a Sabbatical
In the year 2015, I quit my office job in Switzerland and embarked on a sabbatical time out to explore foreign countries and cultures. What began as a small journey turned into a multi-year experience and lifestyle. One year after starting my sabbatical, I transitioned into a digital nomad, continuing my journey even further.
What is a sabbatical anyway?
Instead of writing my own definition, I'd prefer to just quote Wikipedia on sabbatical:
"Sabbatical is a rest from work, or a break, often lasting from two months to a year. The conceptual of sabbatical has a source in shmita, described in several places in the Bible (Leviticus 25, for example, where there is a commandment to desist from working the fields in the seventh year). In the strict sense, therefore, a sabbatical lasts a year."
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbatical
Why was I having a sabbatical?
For everybody who has read the definition and knows me, it should be obvious by now. Nevertheless, I want to add some background details to support a better understanding. After completing my education and graduating as a multimedia designer, I immediately started to work. Thanks to my prospering employer, great team, lots of interesting projects and challenges I could grow personally and professionally. I never seriously thought about something like a career, when suddenly my 10 years anniversary was on the table. Up to this moment, I was living and working in the same region where I grew up. Besides the regular holiday and countless weekend trips, I have never been abroad for a longer period of time. My sabbatical was all about to change this settled lifestyle.
What was I doing on my sabbatical?
The most important thing during my sabbatical was the variety of experiences. My priorities were to visit different locations, learn about foreign cultures and meet interesting people. For obvious reasons this implied a lot of travel. I wanted to spend a fair amount of time on each continent, while passing by diverse areas. I was always looking for meaningful personal connections: friends for life, dance and travel buddies, cultural exchange, professional collaboration. Moreover, I started to become interested in social projects. By now, I have accomplished all my goals and transitioned into a full digital nomad.