Is there a function or methodology for the user to invoke the routine, but having the routine locate OR understand where the user is running the routine from or is this even doable?
I am not 100% sure I fully understood your problem (mainly the thing about "current remote directory"), but if it is to determine the home directory of some user, this functionality is included in
File::HomeDir. It may not be perfect all the time (as the documentation itself says), but it may be a good departing point.
If it fits you, probably all you have to do is
use File::HomeDir;
$home = File::HomeDir->users_home('foo');