What he tells you about meeting up w/someone from an embassy, etc., is called bragging and wanting to impress you and others. He wants you to think that he's living the "high/impressive" life, which I don't think he is. In fact, I'm pretty sure he's going out to the local pub and playing darts w/folks that are in the joint at that time. People are pretty smart and will pick up on his "quirks" fairly quickly if he drops his mask a bit.
Yes, he has low self esteem and he's trying very hard to fit in w/others on their level. Can he do that? They love to play dress up and wear masks all of the time, but when they come home, the mask falls and they are alone once again to sit and brood.
All you can do is encourage and validate him. When he tells you about his "friends in high places", just say, that's nice and I hope you had a good time. There's nothing more you can do for him, but listen, validate, encourage and appear interested in what he's telling you. He's the only one that can work on the self esteem issue (which is part of his MLC journey).
BTW, the MLCer loves to brag about what they are doing, especially when he/she thinks it will make you think that they are living an exciting life.
I hope your face is doing well. It takes time for the peeling to stop. Did they give you any suggestions for how to take care of it while it's healing?
Sit quietly, the answers will reveal themselves when you least expect them to. The past is gone, the present is a gift and you need to focus on today, allow the future to reveal itself when it is ready.
