Farewell To Our Inaugural Remote Year — Remote Year

One year ago, 75 strangers from around the world packed up their lives, bid farewell to loved ones, and boarded one-way flights to Prague. They weren’t going on vacation, studying abroad or relocating for work. They didn’t have friends in town, speak the language or know who was waiting for them upon arrival. All they brought were a few pieces of luggage and a jumble of emotions in anticipation.These 75 strangers descended into Prague to make up the inaugural Remote Year program. Of the 25,000 initial applicants, this group of “remotes” was called upon to put their lives on hold and travel the world with us for a year. To call this situation crazy would be a colossal understatement. The remotes took a leap of faith on us having a program in place; we took a leap of faith that they would even show up at the airport; and together we dove headfirst into the adventure ahead.Fast forward 12 cities and 12 months and our journey has now come to an end. Few words can do the last year justice. It was incredibly challenging and rewarding, comical and heartbreaking, profound and saddening — an all-encompassing and life-changing experience.

Looking back to the beginnings of Remote Year, we’re amazed by how far we’ve come. Stemming from a simple desire to see the world with friends, Remote Year has evolved to become a symbol of autonomy, a stance against routine and a movement to revolutionize the way we live and work. Navigating the digital nomad world has taught us a lot this past year but undoubtedly, we learned the most from the remotes themselves. Here are a few of our favorite goals and lessons…