I live in the country, and while I prefer the relaxed envoirment, and I don't HATE living here...I reallyreallyreallyreally want to live in the city. I want to be closer to "action" and to people, and to interesting places and people. Also I like how in the city you aren't obliged to say Hi to everyone you see, whereas in the country you are. If I drive by someone and don't wave my family tells me off Both places definetly have benefits...I'd love to live in the city and then have a country place to go for vacation

I'm urban but not the yo! yo!, what up my homeboyz type, just 'suburban'. I've lived in the suburbs all my life and have known nothing else. I love the convienience of nearby shops and being reasonably close to the city but also the more laid-back setting the suburbs afford. The great thing about living here is that it's effectively living a half country/half city life. But sometime in the near future I'll probably need to move to the country to get a full-time teaching job. I'm not relishing the idea of having to live away from family and friends but it could be an exciting adventure. It's just one of those decisions that makes me equally excited and nervous. Probably more nervous.

I live in the country now, but I am a city girl by birth and at heart. Like Val, I would love to live in the city, not a huge one like Toronto, Ontario, but a nice sized one like Ottawa, Canada's capital city. There's always been a strange something about the city that has drawn me to it, I guess perhaps it's the people, the pace, the stores (especially book stores...), I don't quite know. It's just one of those special things. The country is nice, but the city is one of the things I love.

I call myself a suburb girl. I can handle the city, but I have to get out away from the concrete jungle to where all I can see is grass and a significant lack of concrete sometimes. I ride horses and am perfectly happy spending the day working with them from mucking out stalls to cleaning tack. If I had my choice of locations, I would say... far enough out to have enough property for two horses or so, but close enough that a decent bookstore is about 30 minutes or so away.

Although I was born in a city (the same one my parents and family were born and raised in), I'm a small-town girl.

I've always lived in small midwestern towns. One place, we were in the middle of nowhere (or so it felt). The nearest town (if I am recalling correctly), was about half an hour away. But at least two of the places? (i've only lived in four places) Near big cities. So, it's close enough that I can go see all the cool stuff, but still go back home where it's... calmer. I guess the way I live has the good things about both the country and city. And I tend to like it that way.

(though I wouldn't argue living in the country... big ol' house that has a killer library, but also have a barn to keep horses in *starts daydreaming about it*)

I live in the country and I want to stay here- I like to visit cities but they are too chaotic and busy and loud for me. I like to be where it's quiet and you can see the stars and hear the crickets and deer come in your yard regularly .

Used to be a city girl; is now more a country girl.

Having lived in pleasant suburbs of large cities—Toronto and Montréal—all my growing up years (until I moved away to university at 18, which was located in a smaller city), and loving it, I have had my fill of big, busy places, and don't ever want to live in one again. Since my early 20s I have lived in a smaller cottage-country town (pop: 2000 in the winter; 6000 in the summer ); the country for a very few years not far away from the same town; and in a lovely quiet, older, treed area of a smaller city for the last 22 years.

Now I'm itching to move 'up north' (a few hours) in the country, but only about a ten minute drive from a lovely town of around 22,000 people. It's on Georgian Bay off Lake Huron, and is surrounded by miles and miles of glorious, picturesque greenery. The town is big enough so as to offer many things, but small enough to be a cozy community, and the city is nowhere near encroaching on it. We really hope to fulfill this dream someday.

The hustle and bustle of concrete cities and mobs of people really get to me now; I much prefer the serenity (although I don't want isolation) of living on a few acres near a comfortable-sized town. I love the idea of looking up into the night sky with little light pollution; of having deer—and other wildlife—wander through my yard; of a slower pace of life around me. I just love being in God's creation —not so much man's. So, yeah, that's the goal.

Having said all that, I don't regret having grown up in the suburbs of big cities, for I learned to drive in them—a solid feat in itself —and therefore if I need to go into one periodically, it's not a big issue, although, I do always seem to come home with a headache. Interesting.

Yep, I'm a more rural gal now.

At the moment I prefer cities, I like being near all the goings on and the different shops and markets. I also like the 'anonymous' aspect of cities, I enjoy being able to wander around and do everything without anyone knowing me. I know a lot of people hate that part of cities but I like to go alone and get lost in my thoughts when I'm out and about That being said, I think I am slowly winding down and will probably eventually wind up a country girl I now live in what is a big city but doesn't feel it much (433,000 pop. in the city boundaries, but it's quite spread out) and find that now I'm used to that I really dislike London when I come back there and find it too loud (I've also developed a hatred of the air quality there, I think anyone who goes on the Underground for a day and then blows their nose knows what I mean I've been spoiled by living in a hilly city by the sea).

I suspect I'll enjoy living in cities for quite a few years yet, but one day in the future I would like to move somewhere quieter and more rural.

I enjoy being able to wander around and do everything without anyone knowing me.

It helps you be who you want to be: not who the people who see you every day think you should be. Which is very important to me as well.

I am city girl all the way! My dream home would be on the west coast, on the outskirts of a major city (with lots of skyscrapers and bridges cuz that's how I roll), about 1/2 an hour from the beach, and mountains within driving distance. Where it actually gets cold in the winter but warm enough to swim in the summer.

Country and rural is nice and calming, but I need to be out and around people or, like a turtle, I withdraw into my shell and don't speak to anyone except imaginary people in my head =O

So yeah....

I'm a city kid and I always will be! I live in an apartment and the police come all the time to arrest people and bust secret drug dealing rings. I got used to it. and I love being where I live I'm in the city, but not a busy city. it's more of a residential part of the city I am in. I love it's cause it's all I know
I think I would go bonkers if I didn't have houses all around me

I also like the 'anonymous' aspect of cities, I enjoy being able to wander around and do everything without anyone knowing me. I know a lot of people hate that part of cities but I like to go alone and get lost in my thoughts when I'm out and about

That's exactly what I wanted to say in my post, but couldn't find the right words to say it. In other words, I completely agree with you.

In the country/small town, "everyone knows everyone" which means if you're out and about, you're bound to see people you know who are bound to talk to you (and if you don't talk to them then it's considered rude). Also I find that when I'm out I am in a "me by myself" mindset, then all of a sudden I see someone I know and I'm so startled I don't even know what to say.
And going for walks in the country... on one road near us there's a lot of houses (without it being "urban" or busy) and if you walk thru there's always people out gardening and then they always wave Hi, and I don't like talking to people while I'm out walking, I just want to walk. A bit bothersome.

My background appears to be roughly the opposite of jo's: while she grew up in larger cities, I spent my formative years on the outskirts (literally - there was a farm just a block away) of a fairly small town (about 18,000).

At 18 I moved to 'the big city' (metro population about 3 million) for university, and while it was an eye-opening experience it was still comparatively sheltered (since I didn't drive, I was usually limited to walking on campus or taking the bus downtown).

For the last 20 years or so I've lived in the suburbs of that same metro area, and am usually content: easy and close access to stores, theaters, and friends. For those times when I want to get away from the city hustle and bustle, there are county and state parks nearby.

So I'm suburban, I guess, with a healthy dose of rural (that is, hiking, camping, and natural scenery) thrown in.

I live in a city of 100,000. It's known in my state for its gangs and drug culture. At one time (during WW2) it was the brass production capital of the world, but those days are long gone and the quality of life here has fallen far.

I'd rather live in a really big city, like LA or NY. The experience would vary more there.

I also like the 'anonymous' aspect of cities, I enjoy being able to wander around and do everything without anyone knowing me. I know a lot of people hate that part of cities but I like to go alone and get lost in my thoughts when I'm out and about

That's exactly what I wanted to say in my post, but couldn't find the right words to say it. In other words, I completely agree with you.

I will have to add that that is one of the things I love about cities and what draws me to them, too! I think that may be surprising to some who know me, as I'm an introvert, and for me to actually like the idea of people is different to them. But I like crowds and I like the feeling of being one "small" person in a huge crowd, and knowing that the crowd is made up one by one of other "small" people, knowing I'm part of something bigger. (If that makes sense. ) It's somewhat convoluted because sometimes I don't like the fact that maybe people don't really know me, but only know me for being my sister's sister, or my brother's sister, and then I turn around and love getting lost (figuratively) in crowds where I don't care if no one knows me.

on the outskirts of a major city (with lots of skyscrapers and bridges cuz that's how I roll),

Skyscrapers and bridges are fun! I've always thought it would be kind of fun to live in an apartment in a sky scraper, one with huge glass windows. Then I could look out over the night skyline and see all those lights... I've always loved skylines like that. They are fascinating!