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The Ami Debate

So...when I came up with the title for my blog, I had no idea that the word "Ami" was so controversial for some Americans.

I was pointed to several blogs of Americans living in Germany where they had discussed this topic. Is Ami just an abbreviation? Or is it derogatory and racist?

American im Odenwald is of the opinion that it is a derogatory word.

AmiExpat (obviously) does not think so.

Papa Scott doesn't either.

Lisa's Blogalso thinks it is a derogatory term.

So, what do I think? Well, obviously I am not very offended by it, since I used it in my title. I must admit that when I have been called an Ami, it was in a critical manner, usually when I was "behaving strangely" or like an American. It was a bit annoying at first, but I informed the person, and since then I have not been called it to my face. It wasn't the word that bothered me, but the fact that I was being ridiculed for the way I behaved.

I think, with the world opinion of the US these days, if all a person does is call me an Ami, I am lucky! There are a lot worse things a person could be called.

Most of the Germans I know have told me it is an abbreviation, and they mean no harm by it. It is only their use of it that makes me question this. I even heard from someone that it was borrowed from the French word for friend, and that during the occupation of Germany everyone started calling the Americans "Ami" as in friend. I have my doubts, but I guess it doesn't really matter...

Anyways, if you have an opinion, I invite you to share it. But I am pretty sure I will keep my title.

schwarzfahren: schwarz black, fahren to go, to drive, to ride

Riding the tram, train, or bus without a ticket or pass, like I did yesterday when I forgot my wallet

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Postkarten, usw.

Turku is the oldest and fifth largest city in Finland.The city has a cultural identity as Finland's historical centre, as it was the largest city in the country for a very long time.

So...I decided my website needed a title, what do you think? The Germans like to refer to us Americans as Amis (not pronounced like the name Amy, but like "Ah-Me").

der Muffel grouch, griper

muffelig (adj) grumpy

der Morgenmuffel (morgen = morning) not a morning person

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Rauchen kann tödlich sein

smoking can be deadly, a label on cigarette packages and advertisements in Germany

One of the things I noticed when I moved here was how many more people smoke than in the U.S. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, in 2006 23.9% of American men and 18% of American women smoke.

According to the National German Telephone Health Survey in 2003, 37% of German men and 28% of German women smoke. I know the years are off, but that is still a huge difference.

Later this year, Switzerland will become the most recent addition to the club of European countries that have banned smoking in public places. In January of 2008 11 out of 16 German states imposed smoking bans in public places, but recently these states have been reconsidering the bans because they are harmful to businesses (read Der Spiegel article).

The most recent to reconsider the smoking bans was the state of Saxony, where I am living. The courts recently decided that the bans were unfair to single-room bars and businesses that did not have the space to separate the smokers from the non-smokers. Groups who lobbied against the ban claim that between 75 and 95% of their customers are smokers. Many other states in Germany are also reconsidering their smoking bans. This recent turn of events makes German businesses very happy, but makes non-smokers and German cancer-researchers less than thrilled.

Personally, I was happy to hear when the smoking ban came out. There is nothing worse than going to a bar or restaurant where you are surrounded by a cloud of smoke. My eyes water, I become allergic, and when I get home my hair and clothes stink. I don't know much about the negative health effects of secondhand smoke, but the fact that it is disgusting is enough for me. Lots of young people in Germany smoke socially, meaning that they smoke when they drink or go out to clubs. How many of these teens become addicted and continue to smoke?

While I am not a fan of taking away people's freedoms, and don't think that smoking should be illegal, I do think that smoking in bars and restaurants without sections takes away my freedom to go to a restaurant and bar without becoming ill and stinky.

Here are some statistics about smoking from the World Health Organization in 2002. I don't know how accurate these statistics are, but it sounds like there are plenty of good reasons to quit and not very many good ones to keep smoking.

• About a third of the male adult global population smokes.
• Every eight seconds, someone dies from tobacco use.
• About 15 billion cigarettes are sold daily - or 10 million every minute.
• Evidence shows that around 50% of those who start smoking in adolescent years go on to smoke for 15 to 20 years.
• At least a quarter of all deaths from heart diseases and about three-quarters of world's chronic bronchitis are related to smoking.
• Half of long-term smokers will die from tobacco.
• Every cigarette smoked cuts at least five minutes of life on average - about the time taken to smoke it.

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Tierisch Gut

das Tier animal

Tierisch gut doesn't translate very well to English. The best I can explain is that it's like saying "sinfully good"...it's just a way to emphasize the goodness :) If anyone has a better translation, please let me know!

Today Mike and I went to the Dresden Zoo. The weather was not amazing, but the zoo was small and some of it was indoors, so we survived. Dresden Zoo is Germany's fourth oldest zoo, it was opened in 1861. It houses about 3000 animals of almost 400 species. Because this zoo was small, it was a lot easier to see the animals.

It sounds a bit childish, but I love going to the zoo. I love to watch the animals and take pictures. I am a little biased, I mainly like the mammals. I could watch the orangutans for hours, and I am fascinated by the big cats.

There were a few amusing moments today, like when I tried to take pictures of a fake giraffe, thinking it was real. Also when Mike and I were discussing the zebra's closest relative, and Mike thought I was saying monkey when I was really saying donkey. We ended up arguing about it for a while until we realized the problem.

This was an educational sign showing the different facial expressions of orangutans and how to interpret them. I thought it might also serve to explain another species, as well.

Ich beobachte dich I am observing you

Ich bin neugierig I am curious

Ich will spielen I want to play

Ich bin verstimmt I am upset

Minnesota

I got another postcard in the mail today! It's from Minnesota, a state located in the midwestern region of the United states, and known as the land of 10,000 lakes. The Mayo Clinic, a world-renowned medical practice, is based in Rochester. I was there once when I was a little girl to visit my uncle.

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Volleyball spielen

spielen to play

das Spiel game

Well, Mike and I went to play volleyball last night with some mystery group. I was really kind of worried because I am a sensitive soul and do not enjoy playing sports with people who take it seriously. Once when we were playing with our usual group in Arizona (a group that is mostly for fun and very casual), a new woman came to play with us. She decided it was her task to coach me on how to play, and she kept telling me what to do and what I was doing wrong. I immediately became filled with rage, fighting back the tears, and stormed off the court to go sit and chillax. Am I a big cry baby? Probably. But I honestly cannot take criticism, and I especially do not appreciate the unsolicited kind. I really hate that I cannot control my emotions. I wear them on my sleeve, and sometimes that is very inconvenient.

Anyways, all of these things made me very apprehensive of playing with the group. I was afraid of making a scene, and afraid that it would not be fun. When we got there, there were several men and a giant woman, so I was concerned, but then I noticed they were all on the older side, and there wa s a young girl as well. We started playing, and it was actually fun! If they were giving me their unsolicited advice, I wouldn't know since they were all German. The entire group played at around the same level of skill, so it was quite fun and fast-paced.

The ball was much harder than the beach volleyball we played with in Arizona, so I soon noticed that my arms were stinging badly and I had broken blood vessels all over them. By the end of the night I could not hit the ball anymore and began to mentally urge the ball not to come to me.

I iced my arms when I got home, but today I can barely move them. So I am really hoping that I will get used to the ball and that it wont hurt this bad next week.

One thing I regret, is that my only skills in volleyball are serving and bumping. I cannot spike (being 5'3 may have something to do with this) and I cannot set, no matter how hard I try.

Meine Arme tun weh My arms hurt

Ich leide I am suffering

Ich weine zu viel I cry too much

Vienna, Austria

I got this postcard today. I was in Austria for about five minutes during our Switzerland/Italy trip, but I would like to go back sometime. Vienna is the capital of Austria.

Again, if you are interested in the postcard exchange, visit Post Crossing. You can request up to five addresses at a time, and once the people receive your postcards, your address is randomly given to other users.

And don't forget my offer to exchange postcards! I will send you one from Dresden if you will send me one from your home! Contact me if you are interested.

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