We had the good fortune of connecting with Cara Lam and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cara, what do you want your legacy to be?
My motto has always been “you only live once.” From studying abroad to choosing an unconventional career path in tech, I hope that I’m showing to people around me that life is not linear and that everyone can create their own paths. And above all, enjoy life! There’s way too much to see and experience in life — sitting in front of a computer won’t do life justice.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a lifelong writer. I do UX writing for a living so I deal with words day in and day out. But every few months, I just *have* to write a blog to spill out all the pent up feelings inside. Inspiration comes and goes for me, so every time I think of a topic I’d like to write about, I have to write it all out immediately. And I’m pretty bad at lying, so all the stuff I write comes from the bottom of my heart. Honesty is key.

It was also not too hard for me to kick start my writing career — started by freelancing writing travel articles when I lived in Japan then transitioned into marketing copywriting, and eventually UX writing.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I did a weeklong roadtrip around Colorado so I’d recommend they do the same! Spend a few days at Rocky Mountain National Park then pop over to Aspen. Definitely need to check out Maroon Bells — I went during peak fall season and the colors were out of this world. 3 hours away is Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. It’s such an underrated park… go watch sunset at the Painted Wall viewpoint — it’ll make your trip.

I’d also spend a couple days hiking in Telluride. Oh, take the free tram up! Views are great there too. Then I’d drive over to Mesa Verde to look at cliff dwellings from hundreds of years ago. Such an interesting group of dwellings that exist nowhere else. And of course, take a soak in the Pagosa Springs. Get ready for a lobster pot at 108F!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family, definitely! Even though I’m living abroad in New York City now, my entire family is actually still in Hong Kong. Big thank you to my parents who always support my decisions both emotionally and financially. Growing up in Hong Kong, career paths are few (you either get into law or medicine or business) — I’ve always refused to work in HK and wanted to pursue a career in tech instead. That means working in the US and being away from home for a long time… but my family has never complained about it.

Website: thecaradventures.wordpress.com

Instagram: @thecaradventures

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cara-lam/

Youtube: youtube.com/Caradventures

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