Differences: Moving from the Country to the City

Here I am closing in on my third month of New England big city life and I thought I would take a little time to reflect on the differences between living in Duncan, SC compared to Cambridge, MA. From culture, temperature, size, and distance there is a lot of differences from living in a 1,500 square foot house that I own to a 1,000 square foot apartment that I pay three times the monthly payments and aren’t even building equity.

Living in the Country

• Own a vehicle and drive everywhere
• Drive to the grocery store whenever you need anything
• When the dog needs to go use the bathroom you just let him out in the fenced in back yard
• No snow and the weather is warmer
• Grass to cut
• Twenty minute ten mile driving commute to work

Living in the City

• Sold my vehicle and live next door to work
• Order groceries online and have the delivered
• Have to take the dog down the elevator and actually walk him
• Winters are cold and it snows regularly
• It’s a five minute walk from door to door to work

Lots of Differences

I could keep going on and on with differences from the lightning quick and affordable FiOS internet connection I now have to be within walking distance of a mall. One thing is for sure is that it is moving from one world into another. I’ve always said that one day I’m going to be through with technology and simply want to live and be one with nature. As technology now is such an important part of my life and everything that I do I feel more confident than ever before that one day that time will come where I will simply be ready to disconnect.

Beyond all the differences it has been interesting to try and adapt to the new environment and I’ve even made some changes willingly. For example selling my car and walking to work. I also gave up cable and watch TV through the internet in one format or the other. Netflix streaming through the Xbox 360 is extremely cool and convenient. What is so interesting is that this really is the future of television. Anything on demand anytime that you want to watch it is the future. The only TV that I really miss is the sports, but quite honestly I’m just too busy to really notice. Luckily MLB.TV will be available for my Braves addition.

In the mean time I’ll just soak up and learn everything I can.