How Raiffeisen Tech employees use their sabbatical leave

I chose South America for my sabbatical, spending about a month there – around four weeks in Peru and nearly a week in Bolivia. During the trip, I visited Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Salar de Uyuni, and the Amazon.

What motivated me most was the desire to explore a new continent. Given the cost and travel time, South America is best experienced over several weeks – something difficult to achieve with the standard paid leave limit.

The most valuable part was being able to completely detach from everyday problems and responsibilities, and simply enjoy exploring new places without worrying about heading back home soon.

Surprisingly, returning to work was easy – even easier than after a short vacation. After several weeks of constant travel, I even felt a bit tired and, in a way, relieved to return to everyday life. On the other hand, new ideas for my next sabbatical immediately came to mind.

I went on a sabbatical in September 2024. I decided to take this option for several reasons – after six years of working at Raiffeisen Tech, I needed a break to “clear my head” and gain some distance from my daily responsibilities.

My month off was mostly spent traveling – New York, the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, and a trip along the Baltic Sea coast through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Fortunately, the last few days were a quiet time at home. After an intense month, this definitely made returning to work easier, and it wasn’t as daunting as I had initially feared. The month-long break allowed me to gain perspective and look at many things from a different angle. Thankfully, my colleagues made sure the first few days back were calm – there were no unexpected messages waiting for me, so I could catch up at my own pace.

Looking back, would I make the same decision again? Absolutely! I believe that every once in a while, taking this kind of break from work can do a lot of good for mental well-being.

My sabbatical lasted two months in Southeast Asia. What led me to take this break? I needed a longer pause from work and some sunshine during the autumn-winter season. Sun, peace, and no obligations. This allowed me to calm my mind, rest, and overcome fears.

Returning to work felt natural. I came back with plenty of energy. I definitely recommend such a break to everyone. And for those who worry about traveling alone (as I did), it’s worth knowing that you’ll always meet people along the way who are happy to chat.

I decided to take a two-month sabbatical. I hadn’t planned a destination beforehand – it was quite spontaneous, sometimes deciding the next step day by day. In the end, I spent most of the time by the Baltic Sea. First, with my whole family, then traveling with my daughters along the German and Danish coasts all the way to Skagen, then through Funen, Zealand, and Falster back to Germany and on to Poland. Later, there were more trips within Poland.

I left almost immediately, so my days were filled with sightseeing, sports, relaxation, and planning the next routes. At one point, I completely lost track of time – I remember a colleague calling me near the end of my leave, and me asking: “Wait, what day is it today?”

The most valuable part for me was the slow life, slow travel – unhurried time with my family. That period gave me distance, calm from overstimulation, and a chance to recharge. I especially treasured the time with my daughters – a girls’ trip with teenagers is something I wholeheartedly recommend. I also managed to join my sister and cousins for a lakeside trip, which later inspired a planned family trip to Tuscany this year.