Even foreigners living in a country among the locals people often miss a lot. That shouldn't be surprising, we miss a ton of stuff even in our own country while speaking the same language. Have you ever heard someone from your country tell foreigners about what people in your country are like, and thought "what are they talking about"?
There's just so much variation, it's hard to really say. I've known people who lived in a country for years, don't speak the language, and live in their small expat circle. I've known typical tourist types who found themselves living among the locals because they ended up on a local tour. Or people that don't live in a country, but have studied the language and consumed the local media to an extent that they have a better understanding of a lot of cultural trends than people who lived or visited the place.
In the end, it's probably best to let go of the idea that any one person is going to see the "true" place, or that one city is more "authentic" than another. Everyone, even the locals, are just going to know some piece of a much larger whole. I'm not sure how useful it is to argue about which piece is better than the others.
You are absolutely correct that authenticity is hard to find, and that foreigners do not truly experience the culture as the locals. I hope I didn’t give that impression in my post. And my intention is not to argue, but rather to point out that someone transiting through a place in just a few years does not know that place deeply. The method of life that Chris describes has value, and is good. It’s just not the complete picture (nor am I saying that anyone has a complete picture)
There's just so much variation, it's hard to really say. I've known people who lived in a country for years, don't speak the language, and live in their small expat circle. I've known typical tourist types who found themselves living among the locals because they ended up on a local tour. Or people that don't live in a country, but have studied the language and consumed the local media to an extent that they have a better understanding of a lot of cultural trends than people who lived or visited the place.
In the end, it's probably best to let go of the idea that any one person is going to see the "true" place, or that one city is more "authentic" than another. Everyone, even the locals, are just going to know some piece of a much larger whole. I'm not sure how useful it is to argue about which piece is better than the others.