Discussing where in the world to travel, someone told me roughly: When I can manage conversations, my travel is about people. When not, it's about places. As I prefer people to places, that's my first filter.
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.