Hi, this is KUZUHARA at ATL. This is the 2nd post from the last time.
I wrote that I faced many troubles after a couple of days of my arrival in the last post. Although it is mixed up for chronological order, in order to collaborate us with a startup company as the main purpose of this project, I had a very important event that I had 3 interviews with 3 prospective companies in a row for 3 days from the next day of my arrival. The prospective companies have already been chosen, and before the departure from Japan I knew that I would have several interviews in a row after my arrival. Since I was still suffering from jet lag and the interviews would be in English, I was in great fear, and I could not expect anything about what to do in the interviews with such a terrible state of mind.
The point of the interviews was all about where I wanted to work. Since I could not speak English very well and I am nobody from Japan, I was full of humble feelings to choose the one of the top leading startup companies in Berlin, but I was eager to have each interview and take it very seriously as this choice would control my future.
I put all the 3 companies in anonymity, and I will write down what I felt including my personal impression throughout 3 interviews. I cannot say I know the circumstances of startup companies in other countries including Japan, so I will write what I felt only throughout these 3 interviews.
- All founders can develop their plans to scale a project besides their ambitions.
- They are eager to work not only on technologies but also on businesses.
- They are very good at giving their presentations, which I think they have no problem at talking about their own business.
- They are so kind that they prepare choices for me, one who came from Japan and they met for the first time, to work comfortably and that they provide different styles of how to work.
- I got a good impression from them but I cannot tell them about myself very much because I cannot speak English at all.
What I was impressed most was by these 5 points, and the last one was what I could imagine from before.
Then, I finished 3 fast interviews in a row, and I started thinking which company I would choose.
Honestly speaking, I took time to choose one. Actually, I choose one but I changed my mind, and I decided on another one.
The purpose to choose the company was for the following two reasons:
- No need to mention their business, I wanted to work with the technologically strongest company.
- One company has reached a certain stage, another company will reach that stage, and the other company s almost reaching there. I personally wanted to work the 3rd one from the view point of a startup company.
Therefore, I chose a collaboration with KIWI.KI.KI. I will discuss what this startup company is next time, and I have not regretted this choice for 5 months after I joined to the company.
Therefore, I work for KIWI.KI for my stay in Berlin. Although I was assigned in January, I would start working from February for various reasons. I had some time until then, so I made some personal preparations during this time since I could not do anything because of the rushed interviews after my arrival.
What I did for my preparations was:
- Registration of residence ( to city hall)
- Opening a bank account
- Shopping for some miscellaneous goods by going to IKEA in Berlin to buy a bed, a pillow, towels, a pair of room shoes, etc.
- Shopping for home electronics such as a washing machine, a kettle, etc.
- Buying a train pass
- Setting up a cellphone
- Setting up a DSL, which is the main type of internet connection in Germany.
As it took almost a month for the DSL to open from the contract as in the same case in Japan, I felt inconvenienced in networking at home for the 1st month.
Moreover, because many people here speak to me in Germany not in English (they cannot speak English unexpectedly), without a support by Japanese person who lives here and speaks German, it would take more time to complete these tasks.
At last, I am very much satisfied with the apartment where I live. I like the view from a balcony overlooking a lake.
Therefore, I will write some more about my assignment at KIWI.KI for the next time. (Go on to the next post.)