SABBATICAL EXPERIENCE IN CHINA

Gisella has been working for Vitesco Technologies/Continental for 22 years and she is currently working as a Project Manager in Italy. In 2016, she moved for two years in Shanghai, China for a delegation.

Last year, she asked for a sabbatical to join her husband, delegated in China for another company, together with their daughters.

Here are a few thoughts she shared with us about this experience:

Why did you think to ask for a sabbatical?

After the end of my delegation, I returned to Italy with my daughters. My husband stayed in China, as his contract had been extended for some more years, therefore a sabbatical was a perfect solution to reunite the whole family in China again.

How did your team react to your request for a sabbatical?

I knew the possibility to take a sabbatical and I also knew other colleagues who took some time off due to personal reasons. After my delegation I returned to Pisa in the role of Project Manager and fortunately, Vitesco Technologies was very comprehensive regarding my private situation. 

Further to my private situation, I learned a lot and I was able to make experiences I would have never done without this possibility.

How did your approach to work change after this experience?

This experience, like the delegation, was very important for my personal growth. It allowed me to open my mind and I realized how “small” my world in Pisa was. The sabbatical taught me to observe situations and people always from more than only one point of view, not only in daily life, but also at the workplace.

Would you recommend this experience to a colleague?

Absolutely I would, because this sabbatical spent in China, together with my previous delegation, opened my mind to new and different cultures besides our European one. I realized that diversity is only a mental construction. I am very happy to be able to offer such an important life experience to our teenage daughters. Engaging in multicultural experiences enriches every single person and is important for our personal development and growth. I can only recommend this experience to my colleagues.
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