I've spent a little over 10 years living abroad, in Europe and Asia. I totally agree with you about how travel affects your world view.

What I took away is how young our country is, how the pioneer spirit still drives us, and how incredibly diverse we are.

And there's nothing coming back home and driving across the mid-west or the western states (and beautiful Montana) to give you an appreciation for wide open spaces.

If the right opportunity came along, I'd live abroad again, but I'd take along a greater appreciation for the freedoms of our citizenship.