Are you a city or country person?

Transcript item

Jonathan: Looking at this nice view behind me you'll probably guess that I'm a city person, and you would be right. I was born in a city and I've lived most of my life in a city, I live in a city now, so it's what I know. But having said that, I think I am kind of curious about living in the countryside. I've never done it, but especially when I get stressed or tired of traffic and pollution and crowded places and stuff like that, I often wonder what it would be like to live in the countryside. Yeah, I'm kind of curious.

Jo B: I've lived in cities before, but now I live in the country and I think I'm more of a country person. I like to see lots of sky, I like to be able to have a view of lots of sky. That's what I missed when I was living in the city. And I love the fact I can hang my washing up right, right here, and it just dries in the breeze and in the sunshine.

Jo G: Errr, I'm a city person, definitely. I like the activity, people walking past, beautiful buildings. I like to watch the world go by.

Joanne: So I think I'm more of a countryside person, really. When I was younger, I used to prefer the city, but now I've been living in the countryside about ten years, and I love the peace and quiet here.

Kirk: I usually think of myself as a country person because I like going to the country, I grew up in the country in a small town in a rural place.

Jonathan: So, I think I am a city person but maybe want to be a countryside person.

Kirk: I'd say I'm either a peri-urban person or a country person at heart.

City or country living: which is right for you? In this video, members of the LearnEnglish team tell us whether they prefer living in the city or the country, and why. 

There are many differences between city and country life, but what's good for one person might not be so important for another. What's more, we don't always have a choice about where we live, and what's good for you today might not be what you need tomorrow. What do you think?

Over to you

Are you a city or country person? Why? Write or record a comment and let us know.

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Submitted by beauty_Yin on Thu, 23/03/2023 - 08:55

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Hello!
I'm a country person. I like the countryside because it has a natural fresh air, magnificent sunset, and wonderful mountains which difficult to get to see in the busy city life. Actually, I was born and spend most of my childhood in the countryside but now I'm staying in the city which I don't like very much. But no choice because of my work and I needed to stay here. But I always try to get a country vibe by hiking near the town once a month and running near the lake or in the park. I work hard and try to save money so that when I old, I hope to move to the countryside doing nothing but harvesting the plants and having some cattle.

Submitted by WinMyint Phyo on Thu, 23/03/2023 - 08:54

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Hello,
I am a city person from developing country and my city looks like a country side and as for me I am very pleased for my native the reason are I can keep in touch with natural beauty of my environment, my city has hills, sea, rivers and many beautiful things. What's more, I can fully access to health and education. That why, no matter how poor my country is, it can give me pleasure a lot.

Submitted by Ahmed kamal... on Wed, 22/03/2023 - 20:55

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Hi , I'm Ahmed from Alexandria , Egypt. So I'm a city person and to be more specific I'm from a coastal city where lots of beaches are around . So typically I like swimming , learning English .

Hello la_moreno,

Thanks for your thoughtful and detailed answer! In English, you could say 'I like to hear the birds singing' or 'I like to hear the birdsong'.

Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by victorlovat on Mon, 20/03/2023 - 20:18

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Hi everyone.
I`m from a small town in Minas Gerais state, but I live in Rio de Janeiro city and I'm a city person. I like the countryside, fishing, taking care of plants, and having contact with animals, but I can't live. The countryside makes me feel insecure about access to health and education. Also, I really like going to Maracanã to support Flamengo my soccer team, and going to the beach to swim and play altinha which is a kind of sport from Rio where the players have to keep the ball in the air kicking it to each other without letting the ball touch the floor, events that only the city can provide me.

Hi Helen Yurika,

I guess it’s a good thing that you are a city person but you can still enjoy being in the countryside.

I can really relate to what you said about time moving fast in the city, and that’s one of the things I don’t like so much about city life. Weeks and even months just fly by!

Do you ever feel that the chaos of the city gets a bit too much?

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Hi Sharifah.km,

I hope you have a good experience studying there. I also live in a city and I know exactly what you mean about missing the trees, flowers and quiet of the countryside. I hope you have a chance to have a trip to the countryside soon.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

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Submitted by Umar Hammad on Wed, 15/03/2023 - 11:08

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i live in karachi its na big city of pakistan its very beautiful and loveley place to live there is beaches and seaport there is to many parks resturants and holte for outing
there is historical placese and lots of parks and clubs for enjoyment the atmophair of karichi is good there 3 caore peopleling here the second name o kaachi is city of ight i loved karachi

Submitted by Mafe2609 on Tue, 14/03/2023 - 23:12

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Hello everyone.
Actually I like the 2 environments but I consider that I prefer the city because we can know new places where you can enjoy and have a new experience like restaurants that have you ever seen, parks, museums, etc. I think that the country could be a great place for have a relax weekend and take a break from the hectic life of the city.

Submitted by fatimafernandes on Tue, 14/03/2023 - 10:46

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I live in Ubá MG, I like the countryside because of the quiet and peace that big cities don’t have. Ubá is a town but it has a big furniture complex which is the biggest in Brazil with more than 300 industries and supplies furniture and furniture products to other countries as well. I like big cities just to enjoy Shopping malls and museums for a short moment.

Submitted by A.Ayoub on Fri, 10/03/2023 - 13:14

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Hi , guys
Realy, I have born in country but now I am living in city that is what I prefered to be in progress and see the development but I like countryside so much because the very nature of it fresh air , nature environment, the green view is the best for me .

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Submitted by rianimorelo on Fri, 10/03/2023 - 10:46

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Hello guys! I'm very happy to be here sharing my life experiences! Well, I'm a country person with a city mind. I'm living in Ubá, Brazil, where I see myself professionally accomplished, but there aren't good attractions here. Fortunately, I can often have good trips to big cities and that's when I satisfy my city mind!

Submitted by Origamer005 on Thu, 09/03/2023 - 12:49

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I live in the countryside. I'm a country person because I really like the environment, birds and nature, but on the other hand, I also like how to live in the city because there are clubs, parties, many shops and restaurants.What I don't like about the city is the pollution, the noise, the traffic and especially the crowds.

Submitted by .a. on Thu, 09/03/2023 - 11:54

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Hello, my name is Manel, and I would say that I am a person from the town since I have always lived in one and the peace and tranquility that I have in a small place is much better than in a big city, apart from the good views that I have towards both the mountain and the sea.

Submitted by Rafaela6144 on Thu, 09/03/2023 - 00:40

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Hey, guys!
I'm Rafaela, speaking from Brazil, I live in São Paulo (The city that never sleeps, it's what people say).
I'm a city person because I love the city's history and the architecture, in São Paulo there are good restaurants, easy access to places, and diversity for different people. It is a cosmo city and the fourth biggest city in the world

Hi Rafaela6144,

I cannot really imagine how it must be to live in such a huge city! I am from a city too (London), but it's pretty small, in comparison. 

São Paulo sounds like a very exciting place. Do you think you will ever move away?

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Submitted by matheusblois on Wed, 08/03/2023 - 22:48

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I am a city person. I live in Balneário Camboriú, which is a tourist city in the south of Brazil, I love to have options and facilities, and I really enjoy this place because we have here nature and a lot of people in a very small territory. I also prefer the cities because it is very important for my job. But I love to visit and spend some time in the countryside.

Submitted by mariellysousasantos on Wed, 08/03/2023 - 19:23

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Hello. I'm Marielly and I am from Brazil. I'm a city person because I like everything I have in the city. Like shopping malls, opportunities, everything is closer... And about the countryside, I don't like insects, mosquitoes and stuff like that.

Hi InnaMac! I loved your descriptions of life in a village compared to the city. 'The sky much closer in a village' – I know exactly what you mean! I also identified with your description of city life. That's exactly why I'm a city person. Thanks for your message!

Best wishes, Jo G

LearnEnglish team

Hi Inna,

I loved listening to your voice record about your own experiences, that sounds fantastic, specially your messages and pronunciation, congratulations you speak English very well!. Greetings,

Submitted by Ryl on Wed, 08/03/2023 - 04:40

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Hello everyone! I think I'm more of a city person than a country person because the city is where I was born and raised, and for me, living in the city is more convenient and has more opportunities in terms of jobs, better schools, and everything else than the countryside. Although I have visited the countryside where my mother used to live when she was young but only for a while and didn't get much time to explore there, my mother told me before that living there is much better because you can live there without acquiring much money; if you get hungry, you just have to plant your own vegetables or fruits there for you to harvest; and my mom and her sisters used to wash or bathe in a lake. So, I think it's kinda fun to try it.

Submitted by Maria Leite on Tue, 07/03/2023 - 19:08

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Hello everyone,
I speak from Brazil and I live in Rio de Janeiro, the "gorgeous city"!
I am a city person but I love cities if it is integrated with nature too!
I like the restaurants, the facilities, the services but when there are beautiful scenarios on the way, with a beautiful view out of the window....oooh it is much better!

Submitted by Microjom on Tue, 07/03/2023 - 18:16

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I was born in a counterside but I lived and grew up in a city I prefer living in ruralareas where I can see animals and green trees

Submitted by tifraouette on Tue, 07/03/2023 - 13:12

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Hi ! I am from France and I live in Auvergne, it is in the center of my country. I prefer countryside because I need peaceful place to be happy.

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Submitted by Anthony Tsoy on Tue, 07/03/2023 - 03:33

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I cannot answer this question strictly because I like both the city and the town. However, I am sure that I always need to see the nature. I definitely love trees more than beautiful buildings exactly. Maybe I am peri-urban person.

Hi Anthony,

Yes, that's a good way to put it. I think I'd get depressed if I didn't see nature regularly. Many cities have parks, which are great, but that's still not enough for me. I'd rather see a city enclosed by nature than nature enclosed by a city.

Kirk
LearnEnglish team

Hi! I am Ekik, currently I lived in the city however I like live in the village more because living in the country make a peaceful mind and soul. Here in the city, everyday we need to faced with traffic jammed and stressful at work. There were pros and cons in both actually. If I lived in the countryside it is difficult to find a job as my village located at rural area. It is much difficult to put a plate on the table.

Hi Marcelo,

I was interested to listen to your comment. I'm like you, I live in the countryside and I love the scenery and nature. But I also miss the convenience of things in the city.

I really like spending weekends sometimes in the city, to go to shops, restaurants or exhibitions. What do you like about the city?

Best wishes,

Jo

LearnEnglish team

Hi Ariana,

Thanks for your comment! It sounds as if you really love the city you live in. What sort of restaurants are there? Is it very international? 

Best wishes,

Jo

LearnEnglish team

Submitted by fabriciasol on Tue, 07/03/2023 - 00:04

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Hello! I am Fabrícia from Brazil. I see myself as a peri-urban person. During the week I like the city because it is convenient it has some affordabilities that I need, on weekends I like the countryside because there is quiet and I can sleep better.

Submitted by edsongazolla on Tue, 07/03/2023 - 00:03

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Hello, guys. I from Brazil.
I'm a city person because I like the beautiful buildings, I like to get to know new places, people and diferents cultures. So, I like medium size cities because they are not too busy and not too quiet.

Submitted by wally on Mon, 06/03/2023 - 21:38

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Hi, I’m closer to a country person, but the traffic. Since I don’t drive a car, I need nice infrastructure of public transportation. As long as it is equipped, I prefer countryside. I love to see the very clean sky without city dirt!

Submitted by Eiphyu Moe on Sun, 05/03/2023 - 04:23

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Hi,
I am a city person. However I prefer to live country side. In my view, living in the city is good to see modern buildings, easy to go everywhere and can get easily what we want, but on the other hand, there are so many traffic jams, air pollution and we can see busy and stressful people around us. In country side, green areas, clean and fresh air, fresh food, blue sky make our mind peaceful. I love the nature. I hope I will live in country side when I am old.