It is about 1000 times happier traveling as an American this year than it has been in the past 6 or so. I feel like we’re all still getting used to the new administration – and it’s clear that the rest of the world is, too. Here in Europe, I found people to be very curious about the new government, and sort of blown away, in particular, by the level of engagement and openness and participation that Obama’s team has put in place so quickly. I heard, more than one time, that there was no other place in the world where something like this would have happened quite this way – not just in the sense of electing a minority candidate, but more in the sense of the speed in which our government is working to give control back to the people.

There’s a lot of road left to travel yet – they’ve barely started – but already it’s clear that people everywhere are watching & thinking, and are ready to give Obama – and by extension Americans – some benefit of the doubt again.