When I left for France in early January to begin a six-month study abroad stint, the country was at a crossroads. George W. Bush was handing over a nation that more than three quarters of its citizens thought was on the “wrong track.” And while many were optimistic about his replacement, they were concerned about whether he could really lead the country out of the deep mire augmented by a financial meltdown and two wars overseas.I was one of those Americans who was less than optimistic about the state of affairs. America — I thought — was not living up to it’s name and mission.It was easy to be under the impression that Europe was doing things the right way. On issues such as the War in Iraq and global warming, they seemed to be asking the hard questions and making effective decisions in governance.I quickly realized that many of the problems existing in the U.S. — such as immigration, racism and waste — exist in Europe at similar levels. Politicians pander, citizens are divided and societies take steps backward, just like in the U.S.Being in Europe also allowed me the unique ability to experience first-hand a foreigner’s views of the U.S. It’s true that many Europeans I crossed were upset with the way we have handled things the past few years. I could hardly blame them, as I shared many of their views.But whether or not they agree with us, most Europeans still recognize the U.S. as the world’s trendsetter and leader. Through these conversations I developed a sense of pride and patriotism from all of the attention and feedback.I realized that though we are not perfect, we are still the ones leading the way. All we have to do is get back on the “right track.” And we will.Mark Macmurdo is a 22-year-old economics and history senior from Baton Rouge.—–Contact Mark Macmurdo at [email protected]