Meet Luis, who works as part of our communications team in Dublin as a Creative Designer. Luis used his PayPal sabbatical to take a trip which had been in planning for over a decade. A trip which saw him travel over 4,200 miles, across two countries and seven states, to re-visit the place where he was born. Read on to hear his Sabbatical Story.
"It was amazing; even more so than I expected it to be. For such a long time I dreamt of going back to visit my birthplace: Baja, California in Mexico (Don’t ask me how it happened - it's a longer story!).
A trip like this, for me, was only possible by using my sabbatical. As I was with the company for over five years, I was entitled to an extra four weeks of paid leave. This allowed me to plan, save and enjoy my time with freedom and without stress."
This nostalgia charged adventure began in Phoenix, Arizona, where Luis was reunited with his "favourite aunt" before being joined by his best friend; his companion and driver for the trip. When asked to provide us with a short overview of the journey's highlights, Luis struggles:
"There are too many to mention; it was that good. From the Deserts of Gila, the Antelop canyon, the 'Old West' towns of Sierra Nevada, visiting the birthplace of the Margarita cocktail, San Diego's natural springs, celebrating the Day of the Dead in Mexico and many, many more.
If I had to choose my most memorable moment it was an island I visited which is now a bird sanctuary, where only one family lives to look after the entire place. Once a proliferous pearl exporter, the island is mainly private now with no access to the public. However, since I got to know this amazing family there, I had the honour to visit. I even managed to grab a few hours on the private beach! Oh, and I also witnessed a sand storm in Phoenix-scary, scary things!
Of course, the actual highlight was arriving in Baja. Seeing as this was my first time in over 25 years there, and my first time visiting my actual place of birth, it was all a little overwhelming; but in the best way possible."
Luis was joined by his sister, nephew and his brother-in-law when he arrived:
"The four of us started the famous Wine Route in Baja North. Some of the places we saw were breathtaking - a particular feature being a wonderful little pizzeria positioned high in the mountains. I remember eating there and thinking 'it feels like this should only exist in fiction stories'. It was all quite magical."
After traversing through the highlands of Northern Baja they began their descent towards the Tropic of Capricorn and journey's end.
"When we finally reached the tip of the Baja peninsula, La Paz, Capital of the State and my birthplace, all I wanted to do was relax and take it all in. I was overwhelmed on my first few days there. It's quite hard to put into words - visiting a place for the first time which has had such prominence in your life. The area was always buzzing and full of energy. For my last few days in Baja, my destination was the beach! It is like a dream: warm with crystal clear water."
After spending a week soaking up the sunshine and re-discovering his roots, Luis began the long journey home, but not without a few stops on the way:
"After relaxing for a week I was ready to depart. The last leg of the journey wasn’t planned, however, it was probably the most fun we had throughout the entire trip! We visited Cabo San Lucas and Cabo Wabo - a club owned by Van Halen! (one of my favourite bands). On the way, we also stopped at Todos Santos - a charming little town sporting the hugely famous Hotel California, further traveling through Sierra Madre in Mexico, with it's captivating architecture and great food, finally reaching San Diego for our flight home."
Coming back down to earth after his journey, Luis describes what is was like getting back to reality:
"Like all good stories, the holiday had to come to an end. However, on this occasion, I was fortunate enough to have another adventure ahead of me in that I was migrating to a new role within the communications team at PayPal.
I have been with PayPal for over ten years now. I started in the resolutions department before moving to claims and then to account management. I have been promoted various times but I also have had many opportunities for lateral movement which has helped me to evolve and develop new skills. Actually, working here has enabled me to discover something I never knew I could do or even wanted to do, that is: being a "creative". My general claim-to-fame these days is that I make the dull delicious!"
Asked what advice he would give to people joining PayPal he states:
"Be flexible, be willing to learn, get involved in areas which are looking to innovate and keep your eyes open for opportunities making themselves available to you. You may end up discovering your new passion."