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“Sabbatical? What is it?” some people would ask this. It is the same like a sabbatyear. Just to get out for a time, maybe six months, one year or longer. The period of time makes no difference.
And this is, what I do. in regularly intervals. Away from stress, no standing in rush-hour every morning, afternoons get home, buy foods, cooking, watching TV, go to bed and at the next morning it starts again and again and again...
 Unfortunately there is slightly literature about this theme. Helpful for me was the german book “Sabbatical Handbuch” from Anke Richter, published by vgs (ISBN 3-8025-1386-X). Whoever wants to back out from rut but is to be afraid of them, should read this book.
It begins with a dialogue from the movie “Holiday” (1938) between Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn:
-I will make holiday, so long I need-
-Only to have fun?-
-No, I want to know, why I go to work. The answer can´t be just for pay my bills and collect a lot of money. I Can´t get the answer, if I sit here behind a desk in an office. So I go away for a while, when I have enough money for that. And I will come back when I know for what I go to work. Makes it a sense?-
And just this is my destination. To get out for a time and do what I want. No one can forbid it. I am unindebted, there is no arrest warrant for me, I don´t have any commintment and there is no office where I must audition daily. Who can stop me, if I step in front of the door and go? Anywhere? Only myself. Because only I am responsivle for me, nobody else.
I’m afraid to hear some arguments like this: “How dare you da that? Think about your life career. How do you want to explain it by yoour next job interview?”
But what barely one know is the fact, that a sabbatical belong to workaday:
In Australia it gives a claim to three months holdiay (“long service leave”) after ten years working in civil service.
Unbelievable, but in Danmark an employee can change with a workless for sixth months if he had worked three years. And he get 80 per cent of his due anylonger.
French people are entitled to a “congé sabbatique” if they worked six years.
And in netherland some employees could be get a paid educational leave till six months. Premise for this: the employer must to engage on workless for this period.
So you can see, thar some countries realized that it is better for a company if the employees have the chance to relax. The next argument concerns the financial: “Do you have enough money?” No, but I am economical. A holiday for two weeks in the sun costs € 700 minimum plus the fixed cost at home. If I travel now 20 weeks, I must pay € 14.000 + fixed cost? No, I don´t have a flat because I live in a motorhome and I don´t make holidays in a 4-stars-hotel. So I have less costs on my trips than at home if I work. But don´t believe I am lazy! Meanwhile travel is my job and my descripion to earn money.
Well, if I habe all this arguments put on side (what rarely happens), then I hear: “Wow, I couldn´t do this.” But why not? If you are healthy you can do what you want. And to make a sabbatical doesn´t signifies that you must travel. Do you have a passion to care your garden? Then do it!
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