The Big 5: Frequently Asked Questions
Remote Year: (noun) Traveling the world with 75 like-minded, remote-working, individuals from all over the world, living in 12 cities over 12 months.
Trying to explain this isn’t as easy as it sounds and is usually followed by one, or more, of the following questions with an exasperated look.
1. Where?
In the early stages of my acceptance, aka the first three months, my answer was “I don’t know” and I secretly loved it. I mean, I had a general idea. Remote Year has a list of cities they go and I had opted out of Asia. For some reason the thought of pulling all nighters so I could work my central time zone job wasn’t appealing? Yeah, definitely not.
Three months after joining the RY family, I received that much anticipated email. It felt like Christmas morning. Of course the first thing I did was check the weather for each city the month I was going to be there. Good news folks: I’ll be chasing summer.
But now, unfortunately, my answer was no longer my beloved exclamation of, “I don’t know”, but a list of cities I have tried, and failed, to memorize and ramble off to anyone who asked the question where.
2. When?
Again, my favorite answer: I don’t know! Remote Year offered me a spot on one of their January Itineraries, which in June felt ages away but these past few months have flown by! As I’m finally getting my thoughts down, I have six weeks until I leave (eek!).
Along with the release of my itinerary was the announcement of my start date, December 31st, although I’m leaving the day before due to flights. Ringing in the new year to begin this epic year of adventures with my new travel family sounds like a pretty good start if you ask me.
3. Who?
After all my solo travel adventures through Europe and Australia, no, I’m not going alone this time. With that being said, I don’t know who I’ll be traveling with. Remote Year tries to compose their groups of a mixture of diverse people; from freelancers to corporate and American to Australian, What I do know is that this crazy group of humans will turn from strangers to family over the course of the year.
4. What?
What will I be doing? Working for the same company I’m working for now. Doing, for the most part, the same things I’m doing now. And honestly, probably being way more productive and efficient at it than I currently am. Oh, and having a work-life balance instead of my work consuming and defining my life. Can anyone else relate?
5. Why?
Community. Remote Year drew me in because of the community. Remote Year continues to amaze me for the amazing community they have built. We are almost 1,000 strong! I knew I could do this on my own, for a fraction of the cost, but I’m tired of meeting amazing people and inevitably parting ways after a few short days together. In short, I’m tired of saying goodbye. Now I’ll be stuck with the same group for a whole year and I couldn’t be more excited.
Extra Credit: Are you nervous?
HECK NO! Somewhere during the conversation about Remote Year I’m always asked about safely. I’m not sure if it’s because of the media portrayal of the world today, or individuals fears of stepping outside their comfort zones, or maybe a whole host of things but I can tell you that worse things have happened to me in my own country than abroad. And again, I’m not going alone this time. Safety in numbers, right?