Irma Aponte Professor Monaghan Eng108 24 March 2013

The Difference Between You And Me

The country life can seem as a much peaceful way of living than what it is to live in the city. There are many advantages and disadvantages of choosing to live in the country or to live in the city. But the advantages of living in the city definitely outweigh the advantages of living in the country. In the story Westbury Court the author speaks about living in the city. She speaks about how there are graffiti on walls and hills of garbage. I can completely relate to this story because where I lived was also in the same condition that Danticat describes. The city life can be overwhelming with the noise, the people and even the traffic. They say the city never sleeps and in a way I believe that. I remember as a young girl leaving my apartment everyday for school in New York and looking at the walls and seeing peoples tag names and messages that people leave for others as threats. Gang signatures were always written on the walls and they never bothered painting over it because everyone knew it was a waste of time and energy. The city does have its advantages. The city is full of shopping markets, banks, clothing stores, anything that you may need you can take a five minute drive and you will be able to do more than one thing at a time. You can go food shopping and clothes shopping at the same time. I appreciate the city and everything it has to offer. I remember living there and everyone always energized and full of life. I would take long walks with my mother to the stores and went shopping for hours at a time. I remember the people out and about trying to make a living with anything that came to mind. You are able to walk the streets in the city and find clothing that are being sold from a corner. That is an advantage to me because when I was growing up my family was not wealthy. My parents tried to buy us nice things that others would sell for a cheaper price and I was happy with that. I appreciate the city for its convenience, its people and also its noise. The city can be a crazy place to live in, like people say it is a concrete jungle. Even though the city is a wild place and full of noise and people I find it to be a comfort zone. Being surrounded by people is something that I always enjoy. For some reason always having people around and being out even late at night feels safe to me. Hearing the noise of people talking and having their cars out in the middle of the night with their radios loud and disturbing is comforting. I would miss that if I were to ever move to the country. I have affection for a great city. I feel safe in the neighborhood of man, and enjoy the sweet security of the streets. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The city is where everything comes alive. There is nothing in the city you cannot do. You get to meet people who come from a variety or races, languages, lifestyles, and ethnic groups. I meet people every day and always find out something incredible and unique of those people that I am fortunate to meet. An opportunity for a higher education is something that people in the

city get the benefit to do. Education is very important as well. Without education there may not be too many opportunities for anyone in the future. The city is a great place for different opportunities. However, public schools in large cities tend to be poor, the best public schools are usually found in the suburbs. Although the city has a lot of great advantages, it also has its disadvantages. The crime rates in urban areas are usually higher than in suburban or rural areas.

Brooklyn violent crimes MURDER 156 0.06 RAPE 278 0.11 ROBBERY 6,587 2.60 ASSAULT 8,876 3.50

REPORT TOTAL RATE PER 1,000

REPORT TOTAL RATE PER 1,000

Brooklyn property crimes BURGLARY THEFT MOTOR 6,079 32,187 2.40 12.71

VEHICLE THEFT 3,308 1.31

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ny/brooklyn/crime/ Another disadvantage that living in the city has is the cost of living in large cities is often very high. Maybe people may never have the opportunity to go a theater, or a concert because they may not be able to afford it because of other important financial expenses. Although some people prefer to live in the city others find peace and tranquility in the country. For example the families in the story They All Just Went Away lived in the country. Joyce Carol Oates describes the country as full of desolate fields, woods, and creek banks. (Joyce Carol Oates) People find that kind of living peaceful and they enjoy it. One of the reasons people enjoy living in the country is the open space. You have room for all sorts of businesses. A person could have the opportunity to build a farm as big as you have space. You can have cows, horses, pigs and all the animals you can imagine living in a farm. The country can also help you become more self sufficient. You can plant your own vegetables and food and live a natural and healthier life. People in the country seem to be more neighborly. I remember watching Little House in the Prairie when I was younger and when one of the farmers on the land had problems or ran into trouble, there was always someone there to help them with the situation. The air in the country is more refreshing also. They have less factories and buildings that cause pollution. Puerto Rico has a lot of country side to it and it is the freshest air you can breathe, in

my experience. I have known people in my family that have lived a long healthy life living in the country. My grandmother was one of those people. She was healthy and always full of energy. It could have been that what made her live as long as she did was the clean air. Although you have the wide open space and people live a little distance away, and it may seem more private, but people tend to know more about you and your problems. For example, the characters from They All Just Went Away lived in the country. The Wiedels were known very well considering the wide open spaces. All the neighbors knew what kind of man Mr. Wiedel was. Although living in country may seem peaceful people are more engaged in what is going on with their neighbor. Even though the crowds in the city are vast, people tend to stay to themselves because you can always find something to keep your mind off other people. Living in the country can draw attention to your personal life. One major disadvantage of living in the country is the inconvenience. For instance, there is no running down the street to the corner store or even a gas station. There are times where you have to drive for miles just to find a market to refill on food and all your other necessities. It can also get lonely in the country. If you are the type of person that enjoys the noises of the city, the country is not recommended. The country life can seem as if it is a much peaceful way of living than what it is to live in the city. There are many advantages and disadvantages of choosing to live in the country or to live in the city. But the advantages of living in the city definitely outweigh the advantages of living in the country. Therefore, the advantages of living in the city outweigh the advantages of living in the country. Whether you live in the city or country there are advantages and disadvantages. The country life may seem more peaceful and quieter but also has its disadvantage.

"City Quotes, Sayings about Cities and Towns." City Quotes, Sayings about Cities and Towns. N.p., 30 Dec. 2012. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. <http://www.quotegarden.com/cities.html>. "Crime Rates for Brooklyn, NY." Brooklyn NY Crime Rates and Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. Oates, Joyce C. Fourth ed. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.