Are you a city dweller…
…or a country dweller?
I’ve lived both in the city and the country and still can’t tell you which group I belong to. They’re both wonderful worlds with entirely different ways of life. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages and I love them both. However, as I get older, with three boys that have left or are getting ready to leave the nest, I find myself gravitating toward country living.
I was raised in small town Tennessee. My grandparents own a farm where, when I was growing up, they raised cattle, goats, pigs, horses, chickens….it was perfect farm life. We played in the creek in the summer and would grab the sled in the winter and head for the hills. 
When I was 19, I moved to Dallas, TX. Talk about culture shock. From there I moved to Orlando, Nashville, small town Georgia, then back up to Nashville, still visiting the farm when I got the chance. I have loved both ways of living and have experienced the best (and possibly worst) of both worlds.
Below I’ve given my advantages and disadvantages of each.
In the City
Advantages
-You can find anything you want, day or night.
-Public transportation saves the need for a car.
-The variety of living arrangements is huge! Flats,houses,skyscrapers,lofts,apartments…it’s all there.
-Jobs are everywhere. Did you know that in some cities they have professional organizers of children’s summer camp luggage? Or professional cuddlers????? Yes. They do.
-In the city there are always classes available for you to take from belly dancing to how to write a romance novel.
-Emergency management is sure to be closer…fire departments, police, hospitals.
Disadvantages
-An ad on the NY subway says: “Raising a baby in an NYC apartment is like growing an oak tree in a thimble.” In the city, you live on top of each other. Your kids and your dog barely know what grass is.
-Crime is higher. The really bad kinds of crime too.
-The cost of living is a lot higher.
-More pollution.
-More traffic.
-You might see ‘movie stars’ but when you look up you’re likely not to see the stars in the sky.
-The rate race is crazy with a constant competitive struggle for wealth or power.
In the Country
-You can afford to live in a house with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, and a garage. Maybe a pool.
-There’s room (possibly miles) between you and your neighbors.
-There are stars in the sky that go on forever.
-Fresh air. The smell of grass, trees, farmland. No pollution. A healthier way of life.
-Peace. and. Quiet. Real peace and real quiet.
-Every day when you look out your windows, you’re seeing what people from the city drive hours to enjoy.
-Locking your doors are often forgotten.
-People look out for one another and create a greater sense of community. No rat race.
-When you talk a walk down the street or at the park, you’ll likely see someone you know.
-Make someone angry and the whole town will know.
-Because you know most everyone, everything seems to take longer to do.
-Technology isn’t always the best and cell phone reception can be a real pain in the rear.
-A social life can be difficult.