Last weekend was a busy one filled with work on Saturday and a number of social engagements down in Toronto for Bunny and I. It was a fun, and it was busy and it always throws into sharp contrast the difference between where we do live and where I love to live.
It's hard being so far away from our closest friends. That's never going to change, and it's a tradeoff because we're used to being close by. On the other hand we had an "easy" time being away from our families, but when push came to shove and shit happened we knew we wanted to invest more of our lives there. Being within an hour's drive to friends was part of the trade, and we both hate that part of the deal.
The other bit? The difference between urban and suburban? Bunny loves the suburban and I can barely tolerate it. (Although, to be fair, I loved the suburban city I went to university in. Distinct cultural difference there.) I feel stifled and bored and stagnant. It's just boring here, and white washed and insular and it's like wearing a too tight, itchy wool sweater.
There's nothing like the architecture of Toronto homes, the beautiful brick houses, all skinny and tall and full of characters. Every home on the street having its own unique character instead of the cookie cutter garbage. The press of people constantly buzzing around without demanding anything of me.
Apparently the urban environment was more suited to my introverted personality than I would have guessed. It let me have my quiet introverted time while still having all the options there for when I've got the social energy to expend.
Toronto is a beautiful place. I am a city person and my husband loves the small towns and countryside; it is a total mystery were we are going to live when we move back to Canada, it freaks me out thinking of it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard one. Depending on what you get out of city life and your husband gets out of country living I'm sure that there are good compromises. If family weren't a deciding factor in our case we have a list of at least three acceptable substitutes so I'm sure you'll figure it out. Just takes time.
DeleteHaha, I was in Toronto over the weekend, and David and I agreed that you couldn't PAY us to live there. Pretty to visit, nice weather, good restaurants, but goddamn, that's too many people.
ReplyDeleteWhat's funny is that, crazy introverted though I tend to be, I never felt like there were too many people in Toronto. Maybe the fact that most people circulate in their own little universes made it feel less crowded to me?
DeleteI hope you guys had a great time while you were in this part of the country!
I'm exactly like that. I tend to be a bit introverted and even a loner, but when you put me in a crowd of strangers in a big city the buzz of that is exactly what I need to feel inspired and revved up. I'd have a really hard time living in suburbia, and actually now when I return home to Toronto, I even find *that* pretty relaxed (compared to most European cities, which tend to be far more crowded). We're in a smaller city now, and it's hard. Probably why I blog as much as I do!
ReplyDeleteI think big cities actually have a lot to offer introverts, so long as we know what it is we need in terms of people time and alone time.
DeleteWhenever I think about Canadian "cities" I laugh. The rest of the world makes our idea of densely crowded groups of people seem tiny. I'm fascinated by the big European cities and can't wait for a chance to get to see some in person.