> Maybe what I want is just an ordinary friendly small town
Life in Europe is not perfect by any means, but I had a better social life there and felt more in touch with people.
An anecdote: our home there was one unit in a six-plex that we owned, which is a pretty common arrangement for middle-class-ish people who live in a city rather than the countryside. Several times a year, another couple in the same building would organize a dinner where they'd put up a big table outdoors and grill up some food. Everyone else brought a dish or two, and of course there was lots of wine.
Padova, Italy. I also lived in Innsbruck for a bit, and I agree it's not quite as "friendly". It was difficult for me to compare too much though, because I speak Italian fluently, but don't speak German, so it's natural for me to be able to connect more closely with people in Italy. I found people in Innsbruck to be pleasant and polite and enjoyed my time there.
It's kind of difficult to describe what 'friendly' meant in Italy. Maybe 'social' is a better word. It's not like some movie where you chat with someone and all of a sudden they're you're best friend and invite you over for dinner. Just people are kind of 'easy going' socially where it's just pleasant and easy to have a conversation with someone.
Life in Europe is not perfect by any means, but I had a better social life there and felt more in touch with people.
An anecdote: our home there was one unit in a six-plex that we owned, which is a pretty common arrangement for middle-class-ish people who live in a city rather than the countryside. Several times a year, another couple in the same building would organize a dinner where they'd put up a big table outdoors and grill up some food. Everyone else brought a dish or two, and of course there was lots of wine.