Meet Joyce Lin

What are you working on for the year?

As usual, I’m learning more about the world and the people in it. There is always more out there!

For my day job, I’m working with the company behind Doxie Mobile Scanners to develop new products and make our existing ones even better for our customers. I like to think of myself as a problem-solver of sorts. My day consists of a mixture of project management, product testing, technical writing, customer support, and meme-posting in the company chat room.

I’m also doing a personal scrapbooking project on the side to keep the creative juices flowing.

Why did you decide to come on Remote Year?

I had started to consider a remote working lifestyle during summer of 2014. I wanted to see more of the world, but I also didn’t want to do it alone. When my coworker told me about Remote Year, it seemed too good to be true. The program had the community piece that was missing from my plans, so I had no more excuses. I set aside the pros and cons list I had made about Remote Year, and I decided to follow Jim Carrey’s advice not to “choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality."

How did you find yourself in a remote role?

After I committed to Remote Year, I quit my previous job as a technical consultant in search of a remote role. Quitting without having a new job in hand was one of the most difficult but freeing decisions I’d ever made. I was very upfront in my interview process about my upcoming travels, and I decided to join the team at Doxie, who has been very open and supportive of my adventures.

Describe your perfect day

My perfect day would involve creating music or art, learning something new, and being with good company. It would be a day that is not planned, and it would be perfect because the present is more important than anything else.

Where/when did you catch the travel bug?

I’m not sure if I caught the bug as much as having the bug as a companion of my childhood. My family had the privilege to travel around as I grew up, and I also decided to move to a completely new country by myself when I was 18. I think being an international will always be a part of my identity.

What is your favorite spot on the globe for food/people/culture/music/etc?

Taiwan! I mean, I'm definitely biased, but it's relatively cheap, the food is delicious, the people are friendly. What is there not to love?

What is one thing that should be taught in school that isn’t currently?

Empathy. It’s one of the most important life skills.