Come on America!

”Come on America!”

Yesterday I went to a lecture in Middelfart. It was given on “Kulturøen” by Jesper Steinmetz (b. 1967), who is the only American news correspondent for TV2. The lecture was named “Come on America” – the same name as his book.
Before the lecture I expected to learn about the American president election, but it only filled a little part. The lecture was about Jesper Steinmetz (JS) as a Dane versus his job as an American correspondent.

Since JS visited America, when he was 19 years old, he has been absolutely fascinated by the country. He had never thought that he was going to live in Washington working all over the world. Since he moved over the seas for two years ago, he also got to know America’s drawbacks, so yesterday – his 45^th birthday – he enjoyed to come back to Denmark and its luxuries toilets, he said with a smile. Also he adds that he won’t stay in America for the rest of his days, but instead he plans to go back to Denmark at the time he stops being news correspondent for TV2.  

JS characterized America as if it lags way behind countries as Denmark. Their democracy and their systems do not work very well. Besides this the American people were born to be on TV, he said. He substantiated this by saying, that they have no limits when it comes to their private life and the public. I a way they have influenced JS who was very outgoing and open as well.  

For the moment JS followed and analyzed the presidential election in the USA, and personally he hoped for Obama to win – but he believed in Mitt Romney’s victory.
Besides the election he has worked with themes as poverty, the ash cloud on Iceland, Lars Løkke’s first visit in the White House and illegal immigrants.

This time JS was only going to stay in Denmark for a short time, so I am very grateful to my English-teacher, because she made me go to such an arrangement. 

Anna Kyhn, 2.D