Interview: Andreas Tells Us How He Was Able to Fulfill His Dream of Taking a “Sabbatical” at Univention

Pausing for a moment, reading a book in peace, traveling across Europe,
dedicating oneself to a project or volunteering full-time - this is the dream
of many employees. At Univention, this dream has come true, because for the
past two years, employees have had the opportunity to take time out in the
form of a "sabbatical". In this interview, Andreas talks about how he managed
to establish this offer, why the topic is so important to him, and how he
spent his sabbatical.

What made you decide to take a sabbatical?

Actually, I had been dreaming of seeing many different places and trying new
hobbies for quite some time. I had already accumulated a few books on travel
destinations, personal development, drawing and painting, but I never had the
time to read them. At work, my tasks kept increasing, the expectations grew,
the stress increased, and the direction became more and more unclear. The
proverbial hamster wheel was spinning faster and faster. A weekend was no
longer enough to recharge my batteries, and a vacation was no longer relaxing.
Then my gut told me that I could do things differently. This was a good time
for me to make my dream come true and take a sabbatical. Take a break, slow
down, read more books, get out in nature more often and travel around Europe.

How did you organize your sabbatical at Univention?

First of all, I remember that the possibility of a sabbatical was not yet
available and that there was a lot to coordinate. I first approached Carina,
my colleague in the HR department, to discuss the matter. A few weeks later, a
general agreement was reached for all employees. I was really surprised that
it went so easily and quickly. I was able to clarify the next steps with Jörg,
my department head, and plan them with my team. I am grateful to my colleagues
for their understanding in taking over my tasks. I was able to successfully
complete some projects before I left. Upon my return, I also thanked Peter,
our managing director, and he replied rather sheepishly that it was an
experiment after all. A successful one, I think.

---

---

What does a sabbatical at Univention look like, and how did you prepare for

your trip?

The general arrangement for all employees who want to take a sabbatical
consists of a savings phase and a leave phase. In the first phase, part of the
gross salary is waived, and a credit is built up that can be used in the
second phase of the sabbatical. The advantage is that all social and health
insurance continues as before. In order to travel around Europe, I quickly
decided that I would need a motor home. I found a company in Bremen to make
this dream come true. There I was well advised from the purchase of an empty
van to the fully equipped habitable interior with stove, refrigerator, bed,
solar and running water. The rough destinations were the Eiffel Tower, the
Northern Lights and the Algarve.

Where did you go and why?

I started planning by doing research and collecting ideas. Then I combined the
three rough destinations with three itineraries. I started in March 2022. The
first stage to get to know the camping life took me through East Frisia and
the Netherlands to France and the Eiffel Tower. I researched that Kilpisjärvi
in Finland is the best place to see the Northern Lights. There are two seasons
that are ideal: Fall and Winter. So I had to choose between an average
temperature of 5°C or -15°C. The plan was to be there from September to
October. I am often asked the question: "Do the Northern Lights really look
like they do in the photos?” Yes! They are beautifully green and completely
silent when they move. At the end of the third trip, I spent three weeks with
my motor home right on the cliffs in the Algarve. There, near Ferragudo, I saw
beautiful sunsets every evening. In March 2023 I was back at Univention in
Bremen.

---

---

What was a typical travel day like?

My classic travel day started at 9 a.m. with getting up and having breakfast.
Around 12 o'clock, I would think about what I wanted to do that day, or not do
it. I traveled slowly, sometimes only 60 km a day. Only once I rode more than
500 km to avoid the nightly freezing temperatures in the mountains of southern
Spain. Since I brought my bicycle, I could also park outside and then explore
the area by bike or go shopping. I mostly cooked myself with local
ingredients, and sometimes I went out to eat. In Warsaw, my bike saddle broke
off on the subway. But there are bike shops and I can recommend the restaurant
"Tre Orsi Pizza". I was able to use my English well all over Europe. And I
took lots of books with me and read them. It was really nice and over way too
fast.

What did you learn from the sabbatical?

I learned that it's good to have a direction of where you want to go. You can
either do things completely randomly, fast and agile, or you can think
everything through 100% first and never really get started. The mix of the two
extremes is important. Back home, I didn't like my apartment at all. I
redecorated it first, also with souvenirs from the trip, and set up a small
reading corner so that I could read a book in the middle of the day. I want to
continue being on the road, sometimes a week in the office and then a week in
the home office in the motor home. I find that this freedom fosters creativity
and makes me happy. I am grateful to Univention for that.

---

---

What do you recommend to people who are planning a sabbatical or are

thinking about it?

Talk about it and exchange ideas with others who have already taken this step.
Just do it. It will be great!

Thank you, Andreas, for taking the time for this interview. Meanwhile, the
next colleague has gone on sabbatical: she went to Mexico for a few months.
More about that on our Inside Univention
Blog.

Der Beitrag Interview: Andreas Tells Us How He Was Able to Fulfill His Dream
of Taking a "Sabbatical" at Univention erschien zuerst auf
Univention.

link