rowing up in the Country I never imagined that I’d live in the City. Never. I was a Country girl at heart. I loved the slow pace. I loved that everyone knew everyone. I loved that it felt safe.
When my Big Sis moved to the City I become anxious and concerned. She might get stabbed, or robbed. It seemed like all the bad things happened in the City. Nothing bad ever happened where we lived. {The fact is it did, but I never heard about it on TV}.
When I first came to visit my sister I was about seventeen. I caught the train and travelled about 3 hours. Arriving at Central Station was worlds apart from my usual life. There were people everywhere. I held my bags close and wandered around trying to find my way. The first time I saw a seemingly homeless person my heart ached. Everyone had homes where I was from.
I stayed at my Big Sis’s house in a busy part of Bondi. She went off to work, and was left to explore by myself. I didn’t get very far. I decided to venture to the corner shop to grab some lunch. On my way there I passed lots of men with big top hats and little caps on their heads. We didn’t have those where I was from. {I found out later that they were Jewish men, I had so much to learn}.
I grabbed a chicken burger for lunch. Then man asked if I wanted it hot. Hot? I thought. Of course I want it hot. Who wants cold burgers? Not me. And so he made my burger hot. Chilli hot. They didn’t make burgers like that where I was from. I couldn’t find water fast enough. I was the cause of much laughter that night.
Back at home we seemed to have nothing to worry about. As kids we rode our bikes everywhere. We went out from early morning to dusk. The only rule was that if the street lights were on, we had to be home. I’m sure Ma worried, as every Mum does, but it felt like we were safe from any harm.
Now that I’m a City girl, with a City husband and a City daughter, I wonder if this is home for us. I wonder if this is where I want my daughter to grow and learn. I’ve always imagined big backyards with swing sets and puppy dogs running around. The City does have so much to offer though, and we do have Bondi Beach as our backyard. I guess I’ll always be imagining.
So, I wonder where you grew up? And where do you imagine your children growing up/or you growing old?
Image: Mayu
I was born and raised in Sydney. On one hand I hope to raise my kids here (hopefully in a big old terrace in Bronte *dreams*) and on the other I am worried that maybe this big old city becomes more ruinous each day.
I grew up in the South Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne – My parents still live in the house and I now live 7 minutes away (with traffic light stops) from them in my own house!
I would love to buy in the same suburb I grew up in, but the property prices are far too high! (Say $700k!!!)
Nicky
(www.theorganisedbride.net)
I grew up in the country. Farmland was my home. We went out and rode our bikes and played in the creek and basically lived outdoors. I now live in town. It's a very small city, but it's a city all the same and I am terrified to let my kids out alone. My oldest child is 7 and I don't let him out by his self. I live very close to the road and I just can't bare to let go yet. I wish dearly that I lived in the country so that I could give my kids a little bit of the freedom and independence that I had as a child, but as it is it's mostly indoor play with only supervised outside time for the time being. Maybe one day!!
I grew up in Canberra. Walked, bused or rode my bike everywhere independently, climbed trees, had a trampoline, etc. But I really have no idea where we'll bring up our daughter. Everywhere has its own advantages…
i grew up in forster/tuncurry – somewhere most sydney peoples come to visit during the chrissy holidays. iv only lived in the city since jan 08. and i love it. the shopping would have to be the biggest plus for me. though some things are hard to accept. the highest speed limit in forster/tuncurry is 60k. here [i live near mt druitt] is 80k.
i very much agree with you – you about all the bad things in sydney but in your little town it isnt discussed in the news. just around the little gossip groups. kept out of the news.
there isnt much to do in forster – more retirement. and most people want to bring their children up there. i would rather move to queensland as there smaller suburbs are great! but still decent enough to have a social life etc. i do like sydney but i dont think we'll stay.
@Hannah: I'd love a big old terrace {with a yard!} in Bronte or even Clovelly. I hope your wish comes true. x
@Nicky: That's so sweet that your parents are still in your childhood home. I'd love to be able to go back to where I grew up. x
@Penny: I think that's how life is now. We have a fair bit of fear ingrained within us. x
@Cristy: That's right, we can find positives in anywhere we live. x
@Carly-Grace: I'd love to visit Forster, I have never visited. x
I grew up in the Western suburbs of Sydney. It was a nice place to grow up – a new suburb back then with wide open streets and friendly neighbours. I didn't venture out of the 'burbs until I started university in the city. That's when I discovered the world out there. I moved out of home at 19 and headed for Bondi. Then to Neutral Bay. Then Summer Hill (via Hong Kong and London). So, that is West, East, North…and now…our little family is going South. We have been dreaming of bringing up our children near the beach, in an old neighbourhood, with lots of trees and everything within walking distance. We can't wait for our the sea change and hope it plays out the way we imagine it in our hearts and minds.
I have never lived in the country but I can imagine how carefree and quiet it could be. So refreshing. I often find myself wanting to live in the country and 1950's wearing a poodle skirt being picked up for a date and going to the drive-in, haha!
I grew up in the suburbs. I really enjoyed it since we weren't too far from the city & there were families and kids everywhere.
My husband and I bought a house in the suburbs since I really want our future kids to grow up here.
My husband used to live in the country and he loved it. The houses I dream of aren't here in Arizona anyways.
hiya I'm similar but have ended up back in the country. Grew up in country then moved to… BONDI! LOVED IT came back BRIEFLY to country ended up in love and now with child – but miss the city!!! You can read more at http://chroniclesofsharnia-sharnanigans.blogspot.com/
Hope you will join me!
I grew up in two towns really. One in the Northern Territory and then here in Western Australia. Both far removed from the city.
The Northern Territory years were just magical and a large part of me would like to go back there in a few years and live as an adult in the town that was so much fun for a kid.
In WA we're only an hour from the city and 15 minutes from one of the larger cities outside Perth. However, life is significantly different just from there to here, much less Perth. We lived over the road from bush (different house now but still do) and the fun we'd have. As long as we were careful of the snakes in summer. We have kangaroos hop down the street now (annoyingly though!). I don't know if the holidays we had as kids would've been different if we'd lived in the city, but going on what other people I know in Perth have never done, I'm guessing they probably would've been different. We've camped, been messy, had fun.
Last weekend I was 'up the hill' working on an assignment with a friend from uni who had her son at the bush camp place. She was raving about how magical it was and how he should've been out playing in the bush 5 years ago. (he's 9). Yes, I agree, he should've been, but just because they live in the suburbs as they do now is no reason why he shouldn't have been out enjoying some freedom as well. He doesn't walk alone to school, 5 minutes away. That saddens me. He's 9 and home sick (only a cold) today and she had to miss uni because she couldn't leave him for the hour difference between when she'd have to leave and husband gets home. I think the mind set is so different from there to here. Has to be – only way I can think to explain it. At 9 I'd have stayed home and looked after a sick younger sister and wouldn't hesitate now to leave a 9 year old for an hour, or to walk 5 minutes to school. (My 7 year old brother used to walk 4 year old me to school.)
I lived in Perth city for a few years throughout uni, in a variety of places. I miss it, sometimes, rarely though. Little things like the market right behind me, leg waxer over the road, two supermarkets a km in either direction. Things like home delivery – not a trap as I couldn't bring myself to pay!!
I move to the country next year (deeper country from here) and I hope to not return. I go out as a single girl ready and willing to find the right bloke who wants to stay in the area. I don't want my kids to grow up without space, freedom, dirt and adventure.