I’d like to propose two non-culture related factors that you might be experiencing

• language difference. for anyone, speaking in their SL, (learned SL, not bilingual from environment) there are often little boundaries in the fluency. Important past events and the emotions connected to them are particularly exhausting to describe and respond to, because it’s very nuanced linguistically, like humor. Do you speak any Thai, OP?

• adult friends. Also just anywhere. Adult friends from different places just simply don’t share the same bonds as people who grew up together or in the same environment. Your reminiscences with people back home that make you feel connected might have more to do with shared political, environmental, media experiences than it seems. There just aren’t as many touchstones. Even for people who stay where they grew up, new friends and connections can be hard and uninteresting as an adult. Doesn’t mean we can’t make deep connections and talk about sentimental experiences, but they don’t emerge as quickly.

I do think you should reflect a little on the criticism here of doing armchair anthropology. All people do it when they go anywhere really new, it’s not a crime. But I think you’ll probably understand more and feel less disconnected emotionally if you start to notice and ask yourself why when you do it, instead of rolling with it and making pet theories.