True, true, true. And I do try, thought even when I do try, a “land mine” will come up (like the “Phantom of the Opera” incident.)
Yes, “drawing comparisons”, as in “Oh, it’s so much better in California” is not going anywhere. Mentioning my experience on a certain topic sometimes requires some semplance of a “comparison” at times. If people are talking about their high school, for instance, I might talk about mine. Not having to mention where I went to high school. But if it turns out that my high school experience was different on some interesting point, there will be questions about that. There are always differences that I don’t see coming, that I never expected. And people will ask.
And sometimes I will ask people something like “Do you have this law here? Do you have this product here?” And if they don’t have the law/product/service (and they perceive that as a negative thing, and/or they see that I am disappointed) then once again there are ruffled feathers. There are differences that disappoint me. I don’t have to “bitch” about them for people to pick up that I am disappointed. And then that ruffles their feathers.
No - I can’t say I’ve never done that (it was irresistable with some of the “worst offenders” who were really being obnoxious) but no. That’s nowhere. You’re right, no one will be convinced.
No, it’s pointless. What I would like is for the locals here to stop trying to convince me that things here are better than where I came from. Because that’s equally embarrassing, and frustrating for them. And yet some still try to convince me that things are really better here.
Plenty of that. Plenty of that. (But I try to keep my mouth shut anyway. 
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