Cat's life is divided. There is the time Before her mom died, and After. When her mom got sick, Cat still did her homework and got accepted into college, while her father slowly shut down. Now, everything seems meaningless.
Before, Cat was happy and had momentum. After, she feels stuck. And angry. There might be five stages of grief, but Cat can't get past stage two. She's so filled with rage, her doctor tries to medicate her. A pill to make her feel like a zombie? No thanks.
When Cat finds a brochure for Students Without Boundaries — a volunteer program that will send her to South America — she grabs it. It's her escape from the memories of her mother and the reality of her absence. But life as a "voluntourist" is not an escape. The new people and places Cat meets bring new perspectives and challenges she never expected. Life may still have meaning after all.
