As the eurozone crisis has worsened, the United Kingdom has been standing on the sidelines, hoping that the dominoes don't all fall and knock it over, too.
For many people, this has vindicated the decision not to join the euro and increased the sense that we should stay "an island apart," away from the madness of the Continent.
However, we are not immune to the effects of what is happening across the water. Unemployment continues to rise, particularly among young people, as the austerity cuts imposed by the government begin to bite hard.
while the riots that happened across London and other English cities in the summer cannot be directly attributed to the crisis, there is a growing sense of disillusionment at the gap between the richest and the poorest.
Protest camp a sign of public opinion?
Perhaps the most obvious manifestation of this is the protest camp outside one of the nation's most famous buildings -- St. Paul's Cathedral -- that officials are now trying to break up. This has led to questions in Parliament, within the church, everywhere it seems, except in the city of London, where the big financial decisions are made every day.
Confidence in the U.K. government's ability to manage the economy out of the current situation is not high, but there is no credible alternative.
The consolation for people here is that we still have some of our destiny in our own hands, but if the euro fails and the dominoes fall on us, there will be real anger and it could lead to social unrest on a scale not seen here for centuries.
What is the impact on the Continent?
So that's our experience of the eurozone crisis to date. But what has the impact been across the Continent? Not for the politicians and the big businesses but for the people on the ground level, who are dealing with harsh cuts and painful tax hikes.
To help give you a clearer picture, we contacted a number of our colleagues at MSN across Europe and asked them to share their experiences.
Greece has been at the eye of the storm for months. How do the people feel about life now?
How the crisis is affecting Greece
The French have faced plenty of austerity measures. Are they still in favor of being in the eurozone?
How the crisis is affecting France
The German people are looking on pessimistically. Find out why they feel so gloomy about the future.
How the crisis is affecting Germany
Political instability has brought Italy to the brink of collapse. Our correspondent reveals why.
How the crisis is affecting Italy
The government in Portugal is axing holidays and raising taxes in a bid to stave off disaster. How are the people reacting?
How the crisis is affecting Portugal
A combination of economic and political disasters has left Spain on the brink of a bailout. What's next?
How the crisis is affecting Spain
Select a country above, or move on to Page 2 for a look at Greece.
