Originally Posted by Gunfighter

Many of them know they live in a crappy city. There is no obligation to pretend fantasy is reality. Ask what areas they avoid and maybe they will share the live feed of the poop map to help navigate the layover.



Engage the locals and ask their opinion. There is a tactful way to approach the topic without openly criticizing their choice(or circumstance) of residence. I heard plenty of criticism about my hometown from outsiders and thought it was unwarranted until living in other areas. Maybe share the positives in other cities and ask what is good about NYC/LAX/OAK/PDX etc... Living in a place can make you blind to reality.