students
* Long-term travelers
* Global nomads who don’t plan on returning “home” but still want to reflect on where they’ve been and where they are now, and then confidently make decisions about where they’re going next.
* Traveling families who are intent on raising global citizens.

Why do I love this book so? It's a thoughtful, interesting, intriguing way to incorporate our past and present life into a plan for a global future. It is, by far, the best, most useful guide I've seen to creating a global life for yourself...wherever you are in the world. Highly, highly recommended.

We were lucky enough to catch up with Cate, and ask her about the book, inspiration, and more. Here's what she had to say...

Please tell us about your new book...
This is the workbook I wish I'd had when I went through re-entry! More seriously, the Re-entry Relaunch Roadmap is a fun, unique, and thought-provoking workbook designed to help you navigate reverse culture shock and find your next global adventure after being abroad. 

My mission is to help expats, students, and travelers go from bummed about being home to brimming with excitement about their next global adventure! 

What inspired you to write this book?
It started with my own re-entry struggles two decades ago. I muddled through, mostly by crying, complaining, and going abroad again...and again and again. That worked ok for quite a while. But then came a time when I couldn't just up and leave when I felt re-entry closing in. 

That's when I realized that the challenging emotional aspects of re-entry don't just go away. The deep effects of my unresolved re-entry were so subtle that I couldn't ever put my finger on anything specific, but it was always there influencing my relationships, career decisions, and general level of happiness. 

Long story short: I asked myself a lot of questions, like...Who am I if I'm not living abroad? What does "global" mean to me at this point in my life? What - and who - is most important to me right now? And instead of simply thinking about my next trip abroad, I focused on creating a global LIFE that I'd love living anywhere in the world.  

As I shared my re-entry story with friends, colleagues, and clients, I found so many people who could relate to my experience. They wanted to know more about my process and encouraged me to write a book that would help others. Additionally, having worked in international education for 20 years, I'd seen the need for re-entry materials that go beyond how to include your abroad experience on your resume. 

So, I created the Re-entry Relaunch Roadmap to fill the gap. I'm thrilled that it's resonating with so many global adventurers, from study abroad students to global service volunteers to career expats! 

What might surprise readers to learn about how this book can affect them/change their lives?
Just how much identifying your Global Life Ingredients can change your life! That was a game-changer for me, and it has been for others, too. Once you're really clear on the 3-5 things that are most important to you, you'll more confidently make career, relationship, and life decisions in re-entry and beyond. You'll create a life that fits who you are now, without feeling like you're settling or giving up what's most important to you. 

How do you suggest families use this roadmap workbook?
It would be so fun - and beneficial - to go through the Relaunch Roadmap as a family! You could do the activities together to see where the similarities and differences are in how each person experiences re-entry and envisions their Re-entry Relaunch. Doing so would help you better understand and support each other through the experience.   

You have a Facebook group for people? 
Yes! It's open to all global adventurers who are in any phase of re-entry. 

What's up next for you?
I'm gearing up to lead another Relaunch Roadmap Mastermind group starting November 1st. I love leading these small groups because I see participants go from being overwhelmed and feeling like they've left half of themselves abroad to feeling optimistic, confident, and energetically pursuing their next global adventure. 

Is there annything else you'd like to share?
Your readers may also enjoy my weekly Re-entry Relaunch podcast. Each week I share a quick tip or an insightful interview to inspire you as you find your next global adventure after being abroad.