The special series to put a spotlight on our international staff, “Eyes, JAPAN employee interview” is back! Our interviewee for this month is Waldemar Justus from Germany.

He did an internship in Eyes, JAPAN for around 6 months. We wanted to ask Waldemar about his life in Japan and his internship experience in Eyes, JAPAN.

(Interviewer: Angie)

A Proud Music Collector!

What is your favorite thing about your home country / home town?

Waldemar: What I like about my hometown is village-like life in the town, many different nationalities, and of course, bread, sausages, and beer.

Why did you come to Japan and what do you like about Japan?

Waldemar: I cam to Japan to gain new experiences on the other side of the world. I love to explore Japanese culture, food, and cities.

What do you think about life in Aizu?

Waldemar: I think it’s not that different from my hometown, like a nice quiet place at the countryside. The people here are open-minded and they really appreciate that you are interested in the country and the language.

What is your hobby and how do you usually spend your free time?

Waldemar: My hobbies are going to concerts, collecting music (CDs, Vinyl, Tapes), and gaming. I also like different singing-styles like growling, screaming and shouting. In my free times, I usually spend time on music, going to concerts, hanging out with friends, gaming, and also watching infrastructure documentaries.

What do you like to do to spend the weekends or holidays in Aizu?

Waldemar: In the weekends, I usually catch up on some sleep, as well as going to izakaya, karaoke, and also play billiard and darts with my colleagues.

Do you have any things or skills that you are proud of?

Waldemar: I am proud of my music collection with rare mediums and my ability/luck to procure them. As for skills, I have a broad general knowledge and I try to be openminded and to learn about any topic. I like to analyze problems and try to come up with sensible solutions.

Will Miss Eyes, JAPAN Colleagues

How did you know about Eyes, JAPAN, and why did you decide to join?

Waldemar: I heard from Eyes, JAPAN from my professor at my university back in German. I decided to join because I wanted to gain work experience in the field of AI and web programming.

What kind of projects have you been working on in Eyes Japan?

Waldemar: As an intern, I participated in a few projects. Such as the PD-Project, and switched later to Eyes JP-Website and Double3-Robot.

Could you let us know about your most memorable project in Eyes, JAPAN?

Waldemar: All the projects as memorable. Eyes JP-Website was memorable because I’ll definitely be able to apply this knowledge in the future. Double3-Robot, because it’s an intern project. And sawing and drilling a desk mount for PD-Project.

Which customs in Eyes, JAPAN do you like the most?

Waldemar: I like brewing coffee. And I also like the study sessions and going to a restaurant for dinner afterwards.

What do you think about your colleagues and the working environment in Eyes, JAPAN?

Waldemar: I think all my colleagues are all great people. I’ll miss them (cry-emoji). As for the environment, definitely the best environment I’ve ever worked in. Based on trust as long as you’re reliable. Communication is honest and to the point. Also, the company supports you in your learning-process.

What do you think about working at the company and working at home?

Waldemar: I think both have their advantages. In the company you can focus completely on your work and communicate more directly with your colleagues. But for longer, complex work, working from home can be beneficial. Or if you have a long commute to work.

What kind of problems or challenges have you faced while working in Eyes, JAPAN, and how did you solve it?

Waldemar: One problem that we faced was that there was no product that met our needs, so we had to buy something that came close and modify it (sawing and drilling a desk mount for PD-Project.)

Wants to be a (Metal-)Band Singer

Have you experienced any culture shock while working in Japan?

Waldemar: One of my culture shocks was how tattoos are very unwelcome and can lead to exclusion from the gym or onsen/water spa. Also, compared to Germany, there are small selection of bread and sausages.

How do you balance your working and private time?

Waldemar: I just let it happen and try to handle it, but I prioritize my work and study.

What motivates you to keep working and studying?

Waldemar: What motivates me is to learn more and become better at what I want to do. But also rent and food.

Any advice for people who wants to work in Japan?

Waldemar: Don’t be scared, just be yourself and do your best. Show that you’re willing to learn, work hard and that will be appreciated.

What kind of projects do you want to work on in the future?

Waldemar: In the future, I would like to work more on websites project, and also music(-production).

Lastly, what is your dream?

Waldemar: My dream is to be independent, earn a stable income, have a house and car and maybe a cat. And also to be a singer of a (metal-)band.

Thank you!

If you are interested in Eyes, JAPAN and would like to hear other stories, please do not hesitate to contact us at the following contact form.

Contact form

Everyone welcome.