Pet Hate! "Europe"

[sillysally]

Originally Posted by puppydog

Not really. We are too busy replastering our mud huts and riding elephants to work.

What!? I thought you rode zebras!

[*blackrose]

Okay, silly question: what is the difference between the United Kingdoms and Great Britain? That always confuses me.

[sparks19]

They may not have seen all of Europe but "I went to Europe" is still accurate. Just like if someone went to Alaska and said "I went to North America". Still accurate. May be just a small part but they still went to North America.

What is the required number of countries visited to make "I am going to Europe" OK?

[Laurelin]

Yup I went to Europe a few years back. I'm also guilty of saying 'I went to the Caribbean' when in actuality I just visited one island.

Or Hawaii, when I went there I just visited one island.

[yoko]

Originally Posted by sparks19

They may not have seen all of Europe but "I went to Europe" is still accurate. Just like if someone went to Alaska and said "I went to North America". Still accurate. May be just a small part but they still went to North America.

What is the required number of countries visited to make "I am going to Europe" OK?

Agree

And I think that's WAAY more accurate when people say 'I'm visiting the states' and go to one state.

[Jules]

If someone visits multiple countries, I am okay with "visiting Europe". If you're visiting France, why not say "I'm going to France"? I don't know.

OT: it's a huuuuge pet peeve of mine when people tell me they are german. Or Italian. Or whatever, when in reality their grand-grandparents were born in Italy and every member since has been an American. What's wrong with being an American?! My ancestry dates back to France... That doesn't make me French.

[Romy]

Originally Posted by Jules

OT: it's a huuuuge pet peeve of mine when people tell me they are german. Or Italian. Or whatever, when in reality their grand-grandparents were born in Italy and every member since has been an American. What's wrong with being an American?! My ancestry dates back to France... That doesn't make me French.

Some families retain a lot of cultural stuff from their motherland that's different from "normal" (whatever that is? ) Especially in places where families are clannish, like Italy, Greece, Scotland, etc.

I'm 4th generation American descended from a Greek immigrant, but our family is super tight knit and holds a lot of the old values. Plus we keep in contact with our relatives back "home" and feel a close kinship.

What makes me laugh is when people ask someone who looks slightly exotic to them, "So, where are you from?" How about, um, here?

[AdrianneIsabel]

Get over it Europe.


I jest I jest.

[puppydog]

Originally Posted by sillysally

What!? I thought you rode zebras!

No no. Zebras are for the posh people. Elephants take multiples, like a bus.

I also hate being called European. I am not European, I'm African. Just because I'm white doesn't mean I'm not African. :/

[Saeleofu]

Originally Posted by *blackrose

Okay, silly question: what is the difference between the United Kingdoms and Great Britain? That always confuses me.

Well, apparently the full name is "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" so I take that to mean UK is all-inclusive, while Great Britain includes Scotland, Wales, and England but not Northern Ireland. But all that is just deductive reasoning on my part.