With all the sweeping skylines and 24-hour stores, the city has a compelling argument for why it’s the best place to live – but every now and then, it can be too overbearing, too noisy, and just too dirty. If city life is becoming too tough to handle, there’s an alternative: country living.

Before you start experiencing pre-emptive withdrawal symptoms from not being able to find a convenience store at one in the morning, hear me out. There are a few reasons why living in the country has its advantages over living in the city.

The community is nicer

Sure, news travels fast in small communities and there aren’t always exciting new people to meet, but there’s something charming about knowing all your neighbors’ names and seeing familiar faces everywhere you go. Small towns are renowned for their tight-knit communities and warm atmosphere – and when you come from a city apartment block where your neighbor of five years is still a stranger, this type of environment can be a refreshing change.

You’ll enjoy the fresh air

In high school, they said that people inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, but let’s be honest. When it comes to air quality in a big city, we’re probably breathing in just as much bad stuff as we are breathing in oxygen. On the other hand, the country has fresh, unspoiled air – you’ll notice it from the moment you step out of the car and take in a big, deep breathe…ah, fresh, crisp oxygen.

You’ll get to experience a new way of life

Expanding your knowledge and range of experiences is a huge part of growing as a person. When you move from the city to the country, you’ll be thrown into a new (and completely unfamiliar) way of life. While you might not enjoy the changes at first, try to see it as an opportunity to learn something new. The more open you are to learning, the more you will get out of country living.

You’ll get back to nature

A concrete jungle is not the same as a real jungle, and when it comes to experiencing the world in all its natural beauty and finesse, city life just doesn’t cut it. Nothing can compare to seeing a sunset over rolling hills, or glancing up at the night sky and actually being able to see the moon and stars – in the end, all of the shopping centres in the world can’t compare to the experience of standing under the sky and seeing shooting stars.

Author Bio: Juliette Hampden is a busy city worker who can’t wait to pack up her bags and look for rural houses for sale. Aberglasslyn is her dream place to have a family and settle down.