I was just thinking the other day: Everyone I know in the country is weird. At least for my town, which has no stoplights and one main intersection, we are a little strange, I think. We don't get out much. We think running across the freeway is a thrill. I grew up playing in mud with frogs and snakes. Is that weird?

I feel like my friends and I have had a somewhat difficult time in mixing with others. I almost feel like if I had lived in the city, I might understand more about other types of people (as I've said before, I am the only Asian in my town, along with my brother) and how they think and interact. I feel at times that I am behind on a lot of things, including how to be cool.

I feel fortunate at the same time that I have grown up in a rural area. I would never trade in my memories of playing in a stream, climbing trees galore, swimming in the river, and hiking up hills for a breathtaking view... all within a half mile from my house. I sometimes feel sorry for my friends who were surrounded by asphalt, concrete, and power lines.

I also think city life is much less healthy, what with all the waves radiating from wireless items like cell phones and Bluetooth, smog, gross water (tap water in the country is so much better than city tap, I can't even explain the difference), garbage... the country is so CLEAN. The sky is so expansive and the hills so extensive that I couldn't imagine such a thing as disease. The only people I know in my hometown with sicknesses smoke, color their hair, and eat too much aspartame. The people who grow their own vegetables and sit outside during the evenings are pretty healthy, as far as I can see.

Work may be more difficult if you live in the country - things get pretty dirty, and there's probably more yardwork (we have a big yard with bushes and trees and roses and more). You also have to look out for mountain lions and coyotes where I live... though I guess you have to battle traffic and other such things in the city.

There are so few people in the country, you can't help but get together sometimes, and we are so close to our neighbors - even our city neighbors with weekend homes - that it's hard to believe.

There are some fascinating structures in Urbania - beautiful buildings, great shows and parades, and breathtaking lights and signs. I envy the diversity as well, in every aspect from ethnicity and culture, sexual orientation, political views, and more. It's also nice how much people have in common where I live, though.

I do like that I can set my own pace while living in the country. In the city, it seems like you're on a zillion schedules, and you have to depend on traffic, coworkers, prices... city life is too fast sometimes, but that can be exciting in a good way, too.

There are pros and cons of city and country life. Please tell me some of your own benefits and/or disadvantages you may know of!