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Country living more appealing
Commentary by Caezer Ng
It has been about 10 months of living in Slave Lake. Every now and then, the odd comment from friends, family, and people I interviewed have asked me if it was a ‘step back’ from the city.
“The farther I am from a city’s core, the better I feel,” is my standard reply.
A friend of mine described Toronto as a ‘concrete jungle’, and having lived in southern Ontario for two years, I second that notion. There is a difference, though, because she was born and raised on the farm. How would a city person adapt to town life?
It has been good so far. I no longer have to drive 45 minutes or an hour to and from work in congested traffic. The air is also a lot better.
The stars are visible at night, even in town. Slave Lake offers plenty of opportunities to be out and about, hiking, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, and even just strolling. There is no salty air, but the lake could just about fool you into thinking it is an ocean.
It may be largely about lifestyle, in the end, because some will say that cities have a more-vibrant arts culture, exotic food choices, entertainment options, big festivals, and more sporting activities.
I have experienced minor inconveniences, and then a visit to the city is necessary. My old foreign-made car needs my mechanic’s touch to keep it in tip top shape – and at a good price. A visit to the Art Gallery of Alberta a month ago was also inspiring.
Now there is another big difference.
There is only city stories and art in the city. Country art and stories is sparse, but I’ve been able to find more of it in places like Slave Lake.
Having lived here for 10 months now, there has been few instances when I require to return to Edmonton. All trips have been made just so I can see my parents.
But cities are also more distorted. All the good looking things are often located in a few places, and that means a lot of neglected and ugly areas; the discrepancies are huge. When it comes to services and activities, Slave Lake’s is more accessible to people of all types. It is less so in Edmonton.
There is that old story about a town (or city) mouse and a country mouse. It goes like this:
The city mouse pays a visit to his cousin who live in the country. The city mouse, unaccustomed to simple food and lifestyle, invites his cousin to visit his home. Off they went, and they have had to dodge the likes of dogs, cats, and humans – a life of fear. The country mouse decides then that that sort of lifestyle is not for him, so he returns home.
For human beings, Edmonton isn’t that bad, and not terribly dangerous. There is no right or wrong answer, whether a person is a city or country person. However, city people should stop by the less-urban areas more often to at least see what it has to offer.
So city mouses have seen New York, Seattle, Paris, Tokyo, and Toronto. Making plans to see a bit of the countryside of that region can make it more wholesome.
I can guarantee that rural areas also look very different from country to country, and region to region. It’s worth the time and effort to get to know the area. Even getting a brief glance by driving and walking around will let people find something special.
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