After spending the first 10ish years of my life in a medium sized midwestern city my mom moved us to small town North Carolina. I hated it. At first, it wasn't the town I hated it was the oppressive heat and humidity that made it feel like I was trying to breathe in pea soup when I stepped outside. I've adjusted to the heat now but I still remember the struggle to breathe was very real that first summer. Then I started school and I realized while I could adjust to the heat and humidity I couldn't adjust to small town life. I hated that everyone knew my business, I hated that being yourself no longer seemed cool, and I hated that I couldn't go places without seeing someone I knew. Still today when I go back to that small town I dread running into people I once knew. What was most foreign to me though was the fact that if you had the wrong last name you weren't going to be accepted no matter what. Small town southern life was not for me and as soon as the opportunity presented itself I moved to the big city and never looked back. Until now.
The longer I live in my current town the more I realize I've moved back into small town life, the difference now is I don't hate it. People don't know my business because no one in my family talks about it all over town, Tyson and I both like and value our privacy. I don't mind seeing people I know when I go places and I actually look forward to it these days. Most importantly the area is so transient different last names are expected and accepted. Yes like any small town there are lots of people with area specific family names, but it's not a big deal if you don't happen to have one.
Maybe it's old age or maybe I just found the right small town for me but I don't see a move anytime in my future.
Do you fit into city life or small town life? Do you live where you feel like you fit in?
I used to want to live in a city, at least in my 20s, for the excitement of it. But the older I get, the more I realize I'm pretty comfortable in the atmosphere I grew up in - settled, comfy suburbs. We've got all the conveniences of stores and restaurants, without the crowded, dirty, loudness of the city. Plus prices are better, and I can choose whether or not I want to get to know my neighbors and nobody will think twice about it regardless of which way I go.
ReplyDeleteI've never lived anywhere that judged you based on what your name was! That's crazy. Sure, middle school was rough, and we got teased for looks, weight, whatever, but that's fairly normal kid stuff. I feel like, at a certain age, it doesn't matter what you look like, someone will find a way to make fun of you.
I think I'd do better in a city but I live in a small town which is fine since I keep to myself anyway. I like the small town atmosphere. So far the child is doing well living here and I think that no matter where we are, kid drama will be kid drama so might as well live somewhere with clean air and spread out housing.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could ever live in a city, it's too fast paced for me! We live in a neighborhood right now where we don't really talk to anyone which is fine with me, I love my privacy!
ReplyDeleteI lived in a pretty small town growing up and often find myself missing it. I miss running into people I know actually!
ReplyDeleteWell, we are always changing, aren't we? Our taste for food and for other areas of life. I wish the people in my neighborhood were a BIT more friendly but it's ok. At least I have a friend a few doors down.
ReplyDeletesooo this is weird, but Louisville, even though it's a small/medium city, feels like a small town to me. compared to sydney, anything would be. everywhere we go and i do literally mean everywhere, KC knows someone. always. literally. zero exaggeration. it's not so bad that everyone knows your business, but it's so suffocating sometimes. i like the anonymity that city life tends to bring. however, i do like the slower pace sometimes. and the last name thing is so weird! i agree with jenn, kids will make fun of anything.. surname though, jeez kids. calm down! lol.
ReplyDeleteI have lived on both sides and I have to say that each has its perks. I went from living right outside of Pittsburgh to an itty bitty down 60 miles west of St Louis where there were only 100 people in my class. Then I moved to the Atlanta suburbs and graduated high school with the biggest graduating class in 2001 on the east side of the Mississippi. It was insanity! I lived in downtown Atlanta for several years before settling in my small mountain town outside of Birmingham now. Out of all the positives and negatives of small town or big city living, nothing. And I mean nothing. Beats the stars at night in a small town where there are no city lights to kill your dreams.
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents were from a small town and moved back to it after they retired. We'd go places and my grandmother would always tell me "that's your cousin". Everywhere we went, I had a cousin. Finally, I got old enough to question "isn't it a problem if everyone is my cousin? I think they call that incest." hahahaha!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your life has adjusted to enjoying where you live. I definitely think some small towns are much more charming than others.
I hated where I grew up and couldn't wait to move away. Where I am now is just a little bigger but for a college town the non college people seem to hate the college life being here. They also want to know if you are from there and really put emphasis on people being born and raised there. My kids are born and raised here, I think they get accepted more easily here than I do.
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