I wrote a post first and put it entirely in ChatGPT asking for it to be improved. I do feel that its output was better. I suppose this is the start of a hybrid model of a blog post that you’ll see moving forward. Let me know what you think. PS – the feature image is of a French town called Colmar, not Germany.
One of my biggest travel pet peeves is when the passenger in front of me fully reclines their seat. I’m a firm believer that either no one should recline or everyone should. On my return flight, I had a non-reclining seat — and surprisingly, it made economy travel significantly more comfortable.
I landed in Frankfurt on Sunday (after my flight getting cancelled Friday night) and picked up a rental car. I was traveling with a colleague who drove us to the hotel, and we settled in. I had business meetings on Monday and Tuesday, and then came my first experience behind the wheel in Germany. I wasn’t nervous to drive, but some road signs and roundabouts were unfamiliar. I drove us four hours south to Tübingen and got my first taste of the Autobahn experience — no speed limits. I maxed out at 185 km/h (about 115 mph), and still got passed. It definitely helped me understand why Germans love their cars.
The days went quickly — I even added a short trip to France in my travels — it felt like I left as soon as I arrived. But I walked away with real exposure to German culture, which, in many ways, differs sharply from our own. Here’s what I brought back:
Rules – Germans live by them. If the speed limit is 100, people go 100. Signals are used religiously. And no one messes with the police. There’s structure and safety in that — but also a rigidity that may stifle creative thinking.
Food – Bread culture is alive and well. Natural ingredients are prioritized, and pride is baked into the cuisine. The one schnitzel meal I had? Next level.
Punctuality – Don’t be late. In fact, be early.
Work Ethic – I met a 31-year company man who’s probably never strayed far from home or work. There’s pride in stability and staying the course.
I came back with a deep appreciation for their culture — and an even deeper one for my own.
Germany has formal trade schools where a person trains for three years, followed by three years of apprenticeship, before they can even open a business. It’s consumer protection through structure. In America, you just… start. That’s not a knock — it’s our edge. While their system ensures quality, ours allows for innovation. Sure, we get 99 bad versions — but the 1 that breaks through can change the world. That’s the American gamble. And sometimes, it pays off big.
Which is why it felt good to come home. Speaking the same language, sharing the same shorthand, and knowing the rules — even if we don’t always follow them.
I came back with more pride in being American, and a clearer lens on what to borrow from abroad. My goal isn’t to copy German systems — but to integrate the best of them into what we already do. There’s a lot to take away.
Wait until that one reader gets ahold of the idea that you agree with some German thinking…. Also, you should have AI fix that picture.
I’m a free trader, but I understand some of the tariff motivations, such as using them as leverage to get better trade deals or policy changes, or trying to rebuild jobs and communities that have been wiped out by globalization. Instead of getting higher paying white collar jobs, many of these people ended up as Walmart greeters or meth heads. In your case, blanket tarriffs are bad. Maybe you can partner with your German friends and bring the tool manufacturing back to the US like Stortz’s tools circa 1853! Get around the tariffs, create jobs and have Trump visit your factory or get on one of your roofs (if only you kept the Philly workshop!)