I have such personal experience. One my friend leave country and settle in some 'tropic paradise', nothing special he was not rich, he live just normal life there. In period of about 12 years he make only couple phone calls, without any internet communication ( he despite mobile phones, internet, computers ). However, after he appear after all this years, to settle some family affairs, all his friends notice that he behave weirdly. To be precise his behavior was "inappropriate, rude, wild, etc." But after you take second look, you will notice that we other changes, he remain same dude as he was before 12 years. This was point when I realize how much we lose during this years, how we become shitheads.... he was protected in his time capsule.