Sacagawea
As my transition back to life in the States continues, here are some things about America that I am currently seeing through German lenses:
1. The Sacagawea dollar: In 2000, the US Mint began making a one-dollar coin with the face of Sacagawea on it. At the time, most people I knew thought it was just a novelty. Now, coming back from the land of the one- and two-euro coins, I love it! It seems more “normal” to me to find a dollar in my coin purse than in the bill part of my wallet.
2. Friendliness: it is commonly thought, in my family, that we are “Midwest friendly” and east coasters are aloof and reserved. Whether it is a post-9/11 change or it’s just in comparison to Germany, I have found New Jerseyans/New Jerseyites and New Yorkers to be extremely friendly. The train conductors are chatty, multiple doormen said hi to me as I apartment hunted and a random lady asked if I needed directions as I stood on the corner with my NYC guidebook.
3. Magazines: they are all over my house! I don't remember as many magazines in Germany. Do Germans not have as many mail order companies and big clothing stores or did I just miss the whole magazine thing?
1. The Sacagawea dollar: In 2000, the US Mint began making a one-dollar coin with the face of Sacagawea on it. At the time, most people I knew thought it was just a novelty. Now, coming back from the land of the one- and two-euro coins, I love it! It seems more “normal” to me to find a dollar in my coin purse than in the bill part of my wallet.
2. Friendliness: it is commonly thought, in my family, that we are “Midwest friendly” and east coasters are aloof and reserved. Whether it is a post-9/11 change or it’s just in comparison to Germany, I have found New Jerseyans/New Jerseyites and New Yorkers to be extremely friendly. The train conductors are chatty, multiple doormen said hi to me as I apartment hunted and a random lady asked if I needed directions as I stood on the corner with my NYC guidebook.
3. Magazines: they are all over my house! I don't remember as many magazines in Germany. Do Germans not have as many mail order companies and big clothing stores or did I just miss the whole magazine thing?
posted by Erin at 9:35 PM
5 Comments:
my dear, you were simply not on any mailing lists in germany...for better or for worse, the u.s. has you in multiple mail merge systems already!
no one in wisco uses the dollar coins. i tried to use one and the clerk looked at me as if i handed her candy for payment...
you need to start a movement in Madison... dollar coins are great!
mailing lists in Germany? are you kidding? do you think the stores owe you, like, service or something? clearly if you're interested in their product it's your responsibility to hunt down the store. and then find someone to help you. and then hope you're not there within an hour of closing time or they'll give you dirty looks to get you out the door because, after all, they have a life too.
Once you've lived in Germany for a while, you'll suddenly find yourself on a lot of mailing lists, and wondering why in the world your mailman brought you a dirndl-catalogue....
someone's a bit bitter about German customer service...maybe you should have no more contacts with Germans...oh wait...;-)
A dirndl catalogue...really? I would like to see that! I wanted to get a dirndl for Halloween but they are really expensive!
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