Tropical Paradise or Concrete Jungle? What would you do if you had a choice to your Lifestyle? Would it be the ultimate relocation or big tragedy? It’s the conversation that usually starts when you decide to marry the person of your dreams and where you decide to live. But sometimes later in life, it comes after a particularly bad day at the office, maybe a week of rain that just won’t quit. The bus is late and crowded, no seats. ugh! You look at your mate and say, “What if we just left it all behind?”
Let’s be honest; you’re likely a house divided, right? Like most, we are all different, unique. Not sure which way is the right one. One of you wants a secluded island where a hammock between two palm trees where the only neighbor is a coconut, and the other wants a high-rise view of a city that never shuts up.
But listen to Grumpy Grandma, your domestic bliss doesn’t depend on the square footage or a ocean breeze. It depends on whether you can stand the sight of your mate when the luxury fades, the honeymoon period. When the island generator blows a fuse and the wi-fi goes down or the city elevator breaks down on the 40th floor, or when the subway breaks down. And you just want to break down and cry.
Tropical Paradise – The Island Dream
Is it Serenity or Slow-Motion Sanity of Tropical Paradise or Concrete Jungle? Let’s talk about the island first. Everyone thinks they want the island life until they realize that “everything you need” doesn’t always include a 24-hour pharmacy or a repairman who shows up on time. Living on an island with your mate is the ultimate challenge for both of you. It could be a good thing.
When you remove the noise of the world like the traffic, the sirens, the boss (ha ha), the endless pings of the smartphone. What is left? It’s just you, your partner, and a lot of sand and dirt. You can grow. For some, this is heaven. It’s the chance to reconnect, to garden, to fish, and to watch the stars without light pollution. It’s a life governed by the tides rather than the clock. To be self-sufficient, self resilience. It’s a great way to live.
However, island living requires a specific kind of “mate.” You need someone who is handy with a wrench, a hammer. or at least to be patient for a leaky roof to get someone to come out and fix it. Someone who doesn’t mind the sound of their own thoughts. If your partner gets “twitchy” after three hours without a social media update, the island might start feeling less like a paradise and more like a very beautiful prison.
The “Island Survival” Checklist
- Self-Sufficiency: Can you entertain yourselves for 48 hours without a screen?
- Conflict Resolution: On an island, there’s no “going for a drive” to blow off steam. You can drive in a circle, that would be funny. You have to talk it out or walk into the ocean. (Grumpy Grandma recommends talking).
- The Luxury Factor: Is what is most important. What is the one item you’d fight over? Usually, it’s the last jar of good peanut butter or the only functioning flashlight.
Concrete Jungle – The Robust City
On the flip side, we have the “Robust City” Culture, Chaos, and Constant Connection. This isn’t just a town; it’s a living, breathing environment. Here in the robust city, you have the best museums and many different varieties of street food. You even have the ability to see a Broadway-style show on a Tuesday just because you felt like it. Only in New York or California, a robust city like these. But in many of the smaller cities, it is not like that. Movies yes, but not live shows. Times change, so maybe.
In a city, your “everything you need” is often found right outside your front door. But that convenience comes with a cost: space and sanity. In a robust city, you and your mate are likely living in closer quarters, sharing thin walls with neighbors who might be aspiring opera singers, and navigating the stress of millions of other people just trying to get to work.
The city lifestyle is for the couple that feeds off excitement. You don’t mind the sirens or the hustle and bushel of people everywhere. Because it makes you feel like you’re in the center of the universe. Your “date nights” are endless, and your social circle is ever-expanding. But beware—it’s easy to get lost in the crowd and forget to focus on the person holding your hand. If you can’t find a way to be “alone” together in a crowd of nine million, the city will chew your relationship up and spit it out.
The Great Lifestyle Quiz: Tropical Paradise or Concrete Jungle
Which Pair Are You in the Tropical Paradise or Concrete Jungle?
Before you pack your bags and list the house, take this quick pulse check with your partner. Be honest -I’m watching!
- It’s 7:00 AM on a Saturday. What’s the plan?
- A) Making coffee and watching the birds from the porch.
- B) Heading to the artisanal bakery before the line gets too long.
- The power goes out for the evening. How do you react?
- A) Light the lanterns, grab a book, and enjoy the silence.
- B) Complain about the loss of AC and head to a candlelit wine bar down the street.
- How do you handle “Me Time”?
- A) A long, solitary walk on a deserted beach.
- B) A solo trip to a massive bookstore or a crowded, sweaty gym.
- What is your “Essential” luxury?
- A) High-quality seeds for the garden and a sturdy pair of waterproof boots.
- B) A high-speed internet connection and a “Gold” membership to the local theater.
Grumpy Grandma’s Final Verdict of the Tropical Paradise or Concrete Jungle It’s Not the Map, It’s the Mate
Whether you choose the salt air of the island or the grit of the city, the “robustness” of your life depends entirely on the robustness of your relationship. I’ve seen couples miserable in oceanfront mansions and couples who are the envy of the world while living in a tiny studio apartment.
If you choose the island, make sure you actually like the sound of your partner’s voice, because you’re going to be hearing a lot of it with no background noise to drown it out. If you choose the city, make sure you have a “secret language” that keeps you connected even when you’re surrounded by ten million strangers.
At the end of the day, “everything you need” is rarely a thing you can buy or a place you can fly to. But if you do decide to go, save money for yourself when traveling. It’s the person who knows exactly how you take your tea, whether that tea is sipped under a palm tree or on a rusty fire escape.
Have any feedback or questions on where would you live in, a tropical paradise or the concrete jungle contact us. If you’d like to stay connected, you are welcome to register here. Be safe where ever you decide to live.