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I hear the first impression that is the dominant experience most foreigners get is very superficial. When you live there it's actually very different and it doe

I hear the first impression that is the dominant experience most foreigners get is very superficial. When you live there it's actually very different and it doesn't quite match up to the initial illusion you get from vacationing there. But I wouldn't know, I just vacationed there and had the exact same experience as you.

seanmcdirmid 3y ago
Is that some sort of play on Paris syndrome [1]? But in that case, it is expectation not corresponding to a first impression. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome
- corethree 3y ago
  Nah I think the negative aspects of living there aren't apparent when you're vacationing there. The working culture there and making friends is very different.
Klonoar 3y ago
I lived there for ~7 years and would +1 this. Living and working there is very different.
- throwaway2037 3y ago
  London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney... All Global Alpha cities would be similar.
  - Klonoar 3y ago
    People who visit Asian cities the first time romanticize the hell out of them and base their entire understanding on a culture they couldn’t hope to penetrate on a first viewing. This is a known problem with pretty much every “expat” circle in these cities - it’s noticeably more pronounced. (I have lived in or spent significant time in all of these cities you listed)
  - maleldil 3y ago
    I'm not so sure about London. I visited once for a week and decided that I wouldn't like to live there because it's so crowded, but maybe the big city goodies (especially the museums, access to global food and public transport) would make it worth it. If it wasn't obvious, I come from a very small town. Now that I have lived there, all of that was very much confirmed.
IAmGraydon 3y ago
Is that not the case for pretty much anywhere?
- corethree 3y ago
  Nah. The experience in Japan is especially jarring.

seanmcdirmid 3y ago

Is that some sort of play on Paris syndrome [1]? But in that case, it is expectation not corresponding to a first impression. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome

corethree 3y ago
Nah I think the negative aspects of living there aren't apparent when you're vacationing there. The working culture there and making friends is very different.

Klonoar 3y ago

I lived there for ~7 years and would +1 this. Living and working there is very different.

throwaway2037 3y ago
London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney... All Global Alpha cities would be similar.
- Klonoar 3y ago
  People who visit Asian cities the first time romanticize the hell out of them and base their entire understanding on a culture they couldn’t hope to penetrate on a first viewing. This is a known problem with pretty much every “expat” circle in these cities - it’s noticeably more pronounced. (I have lived in or spent significant time in all of these cities you listed)
- maleldil 3y ago
  I'm not so sure about London. I visited once for a week and decided that I wouldn't like to live there because it's so crowded, but maybe the big city goodies (especially the museums, access to global food and public transport) would make it worth it. If it wasn't obvious, I come from a very small town. Now that I have lived there, all of that was very much confirmed.

IAmGraydon 3y ago

Is that not the case for pretty much anywhere?

corethree 3y ago
Nah. The experience in Japan is especially jarring.