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The Art of the Trip Home

Pam Noda

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A Plan to Nourish the Expat in You


Live online workshop · 2.5 hours · a small group of up to 8

A visit home can be sustenance for your soul, or a whirlwind that leaves you drained. This workshop helps you plan the trip you actually want, and find the words to talk about it with the people back home.

The trip home you're hoping for


You know how exhilarating it can be to reconnect with your family, friends, and culture. What you really want at the end of your trip is to feel:

  • Refreshed and replenished
  • Content with how you connected with people and paid attention to your own needs and desires
  • Ready to greet your life abroad again

Sound familiar?


  • Anxiety over how you're going to fit in everything and everybody sets in well before you leave.
  • You already know who and what will be irritants, and you have no plan for when they show up.
  • You feel guilty wanting time on your own, or with your kids and partner, when others are counting on time with you.
  • You land back in your life abroad more depleted than when you left.

The pressure coming from every which way to make everyone happy was making our trips home unbearable for me. I seriously considered not visiting. This program taught me how to clarify and convey my "must haves" for a satisfying trip. Now our visits are full of happy times, and I come back feeling good about having made the trip.
Jean Tsurumaki

There is a better way. Most trip planning goes into flights, packing, and how many days to spend where. But it's rarely the logistics that leave you drained. It's the people part.



What we'll do together


Before you go
Surface Your Desires. Plan from the Afterglow™: Notice what this particular trip means to you, and write a first draft of how you want to feel when it's over. Then open the Wishlist Conversation™ with everyone whose wishes matter on the trip.

While you're there
Outmaneuver Stress. Name the irritants you already know are coming, and practice real responses in small groups, so you arrive ready. Then make downtime part of the plan, not what's left over.

As you leave and land
Stockpile the Love. Hold on to the loving moments, savor the last days, and make a comfort plan for your first while back.

You'll leave with


A plan for your next trip home, built from the afterglow you want, and the words to talk with people back home about what you want, need, and won't do. Including:

  • A first-draft afterglow statement: how you want to feel when this trip is over
  • Openers for the wishlist conversations that bring everyone's hopes into the open
  • Small-group practice for the irritants you already know are coming
  • A comfort plan for your first while back, and your top three commitments for the trip

About Pam


I'm a long-time expat myself, and I've made countless trips home to the United States from Japan, with children of every age, and a partner, in tow. I'm a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation. I founded Hearts at Home Abroad to help women abroad thrive in a life they enjoy, with the people they love. The Art of the Trip Home grew out of everything I've learned about building a happy life in a foreign country, and about going home again.

Date and price


Workshop: Monday, November 30, 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. JST
¥9,800 early-bird price, through November 20. Regular price ¥12,000.

Workshop + Trip Home Companion: the workshop plus a private 45-minute session with me, scheduled after the workshop, to take your plan further.
¥27,600 early-bird price, through November 20. Regular price ¥29,800. Adding the session now saves you ¥7,200.
Choose the workshop with the Companion session →

Testimonials

Our visits are never perfect—I’m human—but now I have a prescription to follow that helps me plan for the visit by taking into consideration the people, their expectations, and my family’s needs. I feel validated and comfortable with my desire to take care of me as part of my return visits.

- L. Smith, Hong Kong

I’ve seen and enjoyed firsthand the success of the program. It helped facilitate the pre-trip communication that is so essential for clarifying expectations for the visit. I especially like the ‘wishlist’ feature. This helps us decide how best to fulfill everyone’s wishes for the summer.

- J. Martin, mother-in-law

My daughter-in-law happily makes sure we all get our time with family. She’s calm and relaxed throughout the visit. It wasn’t always this way. She attributes her newfound peace of mind to the program.

- W. Cook

The program was really helpful for our family the last few summers. It allowed us to talk through in advance our expectations for time with immediate and extended family and friends. Home leaves are always too hectic, and the program gave us some great tips for taking control of our time. No more getting on the return flight in August with regret.

- S. Alan, husband

“Mommy, Mommy, I’ve done it, this year I’m taking charge—here’s my list!”

- S. Ellie, 10-year-old-girl

“Mommy, it’s time! When are we making my list?”

- Sheffield, 7-year-old-boy

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to share personal things, or role-play?
Only as much as you want. Sharing is always optional, and what’s said in the group stays in the group. In the role-play, you choose the situation you practice, and suggestions from others come only when you ask for them. Most people find it’s a relief to say the hard words out loud somewhere safe before they have to say them for real.
What will I leave with?
A first-draft plan for your next trip home, built from the afterglow you want; your top three commitments for the trip; and the words for the conversations you’ve been putting off.

[Pam: add details about the workbook and whether sessions are recorded.]
When is the best time to take it?
Ideally a few weeks to a few months before your next trip home, while there’s still time to have the conversations that matter. It’s just as useful soon after you’ve come back, if you want the next visit to go differently.
Is this about flights, packing, and logistics?
No. Logistics matter, and you’ll handle them through your usual resources. This workshop is about the people part: what you want from the trip, what the people you’re visiting hope for, and how to talk about it all with warmth. Plan the people part first, and the logistics will follow.
Can my partner or another family member come?
The workshop is designed with expat women in mind, since we’re so often the ones juggling everyone’s needs, including our own. Family members are welcome, of course. And either way, what you learn will benefit your whole family.
What time zone is the workshop in?
The workshop is live online, so you can join from anywhere. Times are listed in Japan time (JST), and here is the link to find the time in your time zone.
What do I need to join?
A computer or tablet for the video call, a quiet, private space where you can speak freely, and a notebook or journal. After you register, I’ll send you the link, plus a short questionnaire to help you prepare.
Will the workshop be recorded?
Yes, the whole-group portions are recorded, and you’ll receive the link afterward. The small-group role-plays are never recorded, so you can practice freely.
What if I can't make it, or the group doesn't fill?
Life happens. If you need to cancel up to 3 days before the workshop, you can have a full refund or move to a future workshop. After that, refunds aren’t possible, but you’re welcome to move your place to a future workshop, one time. Or you can give your place to a friend. 

If you miss the day itself, you’ll receive the recording. 

The workshop needs at least 4 participants to run, and if we don’t reach that, I’ll offer you a full refund or a place in a future group. 

Price

¥9,800
Reserve my spot

By booking this package, you agree to these Terms and Conditions

This package includes
  • Live online workshop on Monday, November 30, 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. JST
  • Downloadable workbook
  • Short questionnaire to help you prepare
  • Recording of the whole-group portions (breakout practice stays private)
  • Small group, up to 8 participants