Los Angeles is not Mexico City, but we have many fine nightclubs and restaurants here. It is enough. One must not aim too high.
Musicians understand each other through means other that speaking.
Musicians communicate in other ways. That's just something you rely on.
You're not born with certain skills; you have to acquire them.
You have to be able to improvise and respond to what's going on around you. Then you might get a good piece of work done.
Everything you do is challenging, hopefully, because if it's not, it's boring.