Yeah I enjoy both. But the little "side quests" that happen when you're able to regularly interact with people didn't seem to happen as much in Japan. Only with foreigners who lived there who could act as a bit of a bridge. It's an insular society too.
> Only with foreigners who [...] could act as [...] a bridge
Hmm, or perhaps some other subculture which addresses both language overlap and (sub)cultural openness? Like local alumni, or some software-related community (eg ruby, or XR, or ...), or ... ? HN people? In context of TFA, perhaps something surfing? One dream the net was weaving a world where you could have a friend in every city.
