How can I clean up this simple ASP.NET MVC pattern?

Edit.cshtml

@model EditUserModel

@using (Html.BeginForm()) 
{ 
  <div>
    @Html.HiddenFor(m => m.Id)
    @Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.FirstName)
    @Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.LastName)
    @Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.CountryId, Model.Countries.Select(c => new SelectListItem { Value = c.Id, Text = c.Name })
    
    <input type="submit" />
  </div>
}

Models.cs

class EditUserModel
{
    public string Id { get; set; }
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    public string CountryId { get; set; }
    public ICollection<CountryModel> Countries { get; set; }

    public static EditUserModel CreateFrom(User user, ICollection<CountryModel> countries)
    {
        var model = new EditUserModel();
        model.Id = user.FirstName;
        model.FirstName = user.FirstName;
        model.LastName = user.LastName;
        model.Country = user.Country.Id;
        model.Countries = countries;
        return model;
    }
}

class CountryModel
{
    public string Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }

    public static CountryModel CreateFrom(Country country)
    {
        var model = new CountryModel();
        model.Id = country.Id;
        model.Name = country.Name;
        return model;
    }
}

UserController.cs

public ActionResult Edit(string id)
{
    var user = string.IsNullOrEmpty(id) ? session.Find<User>(id) : new User();
    var countries = session.FindAll<Country>();

    var model = EditUserModel.CreateFrom(user, countries.Select(c => CountryModel.CreateFrom(c)).ToList());
    return View(model);
}

[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Edit(EditUserModel model)
{
    if (!ModelState.IsValid)
    {
        // Since the posted data won't contain the country list, we have to re-fill the model. This code feels hacky
        var countries = session.FindAll<Country>();
        model.Countries = countries.Select(c => CountryModel.CreateFrom(c)).ToList();
        return View(model);        
    }

    var user = string.IsNullOrEmpty(model.Id) ? session.Find<User>(model.Id) : new User();
    session.Store(user);

    user.FirstName = model.FirstName;
    user.LastName = model.LastName;
    // Messy handling for referenced entity
    user.Country = session.Find<Country>(model.CountryId);

    session.SaveChanges();
    return RedirectToAction("Index");
}

Here is an alternative:

https://gist.github.com/2379583

Here is another:

https://gist.github.com/2380031