The More Things Are Different, The More They Are The Same
I’ve spent this week in Germany with my daughter, Lauren, and her husband, Vijay. Vijay is a lawyer in the Army, and we are staying in military housing, so I’m feeling pretty safe and secure. I’ve never stayed in a military apartment or been on an Army base in another country, so this is pretty cool to me. I even visited my first Commissary this week and purchased some German eggs. I just enjoyed a German egg omelet with sausages and cheese, and guess what? German chickens don’t speak English, but their eggs taste the same. And of course, everyone knows about German sausage – mmmm!
We visited numerous beautiful sites this week, including castles, the Rhine, ancient churches, and quaint towns. It has been a treat.
As we traveled from narrow roads to autobahns, I noticed some interesting facts about German roads. I keep track of these details because I enjoy driving, especially at high speeds. Although I am not driving on this trip, I have left that to my kids. The road system here is outstanding and similar to that in America. There are, of course, a few different traffic laws, but one quickly adapts to the differences.
One of the first lessons I learned was that the term “autobahn” is a general designation for large multi-lane roads like our interstates, not a limited number of highways where one can unwind their road machine. Many of these super-highways have sections where you can drive as fast as you like. What?! Woohoo! I like! However, if you drive faster than the recommended maximum speed of 130 kilometers per hour and get into an accident, your insurance liability increases dramatically. It is fun to watch traffic in the left lane suddenly take off after a no-speed-limit sign appears.
For the most part, semi-trucks are required to drive in the rightmost lane, except when passing. If they stray from this, people quickly inform them. I love this law. The vehicle being passed must be slow enough for the passing truck to do so safely. This prevents the common scenario in my home area where one truck attempts to pass another without adequate power, which backs up traffic and causes tempers to flare.
Most trucks are also “soft-sided.” The entire length of the truck trailer features tarps that roll up to the top, which makes a lot of sense. One can unload these trailers from anywhere along their length. Most trucks do not have “dual” tires; instead, they have three rows of single tires, which are almost completely covered by fenders, preventing rain from spraying all over the road and causing accidents. I like this design. However, the trailers are not as long as they are in the States. We have to transport more goods a lot further in the US, so we need as much truck length as possible.
There are no billboards here. They are illegal. The highways are beautiful as a result.
Cars are generally much smaller. I’ve found this true in numerous places in the world. Muscle cars are few, as are American cars in general. Volkswagen leads the way in sales, followed by Mercedes and then BMW. I didn’t know Mercedes and BMW made such small cars until I started visiting Europe. I prefer my mid-sized GLC 300, which I can actually fit into and feel comfortable in. But roads are more narrow here, so it makes sense.
In many ways, Germans are more environmentally conscious. My daughter has not one, not two, not three, but four different trash cans in her kitchen. I'm sorry, but they can keep that law. I struggle with my two cans at home. I know I’ll take heat from some of you for that comment.
As in any country, houses here are different. I don’t think they have heard of vinyl siding, which is a good thing to me. The architecture is gorgeous, and the yards are well-manicured, mostly featuring beautiful species of plants and trees rather than artificially grown grass.
Then there are the house windows. They are awesome. Most homes have many windows, and they are unique in my experience. If you turn the handle halfway up, the window opens inward as far as you like. But if you continue to turn the handle straight up, the window tilts in from the top. It’s genius! In this area, air-conditioning is not standard, but one usually doesn’t need it. I’ve found several other European countries with this style of window. Pretty cool idea.
I’ve met several Germans this week and found them friendly and helpful. When traveling abroad, I have found that a smile and looking bewildered endear people to you. Most of us know how yucky it feels to be an outsider; we want to be helpful if we know someone is unsure of themselves. Most folks I’ve met in other countries also appreciate it when you at least try to speak a bit of their language. This shows a level of appreciation and respect for their culture.
This, by the way, is a great lesson for churchgoers. If you are part of a local church, it is important for you to make the first move to help newcomers feel welcome.
On Easter, we attended Lauren and Vijay’s church service. Emmanuel is a multinational, multilingual congregation. The auditorium was set up with tables and chairs. Eight of us gathered around our table, which had a loaf of delicious bread and brightly colored hard-boiled eggs. (You can purchase hard-boiled eggs at the grocery here, and they are all brightly colored like Easter eggs.) Lauren and I were the last to arrive, so everyone rose and introduced themselves. One young man immediately asked if we would like coffee or tea, after which he went to get me a cup. Kindness flourishes in any society.
In Germany, I have noticed an interesting behavioral difference that I’ve seen all over continental Europe: more people smoke cigarettes, many more people. It is amusing to me how different cultures choose their poisons. At some point, Americans decided smoking was anathema, which makes us feel superiorly healthy to many countries, I suppose. Never mind that we inhale several times the amount of fast food as most societies. Just sayin’.
This fact reminds me of one of my favorite sayings: “There is so much bad in the best of us, and so much good in the worst of us, that it ill behooves any of us to judge the rest of us.”
There is another similarity between Germany and the USA: immigration problems. Germany faces significant immigration issues. I know it shouldn’t, but this fact makes me feel good about our country. Knowing that we are not the only ones grappling with unsolvable problems is comforting. And they argue just as vehemently about it as we do. Thank you, Germany.
This region of Germany is home to the Riesling wine country. Dozens of cruise boats navigate up and down the Rhine, allowing passengers to view castles while sipping the fruits of vines cultivated for generations. Who can argue with that? Not to mention German beer! I hope to return for Oktoberfest while my daughter still lives here. We visited monasteries where monks have been brewing beer since the 700s. We didn’t have beer-making at my seminary, or I would have been all over it.
I like Germany. I’ve visited the south near the Alps and now the middle of the country up to Cologne. This area resembles Southcentral Pennsylvania significantly, featuring rolling green hills, farmland, and bustling cities. And, the people are similar.
I’ve found that people all over the globe want pretty much the same things: opportunity. We want the chance to be safe, raise our families, work hard, help others, and enjoy a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Many of us want to glorify our maker in the process, and I think that makes God smile.
So, it is off for another German adventure.
auf Wiedersehen! Good bye!
Next stop; Ireland on Sunday.
Live Inspired!
Don Mark
(By the way, “W” is pronounced like a “V” in German)
