How's that saying go? You can take the girl out of the Midwest, but you can't take the Midwest out of the girl. Or something like that. :)

Having experienced the reality tunnel myself (I really like that term, by the way), I know just what you mean about it being a nice place to be from. It lets you understand the people who are still in it. Which is quite fortunate when they're related to you.

I'm reminded of something cmpriest said to me once about having to explain the "church buffet arms race" to her New York editor. It's not just people in other countries who have trouble understanding the rural US. :)