Local author and practiced traveler Kat Medina is teaching people how to use a traveler’s mindset to not be an a-hole in her new book Joys of Jetlag. After traveling to 35 countries, Medina is passing on her experience and gained wisdom.  

When asked what made her write the book, Medina told the Tribune after prioritizing traveling for the majority of her life and finding herself always longing for that next destination she decided to act like she was on vacation all the time, at least in her mind and interactions. 

“Even though I prioritize traveling, I spend most of my time at home. To look forward to being somewhere else for so much of the time seems like such a waste,” Medina added. 

In her book, each chapter has a story and tool kit each with a specific focus. Each chapter dives into an aspect of the mindset and joy of a traveler using the philosophies of a traveler. The tool kits are meant to help readers implement the philosophies in everyday life. 

“I realized I needed to see setbacks as part of the adventure, after work fires popped up, things didn’t go as planned and I noticed I stopped appreciating the little things,” Medina said.  

The book has 16 chapters composed in a variety of ways, each one ending with an applicable Jet Lag Tool Kit checklist. 

Some chapters lead with bold background stories, hilarious travel stories, and personal stories with perfectly placed expletives that might make you spit your drink out and laugh, according to the mother, traveler and now published author. 

The local mom has self published her first book which has been widely distributed through book retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble online as well as locally at Cuppa Tahoe, Word After Word, Bare Roots Coffee, and Crazy Good Bakery.