Nature VS Urban: Get away from it all, or stay near the action?
I was reflecting recently about how much of an urban kid I am.
I enjoy living in the city, and being near lots of services and things going on.
I was born in Calgary, and the first few years of my life were definitely in a bigger city. I remember exploring (on my bike as a child) to the limits of my neighbourhood. I once even crossed under a bridge into a new neighbourhood. Each section of the city was like it's own miniature community, but all so closely connected.
I got to thinking about this after realizing that a lot of people I know are defnitely more "nature kids". People who love camping and feel a strong connection to nature, who love to get away as often as they can. (I even know a few homeless / wanderer types that live completely out of a backpack. They probably spend more time outside in a month than I do in an average year.) Some of them have a solid home, but done their best to live in the country (on an island, etc).
If the isolation and quiet of an island is what works best for you, then by all means go for it! I think it's great! But me - I'd just get lonely. I don't mind the hum of the streetlights at night, the morning trucks, or the constant shuffling of bodies. I love it actually. I almost always prefer an urban environment: spaces where people are closer to one another. It cuts down on travel time (for me anyways) while keeping me near the action!
Here are a few more (good IMHO) reasons for living in or near large urban centers...
- Biking country roads after dark isn't nearly as fun as bombing through the evening street light of emptied suburban streets.
- Living in the country means a lot further to travel in general. Bigger commutes. Cycling as primary transport in general is practically out of the question (which is a problem for me).
- Being close to urban centers means basic needs are more likely accessible. Regular plumbing, electricity and network access are not always available in country settings. (Yeah - I definitely think it's nice to get away sometimes. But most of the time I appreciate having these comforts available.)
What do you think? Do you also enjoy the Urban setting, or do you feel the benefits to a natural setting? (I think there is a part of me that wants to be convinced...) Let me know why you think living in Nature rocks (or if you think I got it right the first time and should stick to the cities).
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I can appreciate your reasons for preference of the urban environment. Services, conveniences, social opportunities. All very good reasons for living in a city.
And there's big part of me that feels the rural, 'back-to-the-land' lifestyle is the way to go. As I spend more and more time away from cities, it becomes clear (at least to me) that a great deal of the conveniences of the city are just that: 'conveniences'. Things we just don't need. This isn't to say your points about plumbing, electricity, and internet access are moot; these are all important things, especially in regards to labor and hygiene (not having plumbing is a shitty mess unless you have composting toilets or some sort of disposal method).
However - the advantages of living more close to nature is the obvious: nature's right there! You can more easily plant a garden; manage a compost pile (and actually do it properly!); have close and personal encounters with wildlife; experience seasonal plant variation; meet the amazing diversity of our fungal friends; breathe clean air; sleep deeper (subjective, I know); enjoy true food security (if you're so inclined); and experience the deep teachings of plants in their homes.
Yeah - you might have to travel further to go places. You might have to have a car. Country roads aren't well lit (then again, out there you're probably not out at night much anyways). And there's often patchy internet access. But there is most definitely (in my experience) a real sense of rural community, closeness, and it's not hard to see people (think: work-parties!).
To me: the benefits of living rurally far outweigh the costs. And one might actually find that the 'costs' of living more close to nature really aren't that costly.
My $.02 (as I get ready to move back to a farm in August).