May 25, 2023 
4 mins to read A sabbatical year abroad is an opportunity to replace everyday routines with something completely different. At the same time, you get a unique chance to challenge yourself by waving goodbye to the safe and familiar and instead welcoming a whole new everyday life with all that it entails.
Establishing oneself in a new country means different customs and traditions, perhaps a language you do not speak, and a completely different mentality – in short, a major life change. There is no doubt that it can be demanding to exchange everyday security for a sabbatical year abroad – but it is at least as rewarding when you find out that you can easily stand on your own two feet, while having experiences and memories for life.
Get a job abroad during your sabbatical year
Traveling and experiencing the world in your sabbatical year does not have to be the same as backpacking trips that you have to save up for several years. If you choose to work abroad, you can combine unforgettable experiences under distant skies with a stable income. Then you do not have to wonder if the travel budget now also lasts the entire trip.
If you travel alone, a job abroad is also an obvious way to meet new people during your sabbatical year. When you go to work, you automatically expand your circle of friends in the form of your colleagues – and if you are in an international workplace where you often work with eg customer service and meeting booking, there will certainly be others in the same situation as you who has a desire to form new friendships across nationalities. Your new colleagues quickly also become your travel companions, whom you party, go on excursions and eat with outside working hours.
Get new language skills and get to know a new culture
When you learn a new language, you also get the key to an even greater understanding of the country’s culture, traditions and folk customs. Therefore, it is obvious to combine a job abroad in your sabbatical year with learning the local language if you are visiting a country where you do not speak the language in advance. You can do this, for example, by getting tuition at a local language school – or maybe you can get help from a friend or colleague. You will find that you quickly learn new words by simply moving around among people, trying to order food in the local language at restaurants, or having short conversations with people you meet.
A sabbatical abroad is also an obvious opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture. When we get to know other cultures, we also become wiser about ourselves – and who knows, maybe you will learn things that you can also use in your own life in the future. You will no doubt gain new perspectives on many things in life after trying to live and work in another country for an extended period of time.
A sabbatical abroad can give you valuable experience in the labor market
Maybe you come straight from school and do not have the great work experience – in that case, a job abroad in your sabbatical is a great opportunity to gather some practical experience. No matter what job you get, you learn valuable things about what it’s like to be a part of a workplace – the flexible study hours are replaced with set meeting times, and you learn what it’s like to live up to the company’s expectations of you.
At the same time, it is often possible to gain experience from an international environment. Good language skills and the ability to navigate between several different cultures and customs are increasingly in demand by employers in the global labor market of which we are all a part today. If you have worked abroad during your sabbatical year, you are therefore a little better equipped to hold a position at an international company or in an environment with many different nationalities at a later date.
Take the plunge – a sabbatical abroad guarantees experiences and personal development
Many people experience a marked leap in their personal development after spending a sabbatical year abroad. You learn to manage yourself, to take care of a job, to cope with linguistic and cultural challenges and much, much more. At Job Squad, we help you find the right job, just as we are experts in the whole process of moving and establishing yourself in a whole new country. We have already matched lots of graduates with the right job abroad – their stories can be found right here.
