I have a diverse group of friends scattered all over the world. It allows us to stay in daily contact with the mundane parts of each other's lives, just like when we were in the same cities.
I can laugh and joke with Rita in Lebanon when she is craving a donut from a small local shop in my hometown, or support Sveta when she is having a rough day dealing with a bunch of rude Italians who are irritated with her because she barely speaks the language.