Recent conversations with The Mayor, (also referred to as Dad or Poppy) have brought to my attention the thinking of those that live in the city and the country. The Mayor questions why I would choose to live in the big city in a house that costs stacks of money, with neighbours living fence to fence. Where traveling 10km to work can take over an hour and everything from private schools to creches have waiting lists and high fees.
Why do this when instead you can have:
A decent size block and a beautiful home, walk to work, put your kids in the local creche or school (public or private, just choose and go, don't beg and plead to get in) and be less stressed with a more relaxed lifestyle. Have chooks, grow a vege garden, provide lots of space for the girls to run around and live in a community where generally people are pretty supportive.
The Mayor would like to see more people move to the country towns in his area and can't understand why they are not flocking to get there. With lots of jobs and facilities on offer, what's not to love?
I cant really explain it other than I love being spoilt for choice and having lots of options. Whether it be something to do on the weekend, schools, shops or movie theatres.
What keeps you in the city?
What would it take to get you to move further afield? Or have you already made a Tree Change?
Today's image is sadly not my legs.
The country life is not for everyone, otherwise we'd all be there and it would get overpopulated and then it'd be a city! Phew.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, only 3 more weeks until I move into my country haven! I can't wait ;)
As a counrty girl, i coudnt think of anything worse than living in the city , love that the kids have acres to run, ride and play.
ReplyDeleteThey play footy with a local club that are super family freindy.
The schools are fine, .
The best thing i dont have neighbours for miles Love it to death but l like my own space the country life is for me.
I kind of straddle both worlds, living in a large-ish regional centre. I wouldn't move further afield because of a lack of access to job opportunities and facilities (I'm frustrated with this as it is now), but I wouldn't move closer to Sydney because it's just too expensive. It would be lovely to be able to pop into the city for moonlight cinema or a new gallery exhibition though.
ReplyDeleteDh and I retired to a small village in Hawaii. Actually he didn't retire. He telecommutes. I love it and my garden and the space. Oh and the beautiful views of mountains and the ocean.
ReplyDeleteIt also helps if you tend to shop too much because there isn't much of that here.
Ok, I am with perplume, if Mr H wants to head to the country it needs to be somewhere like Hawaii! Or Austria would be nice.
ReplyDeleteI'm on my way! Hopefully June will see us in a house in the contry, on a large block with chooks and bunnies. And, apparently, a kitten.
ReplyDeleteMr T and I dream of a sea/tree change, and to be honest I am not sure what is stopping us. My parents live nearby here in Melbourne and I guess I would feel bad taking their grandson far away (as their only other grandson lives in Canberra). It's definately on my list of things to do in the coming years. I dream of a simpler life and I figure if I don't like it I can always move back.
ReplyDeleteI love my city life and wouldn't swap. That being said, I do love a country holiday now and then....
ReplyDeleteI guess I live in the country, by the bay on the Mornington Peninsula. It's the best place to live - we have everything, and the city's just an hour's drive away.
ReplyDeleteLiving in the country makes the city seem so much more alive. But I love coming back to the peace and quiet, the space, the sea air, being able to walk on the dirt roads without worrying about cars. The privacy. The wildlife. I love it - it suits my personality.
LOVE the photo. And your new look. Very quirky and original. :)
I grew up in a country town and it is only my husband's work that really keeps us in the city. That said, I like being 'part of the action' as I remember feeling really out of it in the country. We have a big block with only one neighbour and we are less than 20 minutes to work in the city. I think we have the best of both worlds!!
ReplyDeleteMy second ever post that I wrote on my blog explains my thoughts better than this rambly comment if you're interested!! x
I agree with the Mayor. I tried City living - for 16 years to be exact. I don't get the attraction of the city to be honest! Too busy, too expensive, too loud, too smelly! I always said to DH that a clause to our marriage was that we were moving "home" when we had children.
ReplyDeleteAnd we did it just over three years ago. I must say, the people I have met are some of the best and most wonderful friends I have ever met and so so so supportive. Now, before you think I cheated because we moved to my home town... I don't see much of my sister, my brother is too busy, mum and dad are busy jet setting in their retirement, and all my old school friends have either left or are just too different from us (maybe we're different from them but I agree with the former hehe). So we've had to start from scratch.
I love the area, I love the school, I love the people I've met. But Shhhhh! I don't want it filled up and becoming a city!
Bec.
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1. Work. In the careers hubs & I are in, there just aren't the opportunities in regional or rural locations.
ReplyDeleteFor me this is less of an issue as I can, to some extent, telecommute, but for hubs it's a no-go.
2. Family. His elderly mother lives 10 minutes away, my parents an hour away but still in the same (sprawling) city.
3. Community / Friends. We've dug in here in suburbia - we have a school that we're very attached to, a church that we are active in, a community centre that we volunteer at, and several close families of friends that really make this *our* village.
All of that said...
We'd love to have more space, have chooks and other animals, give the kids a more free-ranging childhood.
My asthma and his allergies are always 100% better when we holiday away from the Big Smoke, so it would have definite health benefits.
Traffic. OMIGOD traffic. It is getting worse all the freakin' time and I can't stand it.
Neither of us are big "city" people - we aren't shoppers or diners, with three little kids we are no longer concert or theatre-goers, we aren't enthused by big-crowd spectacle type events. (The only thing I'd specifically miss is the Melbourne Writers Festival and I could always vacation city-side for that!)
So, yunno ... maybe. One day. It'd be nice. But.
Very clear, aren't I? :-)
I've lived everywhere. Country, inner city, outer city, mountains, beachside...
ReplyDeleteI'm probably more of a city-girl for similar reasons to you...choice being a huge one.
BUT, recently I've had a read yearning to be off somewhere remote...with a lot of space and room to breathe.
However, right now, I'm happy to be where I am in the burbs, doing the best I can with my circumstance.
We had a Tree Change about 6 mths ago to a Sunshine Coast Hinterland area and love it. Smaller town, smaller schools. Yes do miss some aspects of city life but can drive to Brisbane and go to the State Library and Art Gallery, Museum, Science Centre, Ballet, Theatre etc its not that far and a chance for a o'nighter with friends or in a cheapish hotel once in a blue moon. Close to beaches and parks and bushwalks etc. I do worry a little that (due to people like us!!! moving here that it is soon going to lose its small town country feel and I also worry what it will be like for our kids when they are older/in their teens. Loads to do now and a great life for young kids but not so sure about the future here for them). If my husband had his way it would be real country, central Qld, 10000s of acres and cattle but not enough services etc for me there and not really a great life for older kids/teens either in many ways).
ReplyDeleteOh, I do love this post. Just came across it thanks to LinkWithin. We would LOVE to move to the country (as you may have guessed). I could move tomorrow, as my job can come with me wherever I go. But husband, that's another story. He's national, needs an airport close by and a space in the national office. We do have a plan though. We will see how it pans out. So... you're not tempted? x
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