Stephen904
6 Oct 2012
UK, Ireland / Polish in Uk are some of the hardest working and nice people [37]
I think it would have been good natured to have replied in the spirit in which Phil wrote. We may not all be sure of the 'right' terminology these days, but for 40 years before the Berlin wall fell, we in the 'west' always referred to 'eastern Europe'. It is simply a matter of usage, not offence! In the UK, non-nationals regularly get our country terminology wrong, referring to the English when they mean Scottish, or Great Britain when they mean Northern Ireland and so on. Sometimes they even talk of England as an island!
I reiterate Phil's welcome - I teach many students from the east of Europe (is that's OK to say) and I find them a joy to teach, friendly, hard-working, interesting and grateful! So if you're not here, come over and enjoy our hospitality. Look me up on englishforliving.co.uk and say hello!
I think it would have been good natured to have replied in the spirit in which Phil wrote. We may not all be sure of the 'right' terminology these days, but for 40 years before the Berlin wall fell, we in the 'west' always referred to 'eastern Europe'. It is simply a matter of usage, not offence! In the UK, non-nationals regularly get our country terminology wrong, referring to the English when they mean Scottish, or Great Britain when they mean Northern Ireland and so on. Sometimes they even talk of England as an island!
I reiterate Phil's welcome - I teach many students from the east of Europe (is that's OK to say) and I find them a joy to teach, friendly, hard-working, interesting and grateful! So if you're not here, come over and enjoy our hospitality. Look me up on englishforliving.co.uk and say hello!