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Intermediate ESL Listening #11: City Life vs. Country Life – My Story
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Hello everyone. Welcome back to mksenglish.com's
mksenglish.com's
intermediate ESL listening series. The
series that helps you improve your
English while learning about real life,
real stories, and real conversations.
I'm Mark and thanks for joining me
today. Today's topic is city life versus
country life. I'll share my own
experience because well, I grew up in a
small town in the USA called Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania.
And now I live in one of the biggest
cities in the whole world, Tokyo, Japan.
I was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania.
Bethlehem is much, much smaller than Tokyo,
Tokyo,
only about 75,000 people. It's located
on the eastern side of the state of Pennsylvania,
Pennsylvania,
about 1 and a half hours from New York
City, 1 hour for how fast I drive, and
about an hour from Philadelphia.
So, it's close to big cities, but it
still feels like a small, quiet town.
Bethlehem is known as the Christmas city.
city.
In December, the whole city is decorated
with beautiful lights. Everybody puts
lights up in their houses.
There are Christmas markets, concerts,
and festivals.
It feels very warm and friendly during
the holidays.
If you know me, you know how much I love Christmas.
My hometown has an interesting history,
too. A long time ago, it used to be a
famous steel town.
There was a big company called Bethlehem Steel.
Steel.
It was one of the largest steel
companies in the world.
Many people worked there. my mom and my
dad also.
But the factory closed a long time ago
and now the old steel factory is a
museum and arts center.
There are concerts, shows and festivals
there today.
Probably the biggest festival in
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is called Musicfest.
Musicfest.
I loved it when I was a kid.
Bethlehem has lots of green spaces.
There are parks, rivers, and hiking trails.
trails.
The Monopasy Creek was my favorite.
In Bethlehem, you can drive a few
minutes and be in nature, mountains,
forest, and lakes.
Life feels calm. There's not so much
traffic, not really any crowds.
People are friendly. When you walk down
the street, strangers might say hi or
good morning.
Most people live in houses, not apartments.
apartments.
Many houses have big yards with trees, grass,
grass,
and maybe even a garden with a few
rabbits and squirrels running around.
Now, let's talk about Tokyo.
This is where I've lived for about
twothirds of my life. That's a long time.
time.
Tokyo is huge. One of the biggest cities
in the world.
More than 37 million people live in the
greater Tokyo area.
It's busy, exciting, and crowded,
and also sometimes a little overwhelming,
overwhelming,
but also very safe, clean, and organized.
organized.
In Tokyo, you can find convenience
stores, restaurants, and vending
machines open 24 hours a day.
There are so many things to do.
Shopping, museums, parks, cafes, and entertainment.
entertainment.
You can always find something
interesting no matter what time it is.
The trains, Yamanote,
are the heart of the city. Almost
everyone uses trains and subways to get around.
around.
I'm impressed because they're clean,
safe, and always on time.
Well, except for the chew line.
Unfortunately though, during rush hour,
wow, they can be super crowded
sometimes. And yeah, this is true. The
staff at the stations have to push
people onto the trains to fit everyone in.
in.
One thing I've noticed about Tokyo is
how polite people are in public spaces.
On trains, most people stay quiet. No
loud talking, no phone calls, and
surprisingly, people often wear masks
even before CO. I know, I know. But this
is to avoid spreading colds or hay fever
season allergies.
Tokyo is full of different neighborhoods
and each one has its own personality.
For example, Shabuya.
It's famous for the scramble crossing
and of course fashion. Akihabra.
Akihabra.
This is famous for being the center of
Asaka has a beautiful old temple and a
more of a traditional feel.
And of course, Shinjuku is known for skyscrapers,
skyscrapers, nightife,
nightife,
and insanely busy train stations.
Even though Tokyo is a big modern city,
you can still find quiet places. Trust me.
me.
There are peaceful parks, small shrines,
and little side streets with no cars,
and beautiful trees. You just have to
look for them.
Life in Tokyo is fast. People walk
quickly, work long hours, and stay busy.
But it's also very convenient. You don't
need a car.
You can order anything online, pay with
your phone, and get food delivered any
time of the day. This city is super efficient.
efficient.
However, there are some downsides.
Apartments and homes are small. Also, I
have to warn you, it can feel lonely sometimes.
sometimes.
Tokyoites usually don't talk to
strangers or even their own neighbors.
Sure, everyone is polite, but everyone
keeps a distance from each other.
Life is certainly different here than
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
So, what are some of the biggest
differences I've noticed between city
life and country life? Space.
Space.
In Bethlehem, houses are big. In Tokyo,
not so much. The houses can be a little
small comparatively. Noise.
Noise.
The countryside is quiet. Tokyo.
Tokyo.
No matter where you live, there's always
some kind of sound like trains, cars,
people, whatever. Transportation.
Transportation.
In Bethlehem, there are trains, but they
are only for shipping products.
You definitely need a car.
In Tokyo, trains are life. Community.
Community.
In small towns, people often know each
other. In big cities, no, not so much. Convenience.
Convenience.
Tokyo is super convenient.
Shops are open late and you can get
anything at any time. Bethlehem, no.
Most shops close early. It can be
difficult to go shopping after work.
So, which do I prefer? Honestly, I like
both. I love the peace and nature of Bethlehem,
Bethlehem,
but I also enjoy the excitement,
convenience, and energy of Tokyo.
Look, each has good points and bad points.
points.
Nowhere's perfect. If there was a
perfect place, we would all try to live there.
there.
So, what about you? Do you live in the
country or the city?
Which do you prefer? and why?
I'd love to hear from you. Leave a
comment or send me a message at mksenglish.com.
Thanks again for listening to another
episode from mksenglish.com.
Don't forget to follow or subscribe for
more real English practice.
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