Today's episode is for all the aspiring writers out there and, of course, their equally important enthusiastic readers!
My guest is Catriona Turner, a seasoned expat and newly published author. Her memoir, "Nest - a Memoir of Home on the Move" is widely available.

We chat about Catriona's expat journey,  taking her from Scotland to France, Uganda, Congo and Denmark, and then back to Scotland, and how she decided to fulfil her dream of becoming a writer and then a published author.

Find out more about Catriona on Instagram, or her website: The Frustrated Nester. 

Get the first three chapters of "Nest" for free: https://thefrustratednester.com/overload/
Sign up via email, and you'll be sent the download link.

The book that helped Catriona with her memoir is Fast Draft Your Memoir by Rachael Herron. Rachel also hosts a brilliant writing podcast, called How Do You Write.

If you're interested in joining a writing challenge, NaNoWriMo (national novel writing month) might be the tool for you!

Another writing resource Catriona mentions is Faber Academy London; this is full of advice, courses, and writing assistance.

If you're interested in making a Galette des Rois for epiphany, here's Catriona's French recipe, and here's one in English.

 Thank you again, Catriona, for this inspiring, uplifting and informative conversation!
Have a Fun-filled Festive Season and a Happy New Year!

My guest today is an education warrior: Brantley Turner-Bradley, East Asia Education Director for Dwight Schools.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Brantley spent 25 years of her life in China and is raising three TCKs with her husband. We spoke in June, while Brantley and her family were in the US; they are currently embarking on a new venture in Hanoi, Vietnam.

We cover a whole range of subjects, from the importance of cultural immersion for growth, to the Chinese vs US education system, AI and how the current education system is failing young people, the way emotions have been dismissed from curricula over the last few centuries, the differences in remote and in-person learning, the importance of vulnerability - both feeling and showing it - and so many more.

To connect with Brantley, or learn more about her, find her on LinkedIn.

The book Brantley mentions is called Emo Sapiens, by Polish author Rafał Ohme, expert in the field of psychology of persuasion, emotions and the subconscious. The book has only been published in Polish at this point.

Today's guest is Katherine, who was a guest on my podcast two years ago, an expat coach, writer, and locational astrologer. 

Using my own journey as an example, we're traveling the world looking at some of the places I've lived in or visited, and how the date, place and time of my birth are determining how I react to different places in the world.

If you're interested in finding out more, check out Katherine’s website, or find her on Instagram.

Special treat: Katherine is offering a 20% discount for listeners of Transcontinental Overload on her Astrocartography packages!! Code ASTROMAP20, bookable here.

Katherine recommends: 

• You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance and Living Your Purpose by Chani Nicholas
• The Twelve Houses by Howard Sasportas and Liz Greene.
• Andrea Dupuis' spiritual approach to astrology, and comprehensive program on her website Rising Woman.  
• Locational astrology entry-level material: Helena Woods' website. 

Glossary:
Planetary line themes:

• Sun: a place to be seen, the ego can develop, creative talents become more visible
• Moon: a place to call home, go deeper into yourself, be with family, and nurture self-care practices
• Mercury: a busy place with lots to do, many people to meet, and so much to learn
• Venus: a place to love and be loved, to indulge, create, and find pleasure and romance
• Mars: a place to stake your claim, get motivated, take action on your passions, and do big things
• Jupiter: a place of expansion, good fortune, luck, overindulgence, and grand new beginnings
• Saturn: a place of discipline, restrictions, and limitations, tough life lessons that make you stronger
• Uranus: an unconventional place with lots of twists and turns, alternative experiences and people, and disruptions
• Neptune: a dreamy place of bliss, spiritual happenings, unexplained phenomena, and the possibility of escapism
• Pluto: a place for deep soul healing, psychological plumbing, and exploration of the circle of life
• Nodes: a place you may have been in a past life that can still feel like you’ve been there before, fated experiences 
• Chiron: a place to heal your inner child, explore wounds from the past, and turn pain into art or healing 

MC Line: The Midheaven/Medi-Coeli line is your vocation, calling, sense of purpose, or aspects relating to career.