cynyck wrote:
After looking at it, my only comment is that I learned European geography before the Cold War ended, and all those countries to the right were "U.S.S.R."
Even though I learned European geography after the Cold War, I still wouldn't be able to name and place all the countries in Eastern Europe. I know where Poland and the Baltic lands are, because they're related directly to historical events that involved my own country. Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine, on the other hand, just draw blanks... Couldn't place them on a map if my life depended on it.
Part of it, I think, is due to the presentation in the media and the lack of Eastern Europe in our historical anecdotes. I mean, we all remember how Hitler invaded Poland first, and how Russia, after the Alliance managed to go back in time and erase Hitler (with the help of Dr. Einstein), took the opportunity to invade Europe... right? I mean, they made a game about it and everything.
No one remembers Ukraine, though. There were some Hungarian kings or princes or something back in the days, but those stories were sort of lost in the borscht, so to speak. To me, Eastern Europe is synonymous with "sh*tty living standards", "vodka" and "beggars and con artists". Aside from Deli, I don't think I've ever known a person from Eastern Europe who wasn't a shady character. MY neighbor is from Bulgaria, and I wouldn't trust him with with anything. And he makes food from these really, really nasty things, like plants and discarded beets he's found wherever. When I watch him prepare a meal, I'm thinking that's what living in a gulag must be like. Here, have some tasty rock and potato peel soup... it's good for you.
Anyway, prejudice aside, the entire eastern side of Europe is just one big blur of Slavic-speaking people to me (and most of my countrymen).
Edited, Nov 29th 2013 9:50pm by Mazra