Explaining Europe to Americans
Added 2025-07-25 04:58:24 +0000 UTCComments
Ooh I can answer some of these questions! So technically, the British Isles are a part of Europe. Some people may think we're not because we're an archipelago (group of islands) separated from mainland Europe by the English Channel and North Sea. However, this just makes a separate region within Europe, just as Scandinavia is a separate region. I'm sure the rest of Europe wishes weren't one of them sometimes 😂 Although we're no longer within the political coalition that is the European Union, we are still a member of the Council of Europe like the other countries that aren't part of the EU (Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, Belarus etc). The Council of Europe is often confused for the EU as they use the same flag (inconvenient of them!), however the Council doesn't make laws but rather treaties. The Council is also in charge of the European Court of Human Rights and the European Directoriate for Health and Medicines. There are also other organisations that promote the sharing of culture, history, construction and things like prevention and aid for natural disasters. As for currency, it's quite rare within Europe for there to be a dual currency. The only place I know of is Switzerland, as Taylor said. Bulgaria will be swapping to euros in Jan 2026. Otherwise, you can't use other currencies in European countries, unless maybe if you're in an airport or on a ferry etc. Although, when I lived in France, the supermarkets still showed prices is both francs and euros, maybe to help the older generation 🤷♀️ With the disparity of knowledge between the US and Europe, I would say this - we in Europe are quite often exposed to American culture, through film and TV and music, to fast food chains and a lot of social media presence. Whereas, in the US, European culture isn't as prevalent. Not much European film and TV make it over there, and music does a bit better but I think a lot of Americans assume European artists are actually American, just because it's what they're used to. Combine that with what seems like quite a US centric education system, it's no wonder Americans can sometimes come across as ignorant to the rest of the world. They can't help it if they haven't been taught 🤷♀️ I guess it just rubs Europeans the wrong way because we know SO MUCH about America 😂 And lastly - eating out. I can only really talk confidently about the UK. In restaurants, you usually wait to be seated, which is when they give you menus and take your drink orders. When they drop the drinks off is when they'll take your food order (I guess the same as in the US?). Once your food is dropped off, you may get checked on once to see if everything is OK, sometimes you won't. If you have an issue, you usually make eye contact, or gently call "Excuse me" in a weird whisper call thing while doing a sheepish smile and maybe a little wave. Then, you will have to do that weird thing when you're ready for the bill too. You don't have to tip unless you feel your server has gone over and above normal service, but it's not expected. Then you have chain restaurants or gastro pubs. There, you have to go up to the bar to order your food and drinks where you pay straight away, but then the staff will bring your food to your table. You may get checked on at one of those too, but not always. So it's like a cross between a fast food place and a restaurant. And don't forget, you can have as much water as you like at eating places but make sure to ask for tap water or you'll be charged for bottled water. A restaurant has to legally give you tap water for free! Sorry, essay over! 😊
Emily
2025-07-29 16:53:29 +0000 UTCThere were zero witches burned at Salem. Burning witches was a medieval Europe thing
Moody Marco
2025-07-26 18:07:34 +0000 UTCShe's been a little cheeky with the size comparison. Technically some of Russia and Türkiye are in Europe. So if you measure real Europe, than it's larger than the USA 50 states, it's close because Alaska is massive (about 15% of the total landmass of the USA). If you limit it to the contiguous lower 48 states, then Europe is quite a lot larger by landmass. Her visual comparison she has dragged the lower 48 states over some of Europe, excluding much of the north. In the text on her telly, it has the sizes of landmass excluding Russia. But her population numbers, do include Russia and Türkiye - at least the European parts. The 2 of those are about 100 million (again the European parts). It's true that Florida, if you drag it over the UK, is about the size of England and a bit of Scotland - as far as landmass. If you do it by distance, Miami to Seattle is about the same as the south of Spain to the north of Norway. Or for Florida, Miami to Pensacola (as the crow flies) is about 530 miles. In the UK, that would be the centre of London, to the centre or Kirkwall in the north of Scotland in Orkney. So yeah, driving the length of Florida is roughly driving the length of Great Britain.
Andy
2025-07-25 11:56:03 +0000 UTCI've never seen America overlayed over Europe like that to compare the size. I never realised America was actually bigger than Europe even though I know America is very large. I that does give some context into some Americans never leaving America. Many British people will not have left Europe and of those that have, for many that will have been The U.S (Florida, Las Vegas, New York)
Karl 70
2025-07-25 08:36:19 +0000 UTCGeographically we are part of Europe, just a part cut of by water.
Karl 70
2025-07-25 08:25:50 +0000 UTCIn the Uk in some restaurants someone will come over and check everything is ok with your meal. Personally, I dont like that and I know I'm not alone in that either. If something is wrong it is perfectly acceptable to call the server over to complain, but when I'm sat enjoying my meal and socialising dont come over and interupt to check my food is ok, expecting me to answer just as Ive put a fork full of food in my mouth, or as I was in the middle of a conversation. I find that disruptive, even rude. I'd let you know if something wasn't right. That said it is more commonplace these days so I have suck it up and politely nod and say everything is fine, when in reality Im thinking, piss off.
Karl 70
2025-07-25 08:23:20 +0000 UTCWe are still part of Europe, it's just the land connecting us is covered at the moment.
Andy
2025-07-25 06:30:19 +0000 UTCYou’re just a wealth of knowledge, aren’t you? So when you use your card when traveling to those other countries, are there not big fees each time you use if from it technically being currency other than your own?
Killermcknight
2025-07-25 06:17:28 +0000 UTC🤣🤣🤣 it drives me crazy when he backs it up so far. That’s interesting. Doesn’t quite explain to me how you’re not or are still part of Europe as a continent though? Maybe I’m missing that.
Killermcknight
2025-07-25 06:15:44 +0000 UTCOn currencies and travelling, that's one of the main reasons western and northern Europe is generally ahead of the US on debit card / credit card technologies historically. Much easier to send people money etc. But several companies that created various point of sale tech came from these countries (and some acquired by American companies now). As you now know Sweden, Denmark and Norway are the Scandinavian countries. They all use the Crown, or Krone or Krona. But they're all their own Krone... Swedish Krona, Danish Krone and Norwegian Krone. They're small countries that have a lot of travel between them and that's before you consider tourism. So companies like iZettle came from Sweden (now owned by PayPal). Meaning for a years and years absolutely everywhere takes card payments. I'm talking small hotdog stands on the street (they love their hotdogs, but they're different to American) to dive bars which still allow smoking etc. Part of the reason is because it would be a faff to get the neighbouring currency. Bonus point the world's first NFC (tap your card to pay) was in the UK (for a financial transaction). Generally when I go to European countries I don't exchange any money the old fashioned way of booking cash and picking it up or exchanging in the airport. I just use card and maybe a small amount of the local currency from an ATM.
Andy
2025-07-25 05:51:39 +0000 UTC💯 because of Dogging
Killermcknight
2025-07-25 05:48:20 +0000 UTCI liked Stevie "I'll back it up a bit" - goes back about 10 minutes and Donna's reaction. On the UK, or rather the island of Great Britain being part of Europe. It's part of the European shelf... So while we're now an island, if you were to drain some water you'd see particularly the English channel (England and France) and the North Sea (East of England, up to Scotland) we're attached. I can't remember the cut off point, but I think it's roughly 100m, as in we're all connected if you remove enough water. But back in the day when water levels were lower (ice age etc), GB was attached, it's known as Doggerland... Not because of our love for dogging - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doggerland
Andy
2025-07-25 05:31:48 +0000 UTC
