European Relationships

 
 
 
 

Vocabulary

 

revive	behavior	division (3)
ex-	way (2)	get along
aghast	current	spendthrift
rate	borrow	mentality
legacy	gullible	Hanseatic League
retain	outward	spirit (2)
escape	province	continent
gold	belong	bureaucracy
get on	despite	occasionally
bit (3)	spat (2)	share (3)
smug	splendid	find/found/found
stellar	shed (2)	counterweight
eager	still (2)	guide (2)
refer	splendid	Golden Age
bossy	standoff	find/found/found
fond	irritable	disappear
baffle	joint (4)	nostalgic
huge	reform	in way of
tie (3)	try/tried	leave/left/left (2)
role	end up	probably
region	linchpin	population
jump	outstrip	become/became/become
league	proverb	condition (2)
battle	cautious	corruption
scared	empire	meet/met/met
solve	except	patronize
willing	devoted	unpredictable
shape	sidelines	take shape
dull	alliance	take/took/taken
ability	despair	jumpy (2)
	virtuous

 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

The big division in most of Europe is about not belonging, but behavior.

Virtuous north European and some ex-communists countries are aghast at the spendthrift ways of their South European neighbors and Ireland. At its current rate of borrowing Poland may end up in trouble too.

History is still a good guide though: the cities of the Hanseatic League have retained the free trading outward-looking spirit of that 15th century alliance.

And the old Austro-Hungarian Empire is still a good guide to shared mentality, bureaucracy and architecture. Czechs get along much better with Austrians than with Germans. Hungary gets on well with most of its neighbors despite occasional spat with Slovakia.

Austria used to be a bit standoffish, but now finds its neighbors a splendid counterweight to those smug Germans.

But the countries that escaped the Soviet Empire have mostly shed that old legacy eagerly. Estonia still refers to its time under Swedish rule as the Golden Age, even though it ended in 1721. Sweden’s other neighbors are less nostalgic — they find Sweden too big and too bossy.

Lithuania and Poland used to form a joint state: a 17th century superpower. But Lithuanians remember it irritably as a time in their language and culture all but disappeared. Poles find that baffling; they remember the joint state fondly.

And Romania still remembers the time when Moldova was a province, not a country. Many Moldovans find that patronizing.

Turkey’s empire in Europe used to be huge. But like Russia’s, it’s left little in the way of cultural or political ties. Now turkeys trying to revive its role in the region — especially to countries with Muslim populations.

Germany’s traditionally close relationship with France was once the linchpin of the European Union. It’s gullible ties to Russia in past years made many of its Eastern neighbors jumpy.

But now Poland is becoming the Germans’ new best friend, and even cautiously friendly with Russia.

The best friendship in the region is probably between Poland and Hungary; an old proverb says they are brothers in the battle and the bottle.

Belarus is scared of Russia, but unwilling to meet European conditions for friendship.

Outsiders despair of corruption in Ukraine.

Georgia is a stellar reformer. But seen as too unpredictable, except by its devoted friend Romania.

And Britain, as so often, on the sidelines as Europe’s future takes shape.

Never a dull moment then on a continent where problems often outstrip politicians ability to solve them.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

 

Questions

Albania. Europe, in particular the European Union, is completely united and integrated. True or false?

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia. Are all Europeans thrifty and frugal, always “save for rainy day” and their retirement?

Bosnia. Was the EEC (European Economic Community) the first major trading block in Europe?

Bulgaria. Is the culture of the nations of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire very diverse or relatively homogeneous?

Croatia. People of Central Europe want to migrate to, form links and be associated with Western Europe. Is this entirely right, partially right, in the middle, yes and no, largely false or completely false?

Czech Republic. Do Estonians consider themselves to be East European or Norther European (Scandinavian), both or neither?

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. Does everyone love, admire and respect Sweden?

Hungary. Were Poles and Lithuanians equals or equal partners in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth?

Kosovo. Turkey and Russia have had the same lasting influence on their former subjects as did the Austrians. They have close relations with their former subject countries. Is this correct or incorrect?

Montenegro. Have relations between France, Germany, Poland and Russia been the same or has it varied, fluctuated and even been volatile?

North Macedonia. Close neighbors always get along well. Distant countries don’t get along. What do you think?

Romania. Does the United Kingdom feel closer to France, Germany and Austria; or Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States?
 
 
 
Serbia. Who are your neighbors? What countries border your country?

Slovenia. Has it always been this way? Have your country’s borders changed throughout history?

Slovakia. Does your nation get along (well) with neighboring nations?

Ukraine. Which countries does your nation get along with? Which nations does your nation have tensions with?

Cyprus. What is the solution for international (and intra-national) conflict and tensions?

Malta. What might happen in the future?