Barack Obama has had a busy week, jetting through the Middle East and Europe to take the pulse of the world’s attitude towards America and to engage in a series of visits and talks with world leaders.

It’s a trip that should make America proud (particularly given the geographic and diplomatic gaps in the current president’s consciousness), but Americans’ response to Obama’s trip has been curiously tepid.

Despite an anticipated drop in the polls, Obama said he felt the trip was important. Rather than detracting attention from Americans’ concerns about the economy, Obama argued that:

…”many issues that we face at home are not going to be solved as effectively unless we have strong partners abroad….”

What do you think about Obama’s trip? And do you think that Americans’ negative reaction to his trip says something about Americans’ attitude about travel? Sound off below!

Photo: Llima

Julie Schwietert

Julie Schwietert Collazo is a writer, editor, researcher, and translator who lives in New York and Mexico City. She is the managing editor of the Matador Network.