Sackville from an Urban Viewpoint
Author: Lestyn V Lobo
Posted on October 12, 2020
Living in an urban area for the totality of your life and then suddenly you have to make the transition to a somewhat ‘rural’ area; What would you do? How would you react? How long does it take you to acclimatize to this small new area? As a matter of fact, I could provide my perspective on this subject quite elaborately. I lived in an urban area for 14 years of my life wherein I would often spend my time visiting malls, attending late night parties, driving around the city to view the numerous skyscrapers (especially during the months filled with festivities where one can observe the lights and decorations). I was so immersed in that kind of living that when I moved to Canada, precisely Alberta, two years ago, I was miserable for the first few months of my stay. To be honest, it took me a great deal of time to adjust to the new country/rural lifestyle; but, you know what they say: you grumble at first about not appreciating something and when that is taken away from you, you seem to want that thing back quickly as you begin to feel an emptiness in your life. And no, I am not talking about wanting to get back to the city environment, I am stressing on the rural/country lifestyle. Certainly, before moving to Sackville and during my two years of stay in Alberta, I realized that this kind of living was quite hard to adapt to especially for someone who had it easy for most of their life; Yes, I am illustrating that when you live in a city, it is very hard for one to pick up any sort of life skills and you don’t appreciate nature at all. City folks usually have a “guy” to perform their every task: tailoring, dry cleaning, plumbing, gardening. As you can tell, it does seem quite simplistic: Take a car wherever you got to go, barely walk to embrace the true presence of your surroundings is quintessential for an urban dweller.
So, what really persuaded me to change my preference from urban to rural living (somewhat partially)? What renders towns like Sackville and Strathmore (the town in Alberta where I lived for two years) so special? It is quite simple:
- The people: people (from my urban perspective) are so cheerful in any town I've visited during my stay in Canada. If I got to speak precisely about Sackville, there is no doubt whatsoever that the folks here are truly as sweet as a Turkish Delight. This helpful, optimistic, genuine, gentle, content behaviour could only be observed in a town like Sackville. In an urban area, you might be fortunate enough to stumble upon an individual who will take the time to help you out; they are all so focused in their busy lives that they seem to ignore anything that is not up to their interest. This contrast between the two areas is one vital reason why I enjoy staying in a small town like Sackville.
- The ambiance: staying in an area like Sackville is truly invigorating: from the cheerful chirps of the birds to the sound of the gentle breeze and sight of the flowers blooming, one cannot find such calmness in a city vicinity. I have not gotten the chance to tour every place there is to see in Sackville and the nearby surrounding areas, but I know I am in for a good treat.
To sum it all up, I still do miss the entertaining night life, sparkly buildings, enormous crowds, huge shopping malls, having a “guy” for your every need, and fast-paced kind of lifestyle, but once in a while, it is good to pause and immerse yourself with nature and your environment where one can truly find their true purpose and potential. As a matter of fact, there is another merit to living in a small town like Sackville, the skills you acquire along the way can truly be of great help to you in the long run. This is quite a crucial point to state; having to live independently and interacting with the locals during my stay in Canada, I have learnt that not all people have a “guy” to do their tasks for them; this was yet another reason why I enjoy my stay here in Sackville as I am forced to challenge myself to pick up skills that will help me ease my life in the long run and work more independently rather than to rely on a “guy”.
So to all my urban mates out there, these are the reasons why, although I truly love the urban life I experienced for the totality of my life and still do miss that life often, I do not mind settling down for the next four years in a lovely town like Sackville and I strongly recommend moving into a small town like Sackville to enjoy a peaceful and quiet atmosphere.
About Lestyn V Lobo
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