Fellow city quitter here. Left San Francisco nearly four years ago and moved to the rural mountains in the pacific north west. Looking forward to reading more of your work!
Greetings from the U.S. Looking forward to exploring your other articles.
I love the concept of "city quitting," but what I've witnessed on my side of the pond is that folks want to leave the hassle of the city while keeping all the conveniences. I live in what I call the "used to be country" - 25 miles outside a major southeastern city (at the time, I had a daily commute, or I would have moved further out).
The land I live on was a horse pasture 40 years ago. My neighbor remembers playing there as a child. When I moved here 16 years ago, it still had a rural feel to it. Today, not so much.
As the people move out here to escape the city, the pasture-land and farm-land is sold to developers for high-density dwellings. Even single houses are on very tiny lots, meaning you could look in your neighbors' windows, if you so desired.
The bigger problem is that it seems like as soon as the city-folk move out here, they begin complaining about how far away everything is, and how their new area needs to be more like the city they just left. I guess they're not really "city-quitters," because they do their best to drag the city along behind them (and they succeed, eventually).
Yes, I've heard about similar stories. Rural areas are not immune to problems of gentrification. I hope we can change people's mindset so they can see the upsides of a simpler, more grounded life that one can have in the countryside
Interested in a mix of all your suggestions and whatever catches your attention that you feel compelled to share!
Nice. Always grateful for feedback
Fellow city quitter here. Left San Francisco nearly four years ago and moved to the rural mountains in the pacific north west. Looking forward to reading more of your work!
Would love to hear how you're getting on!
Greetings from the U.S. Looking forward to exploring your other articles.
I love the concept of "city quitting," but what I've witnessed on my side of the pond is that folks want to leave the hassle of the city while keeping all the conveniences. I live in what I call the "used to be country" - 25 miles outside a major southeastern city (at the time, I had a daily commute, or I would have moved further out).
The land I live on was a horse pasture 40 years ago. My neighbor remembers playing there as a child. When I moved here 16 years ago, it still had a rural feel to it. Today, not so much.
As the people move out here to escape the city, the pasture-land and farm-land is sold to developers for high-density dwellings. Even single houses are on very tiny lots, meaning you could look in your neighbors' windows, if you so desired.
The bigger problem is that it seems like as soon as the city-folk move out here, they begin complaining about how far away everything is, and how their new area needs to be more like the city they just left. I guess they're not really "city-quitters," because they do their best to drag the city along behind them (and they succeed, eventually).
Yes, I've heard about similar stories. Rural areas are not immune to problems of gentrification. I hope we can change people's mindset so they can see the upsides of a simpler, more grounded life that one can have in the countryside