She didn’t describe life in the western world as I know it. Families still eat together, they get out with friends and do things. They are not isolated and disconnected. Many are connected to the land too. They go outside, garden, paint, swim. Say hi to neighbors, have a summer beer with them, sit and chat, borrow flour.
Her life, and the life she created for Bibi, is certainly one of isolation and disconnection, because she’s isolated so she can eat abnormally. Poor Bibi seems to think it’s normal to eat separately and have no friends and just work, go home, and play vidya. So he misses his lifestyle back in Africa. But couples usually don’t live as separately as Chantel likes it.
There is a place where he can meet in the middle from his old life, and have friends and a community. Just not with Chantel. And she took that away for 8 years.