"devushka"

that is russian for "girl".

now, every female human being is considered a devushka from age 10 to 59. from around 60, you go directly to being called "babushka", grandmother.

when i moved here, i could just not get used to the fact that everyone is addressing me as devuskha. i had serious internal resistance against that. and i was just not capable of realising that people meant me when they were screaming at me DEVUSHKA.

you know, you walk down the street and someone stops you to ask for the time or so. they will address you as "devushka, can you please tell me the time?", rather than "excuse me, could you please be so kind as to tell me what's the time?"
(actually, forget the please, they will say "devushka, what's the time!")

in any case, i had such an internal aggression against that word. call me chick, lady, idiot, whatever, but not girl.

(for men, the equivalent is "molodoy chelovek", literally translated: "young person". go figure...)

and nowadays? i automatically turn my head when i hear "devushka!"...

and i call all the waitresses in restaurants and bars with "DEVUSHKAAAAAAAAA!"