Spoiled American In Germany?
Spoiled American In Germany?
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Last night I had an amazing dinner with my boyfriend, his parents and some family friends for Easter. After dinner the kid’s table went out on the town. On our way to the first of two bars we visited last night my boyfriend bought a pack of cigarettes. The time was around 11:30pm. I will say this now, “I am not a fan of cigarette smoke!” I have never smoked one in my life!
Our first spot was a little cafe where I had an Irish Coffee to try to digest my meal. There was nice conversation and lots of laughs shared. There might have been a little cigarette smoking going on but like California, where I spent my adult life, the smokers went outside.
Our second stop was a seedy little club in the harbor district. The party was upstairs in a small one room club that had no open windows and no ventilation. It was like walking into a hot boxed car. The only difference is that this was not weed smoke. This second-hand smoke did not get you high. The only thing it did for me was cloud my contacts and make my lungs seize.
I tried to dance and ignore the misery I was feeling. I went outside a few times to stand in the almost freezing air and clear my lungs. Everywhere I looked in the club people were smoking. I would say that 90% of the young adults at the club had a smoke in their hands. In San Francisco I can count the number of my friends that smoke on one hand maybe two if you include the ones that smoke only when they drink. It was like being in an alternate universe to the one I just came from. After a few hours I pulled the kind of girlfriend manuever I hate. I demanded that we left!
As we stood outside and my boyfriend smoked another cigarette before we got into the cab a friend asked, “Wasn’t there as much smoke in Asia?” Sure there might have been but everywhere was open air so the smoke was not trapped in such an enclosed small space. By the time we got home at 3:45am there were only 3 smokes lefts in my boyfriends freshly bought pack!
How is it that the youth of Germany still fall for the allure of cigarettes? Why are the views on communal spaces so different between our two countries?
Sorry for this rant, I just had to VENT! Pun intended! 
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Alexandra Pucherelli is a Maui native who is flirting with adventure and shenanigans one country at a time. She is an island Girl, hammock lover, travel writer, gin drinker, lover of cheese, travel photographer, and daydreamer. A full time nomad since April 03, 2011 and is sharing her musings, budget, and frolicking tips with you. She is bad with learning new languages but FLUENT IN FROLICKING
That is one travel issue I have too, and I am extra spoilt. In Canada, there is no smoking allowed in places of work, including clubs. Best law ever!
Yeah in SF there is no smoking in public buildings, school campuses, restaurants, bars ect…. I have become very used to it. I’m still not sure if having the right to clean air should be an issue of privilege or reason for spoilage. I think it is a basic human right. I’m sure the smokers of the world will have something else to say
I will be coming to Eu by next year and i need a little help that can take me around
In the Netherlands a lot of places start to become smoke free, places of work, most restaurants, public buildings. But a lot of people smoke outside. I have smoked myself for a couple of years, and (hallelujah!) quit. Am very annoyed myself now with OUTSIDE smoking. So some dutch become spoiled too.
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But how does the boyfriend taste after a pack of smokes
Thankfully he only smokes when he drinks! The next morning he said he gave some of the smokes away which I somewhat believe
There are no smoking laws here the club we just happened to be in was one where they don’t enfore the law.
I haven’t lived in Germany in 6 years and I keep forgetting how much people in Germany smoke! Every time I return for a visit, I am shocked because almost all of my friends smoke (a lot!) and most of the bars and restaurants still allow that you can smoke inside. Even in England and Italy (two smoke-heavy countries) they managed to ban smoking inside – I can’t believe that Germany is still so backwards with the smoking issue.
Dani recently frolicked at…What I Wonder When I Wonder: I Think A Podcast Saved My Life (plus a chance to win $300)
It really is shocking. I still am not used to it!