Vít Vavřinec

Why I went

Moving to the Philippines was a chance to challenge myself professionally and personally. I wanted to learn from some of the best managers in the business, experience what it takes to scale a business, and discover what I could achieve outside my comfort zone. Two years later, I realise the experience has taught me much more than I expected.

What I learned at work

Professionally, I've learned to think bigger and become a more adaptable manager. At Home Credit Philippines, with around 14 million customers and 24,000 employees, you experience business on a completely different scale. When launching a new product, we can test it with thousands of sales already during the pilot phase. This gives us an incredible opportunity to learn quickly, challenge assumptions, and make decisions based on real customer behaviour. Working in this environment has shown me what it takes to scale a business and given me the opportunity to learn from some truly experienced leaders.

Taking on a new role in a different country was exciting, but it wasn't always easy. I arrived with plenty of ideas and a strong desire to get things done. Over time, I've learned that having the right idea is only half the battle. You also need to understand people, align different stakeholders, and find a way to turn ideas into reality in a large organisation. I've become more patient, more conscious of how I work with others, and better at navigating complexity without losing sight of what I want to achieve.

What Asia taught me outside the office

But some of the most important lessons have come outside the office.

Living in Asia has given me a completely different perspective on life. I appreciate the warmth and openness of Filipinos, the energy of the country, and the opportunities it offers. At the same time, I've realised how much we sometimes take for granted back home. Safety, infrastructure, healthcare, and access to nature are things I value much more today. Living abroad has made me appreciate the Czech Republic and Europe in a way I probably couldn't have learned by staying at home.

What distance did to my relationships

One of the nicest surprises has been what distance has done to my relationships with family and friends. Before moving abroad, it was easy to assume that we would always find time for each other. Now, being thousands of kilometres away, we make a real effort to stay connected. We call every week, share what's happening in our lives, and make time for conversations that might otherwise get postponed. In a strange way, the distance has brought us closer. We are more intentional about our relationships, and I think we appreciate each other even more because we know our time together isn't something we can take for granted.

I also make sure to return to the Czech Republic twice a year, for Christmas and summer. These have become some of the most special times of the year for me. Coming home makes me appreciate the simple things: being with family, catching up with friends, enjoying the Czech countryside, and spending time in the places I grew up in. Things that once felt ordinary now feel much more valuable.

Life in the Philippines

And life in the Philippines has its own unforgettable moments. I've found a great Czech community here, and I've discovered that company parties come with an unexpected requirement: singing and dancing. You quickly learn that simply standing on the sidelines isn't really an option!

My advice

I would encourage everyone to work abroad if they get the opportunity. It will challenge you, change your perspective, and teach you things you can't learn in a classroom. For me, the Philippines have made me a better manager, a more open-minded person, and someone who appreciates family, friends, and life back home even more.

Sometimes, you need to travel halfway around the world to appreciate what really matters to you.