EPTIt's rare to find a company that you not only enjoy, but feel that the goals and projects of the company align with your own expectations of the scene you've been so heavily involved in. It's even more surprising to have that be your very first actual job. While I've done a lot of work online and for various organizations on a volunteer basis, working here has changed my understanding of true work ethic and responsibility.
When I was first offered the position of the job here at Clauf, I was ecstatic and had my own worries about the company. I wasn't sure if I was ready to move to another country where I didn't speak a word of the language (I did it once already when I was 12, moving to Quebec) and going into a company I knew so little of. My main contacts were three people: Marc (Snowbird), previously from GOMTV, Can Yang, previously with CJ E&M, WEG and OGN, and a German named Patrick who has been playing and doing smaller stuff in Germany for eSports (I also have a coworker who is an ex-NaVi League of Legends player, he's pretty badass!). No matter how many times they reassured me of the country, the language, people as well as the company; signing that contract and starting a completely new life was a huge leap for myself, financially and sentimentally.
![[image loading]](http://polpix.sueddeutsche.com/bild/1.1406949.1355282590/560x315/berlin-staedtetipps-szkorrespondenten.jpg)
You can see the office from here!
Long-story short is basically that I was convinced this was the right company for me when they not only offered travel accommodations, but Can personally paid for my flight (since I couldn't get an invoice to show proof of expense) and also lent me the deposit to live in an apartment. Someone who I've never personally met and only knew me through the formal interviews and one-on-one talks; was doing everything in his power, outside of the company's already generous outreach, to make sure that when I landed, I would have everything already set up. This isn't counting the hours Patrick spent looking for apartments, taking pictures and talking to the realtor for me nor including my arrival where Patrick personally assisted me with all legal documents needed to get set up (bank, governmental buildings, health insurance). It was hard not to trust a company and, more importantly, their employees when they treat you with a professional attitude and general desire to get you here. Granted, the process was a bit rocky both on my end for financial reasons as well as they had never brought someone in from North-America (I'm the first, but not the last), but overall; I can say I got settled within a week and am now in the groove of their pace and efficiency of work.
The best part about this job is the mix of languages (Korean, German, English [French - just me]) and the people I'm working with. The company takes the corporate culture and applies many new-age ideas such as monthly company activities (we're going bowling on Friday! I have the CEO on my team lol!). There is a hierarchy of work, but our tasks and duties are based on self-motivation and push to improve the company. We're not monitored or bossed around, but often times meetings will happen to align what we did for the week while also reorienting our short-term and long-term plans. It's these little touches and binding of the divisions with our team that make the workplace environment conducive towards productivity. We're directed in what needs to get down and they rely on us to prioritize the urgency of each duty.
At 24, I am the youngest at the company and probably subconsciously treated so, but also all of our divisional leaders are people with experience equal to half of my age. Their knowledge, memories and stories are incredible because I wasn't a part of that time nor in their unique region of South Korea. To know that the people leading this company had a hand in starting OGN's eSports channel, managed eStro, owned PlayXP and so on (so much more on their resume) makes it an honor to work alongside them and actually feel excited to be learning again. When I was volunteering, I feel I plateaued in terms of improvement where I wasn't earning any more personal experience, but just adding more titles to my resume. Being here flips the board, makes all of that volunteer experience as a mere introduction into an international scene beyond the computer monitor.
I really have no complaints here so I'm sorry if this seems rather one-sided. It feels good to know people rely on my own small amount of expertise to do things. I've been here for about two weeks and thus far; things are going smoothly, I just got my own business card, paycheck and live so close to downtown.
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The best perk about this company is that I can get Subway 12-inchs for about 5 euro.
Milk is also crazy cheap here (0.69 euro, what the fuck!). I'll probably make a separate blog about Berlin but there is really nothing I dislike about this company. If anyone is in Berlin and wants to hang out, let me know!. I'm definitely seeing if I can start going to events like DreamHack and IEM in the near future. I am very thankful that a company took a chance at me and it is a real honor to be working somewhere I truly believe in the vision.
If things go South, then at at least I can look back at this haha
Sincerely,
![[image loading]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BSQZvEdCYAAEbjh.jpg)
Michael Cohen (@TorteDeLini)
Get hyped!
