I live quite a long way from the city centre in a suburb. My mother says that when she was a child it was, in fact, a separate little town. However, over the years the city has been extended and many of the little towns are now just part of the city.
Nowadays this suburb may just be a part of the city, but it does retain some of the advantages of a small town. For example, it has a number of excellent shops. Many of the local residents prefer to use these rather than a shop nearby out-of-town shopping centre where there are various chain stores.
We also have several other advantages that are usually associated with independent towns. For example, we have a really good library. I use the reference section a lot for my school projects. Since it is a small library, the librarian has more time than city librarians to assist with queries.
One of the great benefits of living in this suburb is that you can get into the countryside much more quickly. If you live in the city centre it takes a very long time to get to the country, and the heavy traffic makes it an unpleasant, stressful drive. From here a fifteen minute drive takes us into a peaceful green area.
However, we can also get into the city quickly. There is an excellent bus service, although the train service, which is slightly more expensive, is much faster. I feel that my neighborhood has the best of both worlds. We have everything that we need right here and we have the countryside nearby. On the other hand, we have quick and easy access to the city. No one could ask for a better neighbourhood.
Vocabulary
Separate—without any joint
Stressful—anxious and worried
Access—the way of reaching
