Germany Deutschland

I first moved to Germany in 1997 for a one-year internship with adidas, aiming to learn footwear development and manufacturing. At the time, adidas was growing across Asia, and with stars like Run DMC, Madonna, and David Beckham bringing global attention, the brand needed young talent to help expand its reach.

It was a one-year crash course in shoe making, the German language, and life in Bavaria—sometimes all at once. I worked at adidas’ last remaining shoe factory, learning the A-to-Z of shoe construction and the basics of manufacturing.

Oh, and did I mention the program was held entirely in German?

Ja. Deutsche Sprache. Im Total.

To say I mastered German, shoe making, or even the art of observation would be stretching the truth—but it was an unforgettable year. I shared the experience with my peers, commuting each day on backroads between our village and the training center, practicing our English and German together. My friend Andreas Gellner, who was in finance at the time, was my partner in crime—he even attended my police interrogation.

Germany is known for its sausages and biergartens in the summer, Oktoberfest in the fall, cozy Christmas markets in winter, and spargel in the spring. Having lived a total of 6.5 years there, I developed a deep fondness for the people, culture, and traditions.

I spent most of my time in Herzogenaurach, a small Bavarian town that happens to be the birthplace of two sporting legends, adidas and Puma. It was a place where small-town life met global influence, shaping both my professional path and my love for German culture.