I was brought up strictly Republican - but based fairly on the fact that my parents believed almost every Republican position of the platform (not just obsessing over one issue). Since then I've moved a lot towards the center. I would say the #1 thing in my life that brought me more perspective than most people I talk to (in person) seem to have is .. I married a foreign born person, started fluently speaking another language and becoming familiar with (and adopting many of) their ways of thinking, travelling to their country, and all of this gave me a much broader perspective on the world rather than an American-dominated perspective. Taking a totally random issue: healthcare. I was brought up typically American, believing that our healthcare was the best in the world. I now laugh HARD at that perspective. After 40 years of going to doctors in the US who would spend about 13 seconds getting to know me, my life, my medical background, things tried/not tried, goals and solutions....(demanding more than the 13 seconds would get me a "complicated diagnoses" ICD code for billing purposes!).... and then I remember one day I was in Mexico and I paid a doctor $5-$10 to see me for a garden variety issue. We sat down and discussed everything that might possibly be relevant for about 45 minutes, including some testing and not overly focused on medication, but ultimately providing some as well. I walked out of there thinking a heck of a lot differently about American healthcare, I can tell you that. I told my wife what an extraordinary doctor. She for a moment didn't get my comment - They're all like that here, she said.
And that's just one thing - I haven't even gotten started on the social/family/human/connectedness vs. "American depression" aspect of things.
It may seem like I am talking about non-political things, but I believe all of these experiences have had a big impact on my political views, too. It's all connected. I am glad I was forced to get out of my american bubble by way of my marriage, it is the best thing that ever happened to me.