I don't know; everyday life is probably pretty much the same everywhere there is a reasonable community. Maybe not so fine over in Iran or North Korea; but in the majority of Western Nations and I include places like Brazil and Australia/ New Zealand etc. it's probably business as usual. Look at you; you sound pretty much like us. Hell they even looked pretty content over in China during this last Presidential trip. I mean maybe they don't have the discretionary spending and availability of toys and luxuries but in the end it really is more about friends and family than material things anyway. The only reservation I might have is availability of good health care; and that is disappearing over here anyway. Anyone part of an HMO??