An adventure of a lifetime

RSM is committed to providing flexibility opportunities to our people, including our sabbatical program. Through a sabbatical, our professionals can take time away from the office to focus on achieving a personal or professional goal. Audit Supervisor Brianna Turk took advantage of this opportunity to go on a transformative, overseas adventure.

I’ve always loved learning about different cultures. In fact, I have a degree in Chinese studies in addition to accounting. RSM’s sabbatical program provided the perfect opportunity for me to take time to continue learning about my other passion.

Thanks to the program, I stepped away from my work in Tacoma, WA and travelled to China—spending two months completely immersing myself in the culture. I spent my days studying Mandarin, volunteering at orphanages and medical facilities and meeting new friends. Every day was a new adventure!

Prior to my trip, my RSM colleagues were incredibly supportive. They moved up meetings to make sure everything was in place and that I felt comfortable leaving, and they took care of my clients while I was away. When I returned, they welcomed me back and helped me ease back in to my responsibilities. Though I was sad to leave Asia, I was grateful to return to my family and my awesome team of co-workers. I came back to the office re-energized and ready to dive back into work.

My experience in China was beneficial to me both personally and professionally. It give me the chance to reset, refresh and spend time doing something I love. My time there gave me a deeper appreciation for other cultures and allowed me to bring back new perspectives to my clients. Additionally, as RSM continues to increase its global presence, I feel prepared to work with international clients in the future.

My time in China was the adventure of a lifetime. Immersing myself in another culture was an invaluable experience, and I’m thankful to have had the support, encouragement and ability to do so.