Greetings!
Talking about the advantages and disadvantages of living in both rural and urban areas, I think the two sides have equal advantages and disadvantages, and it all depends on what life brings to a person. I was born and brought up in a rural area where life was tough, I must say, because it was all about farm work and living modestly. For example, I attended a community school where we trekked to school and cleared grass in the school as "labour," as we fondly called it. Additionally, we lived modestly due to the low financial capability of our parents. However, food was never something we lacked because we had a farm, and we got produce from it.
Living in the village, especially in the countryside, often exposes one to bravery, and I made sure I had enough of that, which is currently helping me out in life, even as I'm living in the city now. What do I mean by bravery? If someone is really brought up in the village, and the village lifestyle truly shaped them, the person doesn't get scared easily, especially of things that make city people panic. For instance, if a snake enters the house, instead of running away to call a neighbor, a villager would just chase it away.
To me, living in the village first before living in the city is the best pattern, if by any chance one is to choose where to live first before switching to the other. Living in a rural area makes a person fit and adaptable to whatever life brings. It truly embodies the saying, "eating the bone first before eating the flesh," and with this, if one encounters a bone while eating the flesh, it wouldn’t pose a problem. Rural life seems tough because most of the social amenities that make life easier in the city are not available in rural areas. I remember, while growing up, we had to fetch water from the stream first, fill the drums at home, and only then go to school. That’s hard life, while in the city, water is always available at home through boreholes and taps.
I’m currently living in the city, and I’ve been experiencing this softer lifestyle, even though I’m paying for everything—that’s what city life is. Yes, in the city, money circulates more, and paying for things seems normal, which is why city dwellers don’t see anything wrong with it. Of course, there’s actually nothing wrong with it.
A typical example is the cooking method: firewood in rural areas versus gas in urban areas. Using gas to cook is more expensive and less stressful, but that’s the city lifestyle, and paying for such is normal to them. Meanwhile, people in rural areas use firewood from their farms to cook, and life is sweet for them too.
I won’t lie, I’m glad I’ve experienced both, and even more glad that I tasted rural life first, which makes me adaptable and able to survive anywhere. If I were to choose where to live, I’d choose the urban area. Come on, I can’t live without electricity as it is now, and that's something that’s rare in rural areas. Although, nowadays, many rural areas have more constant electricity than the cities.
Thanks for reading.
Images used are mine