Even though I've travelled lots -slowly, freakishly cheaply, and via full immersion- and really appreciated that, like others here I find it takes a long time to experience the diversity locally. If I volunteer at the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, then play cards with folks in a psychiatric halfway house, then have a glass of wine in the home of a wealthy art collector, then chill in a neighbour's art studio, then spend an hour participating in prayer in a local mosque, and another as a guest at an NA meeting, spend an afternoon in one of four neighbourhoods where I will hear not a word of English, and a week sleeping in a rural Buddhist monastery... I feel short on time to experience everything within kilometers! Everywhere is so rich in humanity, story, culture, beauty.