This was the biggest culture shock for me, moving to a smaller town - seeing the same people over and over again.
Also, it reminds me of back in the pioneer days where everyone had a defined role in the village, and that's what they were known as. There's Joe The blacksmith, Bill The baker, Sarah The seamstress... Emphasis on "The"...
I see my students all the time, Paula lives in the same neighbourhood and I see her at the grocery store all the time. Becky works the counter at the bakery I go to. And they all know me as GeneTheMotorcycleInstructor (all one word).
It's a weird feeling being primarily defined by the role/function you provide to the village you live in.
In Toronto, I'd teach a student and reasonably be assured that I'd never ever see them again, unless I run into them at L&L on a Thursday night.