appreciation from the outside

i don't have a lot of time to really sit down and write out everything about this topic right now, but i wanted to put it out there and see what you guys think...

talking to some friends the other day, a comment came up in response to my nomading to the effect of (and jokingly, but it makes you think), "so your own country isn't good enough for you?" i then replied with the fact that you appreciate it a lot more when you're not in it. i got some looks, ha ha :)

i've never hated my country or been unhappy here because i was here exactly. but i guess until i left did i never really realize what exactly about the u.s. makes it the u.s. and what's great about some of those things. there are other places in the world that i can see myself living for awhile one day, all for different reasons. there are some things, though, that are pretty awesome about here too :)

no country is perfect, of course, and the u.s. has its faults as does every other. and of course, there is more than one right way to do things, we are not the best (as people around the world sometimes think we think of ourselves). especially in light of the events of this week though, i am very proud to be american, and i think that no matter how much i feel the need to leave sometimes, it's not because i don't like my country or because it isn't good enough for me :)

a change of scenery isn't necessarily a bad thing, right? :D