…in more ways than one. Anyone who colours their hair, whether by choice or necessity, can relate to that feeling when you look in the mirror and come face to face with those dreaded roots. It’s time for a touch-up. Those are my hair roots, but what about my rural roots?
We all have a desire to fit in – to feel like we belong somewhere. Sometimes I must admit that I just don’t know where I belong. Do I belong in the country or do I belong in the city? I often feel like my rural roots are showing when I’m in the city. Like when I moved into my condo in Winnipeg using my dad’s grain truck! My rural roots were definitely showing then. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can be when you’re trying to feel like you belong in the city. On the other hand, I’ve always prided myself on being a country girl (heck, my very first email address was countrychick@…), but sometimes I don’t feel like I belong in the country either.
I like to joke that I’m just a plain farm girl, but it’s actually the truth. I’m just a farm girl trying to survive the big city (yes, Winnipeg is a big city to me). And some days it feels like the big city is chewing me up and spitting me out.
I sometimes feel like the city brings out the worst in me. Take driving for example. I’m the one fuming behind the wheel as I sit in an endless line of traffic on my way to work. Or shaking my head in disbelief because most Winnipeg drivers don’t know how to merge properly (go back to driving school, people!). And yes, I was thinking about this blog post as I sat in traffic.
Regardless, here I am in my condo in the city for the time being. In the future, I will go where the Good Lord leads whether it be a big city, small town or farm. And hopefully I’ll eventually feel like I belong there.
—–
Speaking of rural… I’ve recently connected with an awesome group of ladies from across the U.S. and Canada who are passionate about rural. If you’re a rockin’ rural woman and on Facebook or Twitter, consider joining this group. I’d especially like to get more Canadian women involved. Let me know if you have any questions. Visit the Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/RockinRuralWomen If you’re on Twitter use the hashtag: #rockinruralwomen
Rural Route Ramblings 
Don’t ever move to Calgary or Toronto then!
You’re a little bit of both country and city. You’ve spent a good deal of your life in a city and you’ll always have your rural roots. You don’t need to belong to only one – it’s diverse! I like having you in the city!
I would never move to Toronto – way too big. However, I might consider Calgary. I spent the first 18 years of my life in a rural setting (farm or small town) and then basically the next 11 years in a city (either a smaller city or Winnipeg).
I’m definitely a country girl – but I can be comfortable in a city and I currently live in one. Though, I don’t think I could live comfortably in a city much bigger than Minneapolis. I love the farm, but where I live now is nice because it’s on the outskirts so I’ve got a corn field across the road from my apartment complex, but it’s only 20 minutes to downtown.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Anna! It sounds like you have the best of both worlds – city and country. I didn’t know you lived in Minneapolis. Next time I’m there we’ll have to meet up.