Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Working at Exisle Publishing – Guest blogger Milena Strübel

August 15th, 2012 

This week’s guest blogger is Milena Strübel, Exisle Publishing’s newest recruit. Milena is from Germany and will be working with us for 6 months as a marketing assistant.

“How come that you came to Wollombi?“ – that was the question most asked by Wollombians when I met them for the first time and told them where I am from and that I planned to stay here for half a year. It made me feel like an exotic and I would have liked to answer that I had been in search of a route to China, but I found Wollombi.
But in contrast to my famous ancestor who put me in the comfortable position to scan a map before travelling I knew where I would go when I headed for Wollombi. Did I know where I would go? To be honest: I did not. Firstly: It was not that easy to find it on a map. Secondly: Although we can read travel guides we cannot imagine how it feels being in another country and continent.

Raised and educated in Germany I finished my final exams in January this year and got the certificate to work as a Management Assistant for Digital and Print Media. That means Publishing Houses, public relations departments of companies or institutions, Television, Radio, Newspapers etc are potential fields for working. When I started writing e-mails to find an internship in a Publishing House abroad Benny answered in such a friendly way that I hoped intensely it would come true.

And here I am: writing a guest blog, having decorated the window of Wollombi’s General Store with a special selection of Exisle Books for Father`s Day, editing the homepage and so on. And that’s what I love: a broad variety of activities, team work, an atmosphere of communication, very nice colleagues, the pepper tree in front of the office…

My travel guide did not mention that I would light a fire in my apartment – and that I would be able to do it, since I only have had central heating –, that supermarkets and petrol stations are far away, that all distances take more time than expected, that orange- and lemon trees are growing in front of the porch. It did mention though the breathtaking beauty of the landscape. But it’s one thing to read it and another thing to see and feel and enjoy it!
When I decided to live for the first time in my life in the countryside I asked myself whether it meant I would choose to go into exile? No, I landed at Exisle, the most interesting, exciting and innovative Publishing House I know. No, I landed in Wollombi, the most vivid and supporting community I know. Yes, I would like to thank everybody for their warm welcome!
Happy travelling!
See ya!

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