Yeah, I figured it would be a cultural thing... where I come from (The Netherlands), we're not nearly as dependent on cars. I've been travelling all over the country by train, alone, since I was 14, which gave me plenty of opportunities to meet people and stuff. And for shorter distances, well, our cities are small and flat enough that we can always just take the bike.
Are you psychologically unable to keep a full-time job, or is it just the economy? (If you don't want to answer that question, you don't have to, or you can send me a PM if you feel uncomfortable otherwise)