1/3.5
It's been an incredible first month here in Greece, and the experience has already taught me so much both personally and professionally.
Reflecting on the past period I share my 5 takeaway story snapshots:
Food really brings people together
Did you know that cocoa rolls (“kakaós csiga”) have Hungarian origins? So, I baked two trays of them and brought to the office. As all were eaten ??, some colleagues who only heard about the rolls already asked what my next cake will be. If you have any ideas for a simple Hungarian cake for the next Kate's cake day, don’t hesitate to share a recipe! ????
Playing breaks barriers & builds connections
I clearly remember the words of one of my opponents after the first match (which we won by the way ??): “I was not expecting that... I would never have thought that you are this good.” I take it as a compliment. ?? From that point on, I’m not only familiar to my closer colleagues but also greeted by 'stranger' players in the canteen and hallways. ??????
领英推荐
Don’t feel alone, find fellow travelers on the way
We organized a lunch with 30under30 OTE talents ?? Paschalis Stampoulis and Ilias Katsidis , which was rescheduled to another day and then to a coffee... I have to mention that almost on all 13 floors of OTE HQ, there’s a coffee shop. We went to the 13th floor and had a chat, also mentioning DT, when a random guy stepped to us asking, “Hey guys, I hear you are talking about DT.” And that’s how I met Kevin Kaupp from Germany, who is also on a Telekom X-Change journey until the end of this year. This was a total coincidence ????, so next time, I’ll definitely be looking for fellow travelers! ??
Small gestures make all the difference
It’s quite noticeable that I’m a ‘stranger’ when I ask for my coffee or food in English. This leads to small talks about what I’m doing here and where I’m from. After the first week most of the people in the canteen or coffee shops switch to English when they see me and even help by describing the food they serve that day. My top customer experience was when my favorite barista from the 5th floor brightened my day by making a “Jó reggelt!” coffee for me. ??
Don’t forget your roots and give back to them
This period is not easy for my home team, but I’m glad we stay connected. Even from this distance, I cheered for the successful 3-day Salesforce migration they completed, along with all the successful releases. ?? And last but not least, another exciting journey has just started: the SHE-Care mentoring program, where I have the pleasure to work with Edina Radics . ??
I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had in the last month, and I’m looking forward to what the rest of my journey holds! #DTGroup #Hungary #Greece #TheNext #InterCulturalExchange #SHEcare
HR Business Partner International @ DT Europe
5 个月I am so happy that you took the initiative and went abroad. thanks for being a role model and demonstrating that you are taking care of your personal and professional growth. I am sure the next months will be as great as the first one!
Penetration Tester
5 个月I'm so glad to be the random guy who just started talking to you. You immediately offered me a seat and included me in your conversation without really knowing who I am and what my mission is. And even though I actually only spoke to you out of interest, I now realize: Greece is a great country to discover new contacts... and to practice social engineering ??
@OMIKRON
5 个月I am not surprised by the impact with which you "arrived" there. Cocoa rolls were nice safety game, a good start, but now GO ON to harder fields: 1) Aranygaluska - (Golden dumplings) 2) Gundel palacsinta - (Gundel's pancake) 3) Lecsó - same in English? :) 4) Hurka - (definitely not a sausage...) BUT: If you started this way - once you've given that high ball up, you know, what's my opinion: You can't come home until you've offered them some "hagymás sült vér" - (fried blood with onion). I’m not good at recipes, I only believe in the user experience. ??
30under30 Deutsche Telekom's Leadership Program | Customer Experience Data Manager | Master's in Information and Communication Systems Security
5 个月I am very happy for you Katalin! That coffee break was very relaxing and interesting at the same time—meeting Kevin was a fun surprise! Looking forward to more great conversations. For the next "Kate's cake day," how about a Greek favorite like Portokalopita? ??