Vila Guilherme, Brazil

52,587 residents and a persistent bureaucracy headache - that's the reality of life in this São Paulo suburb. The once-tranquil neighborhood has lost its sleepy charm, with walled-up houses and barred windows now the norm. Though the metro station has improved access to the city center, the streets are no longer suitable for casual chats and children's play. One bright spot is the Japanese cultural clubs serving the 800 local families of Japanese descent. But overall, Vila Guilherme has traded its small-town feel for the gritty challenges of big-city living. This is a place for the pragmatic, not the romantics.