Both in cities and villages we are surrounded by people, humans are such social creations in most cases. But does in mean that in both cases we are a part of a community?
Me, as a countryside girl from a small village could not imagine to not belong to somewhere, being anonymous , being not well known by my neighbours, but since I moved to a town, I realised, not everybody thinks like the way I did.
In the village there was a huge secure. We know, which house is whose. Where did we have to go when we wanted to eat the best apple in the whole village. We knew which is the best door to knock on if I want to play soccer. We knew, we can easily go in without ringing the bell, just to surprise others. We knew about all the relationships, gossips. News where spreading around faster than it does now, in the time of the internet. Living there could be compared to a reality show, and it would be reasonable because of the mentioned aspects. But also we were really solidary. It seemed normal that we help to the old people as youngsters, we visited each other in case of an illness, we went to the funeral of every people who used to be a part of our community. We talked to everyone with curiosity. We were there for each other because we were from the same village- and it was fundamental.
It all seems fairy tale, but here comes the question. Why do people leave these areas then? The answer is as simply as it is: The lack of possibilities. The lack of earning more money, to live on a higher life-standard. The lack of being in an impressive environment. The lack of following our passions, to do the sport we want to, to study what we are interested in.
And here I am. I am living in a diversity just as social and cultural and religious. I earn much more money I ever could in the village. I study at university, I go to pubs, exhibitions and so on. But I have no clue, who are my neighbours, where to turn for the greatest apple of the city, and who are the ones who are opened to help, and on which door do I have knock if I want to play soccer with someone. And after leaving I realised what was the one, why it was worth living in a village for me:
Belonging to the community.