Urban, Suburban, or Country?

[Ideal Maxima]

I had a school report due the other day, and it got me wondering.

How many SYMians live in either the Suburbs, Urbs, or Country.

Are you happy with where you live?

Would you prefer to live somewhere else?

I myself grew up in an Urban environment, NYC, for 13 years.
Now, I'm living the Suburban life in LI (Long Island). LI's great and all, but I really prefer the city. Ahhh yes, I can just get the mental image back. Busy City Streets. The sound of cars passing by to put me to sleep, that was the good life

boy do i miss it

[Lasher]

I live 40 minutes from nowhere, and i'd have it no other way. It is perfect. Very community-ish, you know?

[Ravager]

I suppose you could consider where I live urban/suburban. Though I wouldn't compare it to a city like London or New York. Much smaller than that. I'm happy where I live, personally I wouldn't want to live in a city.
It's a case of liking a certain amount of activity, no too much or too little. Living in the country would be very inconvenient too, with a lack of shops and diversions.
As for the city, it's too busy for my taste. Too many cars, too many people. Though I certainly see a lot of it as I have to commute to London every week.

It might be better if you add something like Metropolis, City, Town, Rural etc. to your question. Then it would be easier to relate to, IMO.

[Hill-Shatar]

Hard question. I live in a sub-sub urban enviroment, if you will. We live nice and close to a pretty little ravine in the middle of a city, so it kind of gives people driving through the ideal that we are ol' farm folk in the city...

This was unexpected when we first moved here, because we were living in a sub division in Calgary...

Anyways, I lived more rurally when we resided in London.

If only London would keep the landscape and loose the bad air quality, I would move back in an instant. I would not want to live urban style... I did that for University (everyone in London used an apartment) and when I left it, I never looked back. Although I don't think Cherry Hill has ever been the same...

[Aegis]

To quote James Marsters in Angel, "This isn't Hell... This is the 'Burbs!"

I currently live in the heart of downtown St. Catharines, Ontario. I've spent time living in the country, as well as the burbs, and I disliked both greatly. In the burbs, it's just too much of the same sight, with little to no real interaction with people aside from the occasional greeting you get upon coming home from the urban centres from work. In the country, it is too removed from civilization. I know some people like the peace and quiet of it, but not me. I'm an Urbanite through and through.

[dragon wench]

To be honest, I'm really not sure which to select because all of the choices apply to some degree.

I live about 20 minutes drive from downtown Vancouver, which technically makes it "suburban," I suppose. However, the area we live in is a very far cry from the stereotypical image of "suburbia." It is thickly treed and very close to the water. Our nearest centre, approximately 45 minutes walk, or 5 minute drive, is essentially a village with one main street and a collection of cafes, bakeries and gift shops...

I'm inclined to check "country," but given that we live in a distinctly urban-style condo and that Vancouver is not that far away (even though it feels as if it is), that doesn't quite fit either...

As Rav suggests, it might be easier to answer this if you had a few more poll options

Before, I used to live right in the middle of Vancouver. That was fun for a while, but I'm very relieved to be away. It's nice to look out and see water and trees. I also enjoy being awoken by birdsong rather than the screech of traffic and the rattle of shopping carts being pushed by binners down a back ally. And we can smell the rain here too

[Dottie]

I live in an urban area, and I'm happy with it. Not because I need the civilization, but rather because I dislike religion and traditional values. If I could find some desolate place that did not have that culture I could be happy living there as well I think. Especially so if it was a place with decent food culture. In Sweden that would exclude areas without large immigrant populations.

[C Elegans]

I live in an urban area, in the inner city of Stockholm which is a 2 million people city. It is a small city compared to world metropols like Shanghai, London, Paris or New York, but demographically speaking it counts as an urban area.

I'm happy with city life, I used to live in London when I was younger and I was happy there too. Optimally, I'd like to live a two places, one rural area and one urban, but that's impossible due to my job since I need to stay close to major university hospitals whereever in the world I work. A rural place would however function more like a relax-spot and for certain outdoor activites I enjoy. For everyday life, I can't stand the lower pace and lack of restaurants, cafés, concert halls and the like.

Surbubs I don't like at all, to me they are like a bad compromise. No wilderness and lots of people, cars and houses but lacking the services of the inner city. Besides, the architecture in suburbs is usually too homogenous and too modern for my taste. Endless rows of villas that all look the same is not my idea of a nice area. Endless rows of identical looking apartment buildings is even worse, and furthermore I find the very concept of shopping centers an abomination.

[dragon wench]

[QUOTE=Dottie]I live in an urban area, and I'm happy with it. Not because I need the civilization, but rather because I dislike religion and traditional values. If I could find some desolate place that did not have that culture I could be happy living there as well I think. Especially so if it was a place with decent food culture. In Sweden that would exclude areas without large immigrant populations.[/QUOTE]

I'm inclined to agree with you in this, and it is why, up until recently, I have favoured cities.

I also generally view stereotypical suburbia as having neither the benefits of an urban life nor the advantages of a rural one.

Thus, I consider myself extremely fortunate to be in a situation where we truly do have the best of both lifestyles. It is geographically beautiful.. and we regularly see deer, raccoons, and a wide variety of bird species in the forest behind us.

The mindset of the community is definitely urban rather than traditional, and there are quite a few excellent restaurants fairly close by. There is even a good pub within stumbling distance

No complaints here!

[Nasuke]

i live in the burbs and it's also kinda surburban. i like it here...kinda. now if only my school wasn't far from here.

[Hill-Shatar]

Out of curiosity, IM, what are you refering to as rural? A farm, or your typical shack in the woods? Or both? At what point do you stop living in a suburban enviroment and become a rural enviroment? Some people tend to view them as having little differences... for example, I used to live on the edge of a huge forest called Warbler Woods. At the time, and I do believe still, it was at the far flung western region of the city. People said I lived in a rural enviroment because of how large the front lawn was, yet only a couple of dozen of meters seperated the houses.

In either case, Calgary is essentially a sub urban enviroment. Either you live in suburbia, or you are living in Bearspaw, outside the city, or in some lone apartment buildings in the south and a few small buildings, expansive none the less, dowtown.

Other countries, such as England, have slowly built up over the years upon itself. What may have been a small town now is home to layers of buildings, duplexes and apartment buildings. when my relatives came over, while we were still in Ontario, they asked us to come and pick them up in Vancouver, to which we told them was 60 straight hours of driving. They were comparing the differences where the Canadian and English cities were on two maps, and the countries were represented as the same size, visually. I have heard people come over here from Britain, france, and the likes and tell us how open the place is. I always found Europe overcrowded.

Its what I grew up with. I lived in areas that were much more open then, say, areas where Xandax resides, or Ravager, or Luis. It is somewhat of a dispostion installed in us when young to search out nice, tree lined streets with good sized front yards and a forest around back, or living just outside the city, then to find and settle down in a heavily populated area.

Also, some people have to live without choices. I have to say that I would rather live outside the city, in Bearspaw, or Cochrane, even, instead of Calgary, if it was not for the fact that my significant other's job is in the South West, while mine is based around the U of C, just outside the boundaries. I can easily switch jobs, as I have recieved offers before, but the SO can not leave, as she retains to much knowledge herself that she can recall in moments when dealing with specific animals repeatedly.

For you, IM, you grew up in a heavily populated area. You would most likely find the area that I live in displeasing, as it is much too quiet. I, on the other hand, could not handle living in the center of New York. Neither could many other people, except for those people who already had big city mentalities.

Lives choices make many decisions for us, and most of the time, you can not live where you always dreamed of living. Although some people around here may disagree, as they already live in a plce where they love, I would like living myself in a place in Northern Ontario, or perhaps the more 'inland maritimes'. Either that, or not in Canada at all.

Well, a little bit from my opinion, anyways.

[Aegis]

[QUOTE=Hill-Shatar]Lives choices make many decisions for us, and most of the time, you can not live where you always dreamed of living. Although some people around here may disagree, as they already live in a plce where they love, I would like living myself in a place in Northern Ontario, or perhaps the more 'inland maritimes'. Either that, or not in Canada at all.

Well, a little bit from my opinion, anyways.[/QUOTE]The Maritimes or Northern Ontario? Now that's just crazy talk! I mean, the Maritimes are just nutty as all sin, and Northern Ontario is, well, so far from anything!

[Xandax]

Proberly as urban as you can in this town, seeing as I almost live smack in the center of the town (although I think many of you large-country-inhabitans would think this is but a villiage )
Only 10 meters to the nearest baker, within 300 meters I have access to three grocerystores and within 1 km I have the shopping centers of the town.

The "center" of the town is but 2 km away, or 15 minutes walk.

I like living in the city

[dragon wench]

[QUOTE=Aegis]The Maritimes or Northern Ontario? Now that's just crazy talk! I mean, the Maritimes are just nutty as all sin, and Northern Ontario is, well, so far from anything! [/QUOTE]

But it fits.... Hill is as nutty as a peanut butter cup, and with anyone as nutty as that, you'd want then to be in an isolated location

[Aegis]

[QUOTE=dragon wench]But it fits.... Hill is as nutty as a peanut butter cup, and with anyone as nutty as that, you'd want then to be in an isolated location [/QUOTE]
Well, okay that works for Northern ontario. But, the Maritimes? That would only encourage certain behaviour

[Lestat]

Care to define? These categories might be clear when used in an American context, but are not necessary applicable, with all their connotations, in other contexts.
Example: "banlieues" translates as suburbs but the image generally associated with "banlieues", especially where Paris is concerned, is not exactly what most Americans would associate with Suburbia.

Another example: the population of Belgium & the Netherlands is considered to be close to 100% urbanised. This doesn't mean everybody is living in the city (many are in fact living in villages and small towns), but they are so close to larger towns & cities they can easily use all the facilities of the city.
And would you call living in such a small town (as the one where I was born and grew up), which has a history of over 7 centuries and a picturesque centre with renaissance buildings, suburban or urban? I wouldn't know. It's certainly not Manhattan, but I wouldn't really compare it to what I've seen of US Suburbia either.

[Jaypee]

Helsinki is not a really big city, but I voted urban. I live 4km's from downtown. It's actually really nice to have all the basic needs within 100-200m radius. Over 20 bus and 3 tramlines go past street, 1km walk to work or to nearest trainstation, etc....

[slade]

I live in Los Angeles in California...I think its great for now...because I have the beach so close to me and if I want I can go up to the mountains when t snows(when it rains heavily there's usually snow there)I can...since I've lived in an urban place for so long I have gotten use to it. I wouldn't mind living in the suburbs or rural area..as long as I had my companion with me I wouldnt mind.

[Phreddie]

Im a suburban urban myself, i would rather live on the outskirts of a big city myself, maybe 15 minutes outside of Seattle (towrds NE) would be ideal, that part of my country is in my opinion the best, if any of you ever have a chance to visit the San Juan Islands in Washington state take it they are breathtaking, and amazingly peaceful, kayaking through them was like being in a dream (except for the last 2.5 hours when i really had to take a leak)... yeah.
@Slade.. dare i ask who your companion is?

[Hill-Shatar]

Well, okay that works for Northern ontario. But, the Maritimes? That would only encourage certain behaviour

I read this and thought cod. Darn it, your bringing out the less desirable me!

Anyways, I met my SO in the maritimes and I like the rugged beauty of the north. Europe sounds good, if they had a little more room to spare... or Australia. I want to live down under.

In any case, I live in suburbia, the closest bakery is two blocks down, along with the closest convenience store, grocery store, video store, daycare, eye care professionals, and pretty much whatever else you need.

Driving five minutes can drop me in a huge range. I can be at three malls by that time, and a giant complex of stores. Heck, I can drive along the Bow River for a couple more minutes and hit the zoo!

Calgary was a well designed, except for a few choice roads that we would like elsewhere, and a somewhat useless ring road. I also live more than an hour closer to the mountains that the nearest apartment building, which is in the south. It does not really matter, anyways. The lifestyle of many Canadians these days that go through Calgary are from the East, here to make money and then it's off for the East, to join DW and her bingo club.

The lack of water sometimes peeves me, but I gain nothing from living elsewhere in Alberta. We had our snow late this year... the kids were not walking around in snow for Halloween, or in below ten weather. We got our first actual snow last night.

Anyways, traveling in the city, with its transportation system and the C-Train, is fairly easy. Hospitals are large and well placed, roads are unique and twisting, and always face a different direction, in most cases. There are no actual straight roads. No trees, and a low sun, but its bearable. I have a backyard, a patio, the ravine... we even have a fairly large garden that goes to looking like a sea of crystals in the winter, thanks to some really cool water systems set into the rocks by my Significant Other... life is good. Access to anything is at my fingertips. nothing could improve if I lived in the center of things, or in the middle of nowhere, although I do enjoy living on the edges of rather older cities...

The Maritimes or Northern Ontario? Now that's just crazy talk! I mean, the Maritimes are just nutty as all sin, and Northern Ontario is, well, so far from anything!

Bah, within visiting distance then! Besides, sinning is fun. Charlottetown has some really nice neighborhoods by the water. Actually, this question has never been jumped on me before... I have not made a choice to where I really want to live in the future. It is so far away...