But consider: meaningful relationships take effort from everybody, including you. All the advice about learning to trust first, then you can trust others, etc, is right on target here.
It's a vicious cycle.
I found living in the northeast, USA -- so many were so focused on things they were told to do: Get education, work hard to start your career... that friendship building was not part of the equation.
Very different after I moved to Myrtle Beach, SC last year. 'Southern Hospitality' also helps: Its infectious. And the fact there are so many transplants from the North that everyone is looking to make new friends.
What I find interesting is, that I have less of this feeling when I'm in the south here as well (Bavaria). It's easier to connect there. There must be something about the south.
Or southmost state instead is famous for having some xenophobic people, separatist movements, and triggering a huge civil war in the past.my guess is that in colder environments people are very distrustful of newcomers because they are a new risk in a already risky environment
I used to know a girl (surname Britz) from Porto Alegre and her family was of German descent and seemed like she had no Brazilian features from what I could see.
When I see pictures and video of people in Rio it's like different country.
[1] The Dutch actually invaded Brazil for a few years: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Brazil
Loneliness is a state of mind and is thus going to be a matter of temperament. The author of the essay felt lonely because he had less than the amount of personal contact than he wanted. But someone else with less urge for socialization may have not felt lonely at all under the exact same circumstances.