Pros and Cons of Living in Elf Land - part I

TEN PROS:

• The support of my family: everyone’s within reach and I can alway count on them. It is also incredibly fun to watch my nephews as they grow up.
  
• The society is small and human, quiet and clean. It makes me feel safe. And it’s easy to get things done, because helpfulness, flexibility and tolerance are inherent.
  
• The quality of life is good. The air is clean, the food is good, the comfort level is high and human rights are held in respect.
  
• It’s easy for me to prove my worth, when looking for a job for example. I have lots of contacts and references.
  
• I’m at home in traditions and culture. It’s my culture, I understand it and am emotionally attached to it. I have the insight required to take fully part in it and I love all the wonderful quirks of it.
  
• The landscapes in this country are so beautiful, the colours are quite amazing, so pure and striking. And the light, the hues and the scenery are ever changing.
  
• The distances here are manageable. It’s easy to get out of town for a change of atmosphere and to do stuff like camping, hiking, or hanging out in a little hut somewhere secluded. Also, I can hop on a plane and be in Europe within three hours, if I feel like spending a weekend in an old city on the continent.
  
• There is some kind of a diversity born from the fact that, this being a small country we look upon the outside world a lot. From this springs also a certain precious openmindedness. As a result, I don’t feel isolated but informed. On a different scale, all kinds of entertainment, art and performances are available to me in a much bigger degree than if I was living in a big city, because they are reachable and affordable.
  
• The climate is temperate, has a lot of variety but no extremes. Then I mean that it’s never too hot and it’s never too cold (you may think it is but then you’re probably just not properly dressed). The seasons range from mild summers where the sun doesn’t go down to (again) mild winters, dark and lush, with the occasional snow fall. Oh, and Christmas to crown it, with its plethora of lights.
  
• The water: Could I live without the fresh, clean water I drink from the tap, without the water around us from which we draw all this delicious seafood and the hot water from the natural springs that provides us with heating for our homes and with these great swimming pools and hot pots?