Seattle feels sheltered to me now. Even though I live in a large city with a diverse culture, I feel like there's so much more of the world-- different cultures, different people, etc-- that I'm missing. To be fair, I'm still traveling (I've been in Portugal the last two weeks) but Seattle just seems so much... less. I still love the city (and am excited to be back in my own bed in three weeks!) but I certainly don't see it the same anymore.
With regard to myself, I think I'm less petty now. When I left Seattle I used to care too much about silly things-- what I would be wearing, what grade I got on a test etc. Traveling solo for three months with only a backpack certainly taught me a thing or two about fashion choices... More importantly I realized that life is about experiences and the people you experience it with. Always be down for anything. I think I take more risks now that former me wouldn't ever have done. I would never have hitchhiked in my life if not for this trip. I also would never have met so many interesting people had I not decided to buck up and go do everything there is to do in a city (or at least attempt to). All in all I had some insane adventures and am leaving as a less lame person so I'd say the travels were a success.