The differences—and similarities—between North Americans and Europeans surprised Lars Ramme Nielsen, marketing director for Wonderful Copenhagen during his recent experience at the World Education Congress in Vancouver. Here, the MPI Denmark Chapter president shares his musings on culture, education and the meeting industry, all penned during his transatlantic flight home.

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Dawid Bowie was ”afraid of Americans,” and Sting sang about being “An Englishman in New York." After one blast of a World Educational Congress, I was jetlagged and slightly hungover, and the songs on my iPod made me reflect a bit about North Americans in contrast to Europeans. Although, we are so alike, I am still surprised by the differences. 

I love North Americans, no people are more friendly and welcoming. When you are in North America, you can’t have a city map in your hands for 10 seconds before a concerned local asks if you need help. Anyone who’s been in Moscow will know that it doesn’t always play out that way there. 

The movies I found on the airline entertainment system reflected the differences. One of the American films started with a man on run from the mafia; the European movie started with a single mother who had just been kicked out on the street. I once heard an American quoted: "Pictures are for entertainment, messages should be delivered by Western Union." 

I happen to be tall. If it took 10 seconds to receive help navigating the streets, it usually only took five seconds in the hotel elevator in Vancouver before I was asked about my height. I learned quickly that my 200 centimeters are approximately “six-foot-six,” and I was asked at least 20 times if I played basketball. No such exotic sport existed in rural Denmark in the '80s. Handball is the sport for Daddy Longlegs in Northern Europe, but I gave up trying to explain how it’s played. 

When talking about sports: Soccer is football and American football is, from my perspective, a violent form of show business. By the way, why do you say "six-foot-six" and not "six-feet-six?" 

Scandinavians are relatively tall, and it seems as though the richness of nutrition in North America, in some cases, can be seen “horizontally." One reason why this little column was written on the plane was the impossibility of sleeping due to the very bad match between limited space in economy class, my long legs and the well nourished Canadian woman in the seat next to me who was annexing my armrest. Nothing comes from nothing. In Europe you would never get served Coca Cola for breakfast, as we did at the Vancouver Convention Centre. 

But what counts are inner values, and North Americans are role models. At a CSR session, I was asked my favorite nonprofit organization and—whoops!—I felt like a really bad person, as I could not recall any in particular to mention. This could be because I come from a Scandinavian Welfare state where the mother State takes care of most things. We—the taxpayers—fund services with 60 percent of our salaries. I was amazed at how the other delegates presented their precious initiatives—not to mention their participation in good works. Respect! 

I could continue spouting similar examples. We live in different Smartphone worlds. North Americans have their Blackberries; we carry Nokia. In Vancouver, wine is ordered by the grape, not the producer or region as it is in Europe, and I had forgotten the existence of Bon Jovi—clearly still a star in North America. 

Differences are great. Thank you, MPI! I’ll see you all in Düsseldorf for the European Meetings and Events Conference in February. Join me there for Sauerkraut and a good glass of bitter beer.