5 February 2013

Country Life vs. City Life When my father announced that our family was going to move to the country, my whole world collapsed. I was fifteen years old back then, and all that I cared about were my girlfriends. I really did not want to leave my hometown, but I did not have a choice. Today I am thirty-five years old and I cannot be happier about living in a rural area. My first nine years in the United States I lived in the city and I hated it. After all these years, in Poland and in the US, I experienced living in both areas and I observed the differences between living in the city and living in the country. There are some aspects of living in these two areas that can be so different from each other, such as family values, wants and needs, as well as the environment.
Family values are very important for most people but this necessarily does not mean that people who live in the country or city will describe them the same way. When I lived in the country I noticed that most families stay together, supporting the same household. They are working together on their farms, seven days a week. Kids are quickly learning discipline and responsibility by helping their parents around the farm, feeding animals and working in the garden. This style of life creates unbreakable bond between those families. Most likely young generations when they grow up, stay close to their parents and this family bond stays strong forever. On the other hand, when I lived in the city, I noticed different styles of life among the families. City life can be so busy. Adults are working usually five days a week and resting through the weekend, kids are going to day cares or school. After this they might go to other activities. Parents are so busy between work, school, shopping and maybe some social meetings that these easily can fill the hours of the day. Their family values are important but it is hard to notice that bond inside of the families because of their schedule and the way of living in contrast to rural families who stay together so the younger generation can take over the managing of their goods after their parents get older. The aspect of what people want and need depends on where they are located. People who are living in the country put their needs first before wants. They are aware of what is necessary for them for their lifestyle. They are more concerned about what they need for their household and farm, such as equipment to ease their hard work. Their wants are simple and not force with an attitude. They know the difference between what they need and what they want, and they live away from shopping centers so they are not tempted by stores to buy things that they don’t need. Meanwhile people who are living in the city put their needs on the same level with their wants. City life offers so many stores together with advertising of their products, coupons and special prices, an entertainment life or dining life and many other temptations. Although those people work all week and pay their needs, such as bills and living expenses, they still are exposed to the wide open market with all kinds of goods that it is so hard to keep a line between their needs and

wants. Sometimes it is a big challenge for them to manage their income in a wise way because of so many temptations on the market. The environment is an obvious difference between rural areas and urban areas. Farm life is a peaceful and healthy way of living, which offers