I.

Negotiating
Differences in
the City
 City
Is defiined as relatively permanent and highly organized centre of
population, of greater size or importance than a town or village. The name
city is given to certain urban communities by virtue of some legal or
conventional distinction that can vary between regions or nations. In
most cases, however, the concept of city refers to a particular type of
community, the urban community, and its culture, known as“urbanism.”

City government is almost everywhere the creation of higher

political auhtority—usually state or national. In most Western countires
devolution of powers to the cities occurs through legislative acts that
delegate limited self-government to local corporations. Some European
countries adopted general municipal codes that permitted centralized
administrative control over subordinate areas through a hierarchy of
departmental prefects and local mayors. Socialist countries generally
employed a hierarchical system of local councils corresponding to, and
under the authority of, governing bodies at higher levels of government.

As a type of community, the city may be regarded as a relatively

permanent concentration of population, together with its diverse
habitations, social arrangements, and supporting activities, occupying a
more or less discrete site and having a cultual importance that
differentiates it from other types of human settlement and association.
In its elementary functions and rudimentary characteristics, however, a
city is not clearly distinguishable from a town or even a large village. Mere
size of population, surface area, or density of settlement are not in
themselves sufficient criteria of distinction, while many of their social
correlates (division of labour, nonagricultural activity, central-place
functions, and creativity) characterize in varying degree all urban
communities from the small country town to the giant metropolis.

Segment 1: Developed Economy, Legacy City

 Examples:

London, Detroit, Tokyo, Singapore

 Characteristics:

Any intervention in a legacy city has to dismantle something that

existed before — a road or building, or even a regulatory authority or an
entrenched service business. Slow demographic growth in developed
economies creates a zero-sum situation (which is part of why the licensed
cabs vs Uber/Lyft contest is so heated). Elites live in these cities, so
solutions arise that primarily help users spend their excess
cash. Yelp, Zillow, and Trip Advisor are examples of innovations in
this context.

 Implications for City Leaders:

Leaders should try to establish a setting where entrepreneurs can

create solutions that improve quality of life — without added
government expense. Airbnb is an example of a win-win quality
imprivement landlords realize more cash flow from their assets, and
customers gain both better choice and lower costs in their travel
lodging options. Similarly, city leaders should encourage enterprises
that create jobs directly (Lyft or Uber) or that indirectly facilitate expansion
of work (Angie’s List or Handy).

 Implications for Entrepreneurs:

Denizens of developed legacy cities have discretionary income. This

means that entrepreneurs should focus on highly targeted solutions that
work for defined segments of the population. Solutions should trend
toward entertainment, education, and social networking, and they can be
location specific. OpenTable (a restaurant reservations service), Motivate
(the operator of CitiBike, Bay Area Bikeshare, and others), and
Luxe (a web-based valet parking service) are examples.

Segment 2: Emerging Economy, Legacy City

 Examples:

Mumbai, São Paolo, Jakarta

 Characteristics:

Most physical and institutional structures are already in place in

these megacities, but with fast-growing populations and severe congestion,
there is an opportunity to create value by improving efficiency and livability,
and there is a market of customers with cash to pay for these benefits.
  Implications for city leaders:

Leaders should loosen restrictions so that private finance can invest

in improvements to physical infrastructure, to better use what already
exists. They should also encourage sources of repayment for such
investments beyond just user fees. Large-scale examples include Hong
Kong’s historic real estate subsidy for MTR rail from the airport to
downtown, or the per-liter subsidies for private urban water and
sanitation providers in Algiers and many other cities.

 Implications for entrepreneurs:

Focus on public-private partnerships (PPP). Compelling solutions that

focus on the usefulness of existing infrastructure — for example, traffic-
route optimization or ride sharing or more effective trash pickup — also
can be essentially self-funded when subsides are not available. Waze,
Turo (formerly RelayRides), and WasteZero are examples. There
are opportunities to combine creative financing with thoughtful use of
new sensor and big-data technologies to create projects that contribute
to building sustainable cities.

Segment 3: Emerging Economy, New City

Examples:
Phu My Hung, Vietnam; Suzhou, China; Astana, Kazakhstan and
Singapore (historically)

Characteristics:

These cities tend to have high population growth and high growth
rates in GDP per capita, demographic and economic tailwinds that help to
boost returns. The urban areas have few existing physical or social
structures to dismantle as they grow, hence fewer entrenched obstacles
to new offerings. There is also immediate ROI for investments in basic
services as population moves in, because they capture new revenues from
new users. Finally, in these cities there is an important chance to build it
right the first time, notably with respect to the roads, bridges, water, and
power that will determine both economic competitiveness and quality of life
for decades. The downside? If this chance is missed, new urban
agglomerations will be characterized by informal sprawl and new
settlements will be hard to reach after the fact with power, roads, and
sanitation.
 Implications for city leaders:

Leaders should first focus on building hard infrastructure that will

support services such as schools, hospitals, and parks. This also might be
done through PPP arrangements. Next, they can encourage commercial
platforms for entrepreneurs to create services including data connectivity,
banking, and insurance.

Implications for entrepreneurs:

In these cities, it’s too soon to think about optimizing existing

infrastructure or establishing amusing ways for wealthy people to spend
their disposable income. Entrepreneurs should focus on applications and
services that address likely “institutional voids” ranging from inconsistent
electric power to the slow enforcement of contracts. Alibaba Escrow, a
unit of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, holds buyer payments for
B2B transactions until goods are received satisfactorily, and then releases
the cash to the seller. This helps to facilitate commerce among trusted
parties in a situation where some institutions and business norms, such
as courts and contracts, are not fully developed to Western expectations.

Segment 4: Developed Economy, New City

Examples and characteristics:

Such cities are very rare. All the moment, almost all self-proclaimed
“new cities” in the developed world are in fact large, integrated real-estate
developments with an urban theme, usually in close proximity to a true
municipality. Examples of these initiatives include New Songdo City in
South Korea, Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, and Hafen City Hamburg in
Germany.

Implications for city leaders:

These satellites of existing metropolises compete for jobs and to attact

talented participants in the creative economy. Leaders should focus on
hard infrastructure that reduces costs for companies and on the soft
infrastructure that positions the city high on the quality-of-life metrics that
appeal to creative-economy workers. These factors include easy transit,
clean air and water, green space, and support for arts and recreation.
 Implications for entrepreneurs:

Align with city leaders on services that are important to knowledge

workers, and help build the cities’ brand. For example, Cisco has
deployed telepresence technologies (high-quality, real-time video
interaction) to developments including New Songdo City in Korea and
Lavasa in India to improve both the delivery of civic services and to
attract employers.

Differences in the city in terms of as follows:

*cultural
*technological
*social class
* living
*Religion

Cultural Differences in the City

(The differences between Philippines and Japan in terms of their
cultural practices)

Philippines

 Filipinos are very resilient In times of calamities and catastrophes,

Filipinos always manage to rise above the challenge. Instead of wallowing,
they manage to pick themselves up and smile.

 Filipinos take pride in their families In the Philippines, it is family first.

So whether you are part of the immediate family or you belong to the
third or fourth generation, you are treated as a family member. Sometimes,
even the closest of friends are considered family, too.

 Filipinos are very religious In all corners of a Filipino house, you can
find brazen images of crosses and other religious paraphernalia. They go
to church every Sunday, or sometimes even twice or three times a
week. Filipinos are very respectful From the moment they are born into
this world, they are already taught how to be respectful by using these
simple catchphrases—po and opo, words that end sentences when
addressing elders. They have a culture of pagmamano, which is where
they raise the backs of the hands of their elders to their foreheads as a
sign of respect.
  Filipinos help one another More popularly known as bayanihan.
Filipinos help one another—without expecting anything in return—so
that undertaking their tasks and responsibilities become much easier.
Sometimes this is called “community spirit.”

 Filipinos value traditions and culture For Filipinos, traditions in their

home and in their family are important. They usually set aside a specific
day for a certain celebration like festivals, birthday parties, reunions, etc.
Of course, every gathering is dedicated to keeping up with each other
over sumptuous food.

 Filipinos love to party Yes, Filipinos love to hold celebrations and

fiestas. Bacolod has its MassKara Festival, Davao has its
Kadayawan Festival, and Marinduque has its Moriones Festival.

Filipinos have the longest Christmas celebrations—ever Even as

early as August, you can hear Christmas songs and jingles being played in
the malls or in the restaurants in the Philippines. The mood becomes
festive, with many people shopping and in good spirits. Christmas
celebrations last until around the first or second week of January.

 Filipinos love to eat Aside from breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Filipinos manage to squeeze in a little meal in between, too. Whether they
eat every hour or every three hours, they savour every bite. Oh, and they
do love going to buffets!

 Filipinos love to sing This is the reason why karaoke has become
so prevalent. As part of their recreation, Filipinos spend some quality time
with their families or friends singing or belting out new and old songs.

 Filipinos love art and architecture Just look at the massive and
tall buildings everywhere. Filipinos have a penchant for bringing art
and architecture to a whole new level. They love to design creatively,
to think intuitively, and have a passion for anything different and unique.

JAPAN

 Traditional Tea Ceremonies Japanese Culture Facts

-traditional tea ceremonies in Japan Tea ceremonies are a common part
of Japanese culture. This formal yet stylized custom is taken quite
seriously. These ceremonies have been greatly influenced by
Buddhist practices and the event can be likened to a meditative
experience. Japanese tea ceremonies possess deep meaning to the
country and those who are invited should feel quite honored.

 The Sacred Practice of Giving Gifts Japanese Culture Facts

- gift giving in japan Another Japanese tradition that is extremely
prevalent throughout the culture is gift giving. When meeting with
business associates or arriving at someone’s home you have been invited
to, it is particularly important to show respect and gratitude by presenting
your hosts with a gift. There are a variety of gifts that are acceptable;
these largely depend on the occasion and your current relationship to
the recipient.

 Festive and Celebratory Bonenkai Parties Japanese Culture Facts

- Kampai celebration in japan Each December, Japan is swarming
with Bonenkai parties. Bonenkai party means “forget the year party” and is
a way for the Japanese people to leave behind their troubles from the
current year and look optimistically towards a new one. Pretty much
every company will throw one of these parties, but there will also be
private ones among friends and family.

 Kampai: A Reverent Social Convention Japanese Culture Facts

- festive bonenkai parties in japan Whenever you are out drinking
with Japanese people, you’re going to hear the word “Kampai” quite a
few times. This is akin to “Cheers” in English-speaking countries and
translates to “dry glass” or “bottoms up”. Be mindful when partaking in
alcoholic beverages, however, as it is considered rude to pour yourself a
drink; another guest should take care of this for you and you should do
the same for others.

 Not Tipping: A Custom Rooted in Respect Japanese Culture Facts

- tips in japan Among all the festivities and drinks, your natural instincts
might kick in and convince you to leave a tip on your way out of the
bonenkai party or business meeting. Under no circumstances should
you leave a tip in any situation while visiting Japan.

 Public Sleeping Japanese Culture Facts

- public sleeping in japan While in Japan, foreigners might find it odd to
see people sleeping in public places like on trains, park benches, and
similar locations. Pay no attention to this, however, as it is quite common.
It is called inemuri, which translates to “sleep while being present.”
 Technological differences in the City
(Smart City VS. Normal City)

Connected objects

Think about the sorts of things you might see when you’re walking
down an average city street - buildings, cars, lampposts, trees, trash cans,
and more. In a smart city, you might want to take a second look at some
of these everyday objects. The Internet of Things opens up a huge range
of possibilities.Let’s use lampposts as an example. A regular city has
regular lampposts. But in a smart city, there could be a whole lot more
going on than meets the eye.A smart lamppost will not only incorporate
things like LED light bulbs to reduce energy usage, but could also have
sensors installed. These sensors could measure a slew of different things,
like whether or not there are people on the street in order to dim and
brighten lighting as necessary. It could even measure something
city government officials are interested in studying, like air quality.

Engaged citizens

In a smart city, citizens create the city. They’re active participants in

shaping the city and how it works. This difference between smart cities
and normal cities often gets overlooked, but citizen participation is
essential to a smart city.That means smart cities are adaptable to their
citizens’ needs, and can grow and change with their residents .Detroit
recently did a smart city project where they gave teens kits to collect their
own data, like foot traffic, air quality, and temperature - and then come up
with solutions. The very same technology is also used in cities around the
world to measure structural integrity. They adapted it so that anybody could
use it on the go to help make their city a better place.That means that
citizens can work on solutions to problems quickly and flexibly. It also
means that real people’s everyday problems can be addressed. Sometimes,
city officials in a regular city may not even realize that a certain issue needs
fixing. But in a smart city, citizens can make sure they know about it, and
even offer solutions.

Streamlined transportation

In a regular city, you might have to wait for a long time for the next
bus to come without a good idea of when it will actually show up. On
the city planning side, they’re making a best guess at what bus routes
citizens need.In a smart city, you’ll be able to consult up-to-the-second
information about bus arrival times, whether that’s with a smartphone app
or a bus station with a display with the latest information. The bus routes
will also be able to be optimally planned using data about real people’s
behavior. You could even have a bot, like our own Intelligent City Bot, to
help guide people around the transportation system.All around, this makes
the transportation process more efficient and effective for everyone.

Environmentally friendly

There’s a difference between smart cities and sustainable cities,

which are solely focused on making cities environmentally friendly. But
there is a lot of overlap, so smart cities often end up being sustainable
ones, too.Tracking data can help cities design more energy-efficient policies
and identify areas they can improve. It can help cities figure out what its
citizens are really doing and present more efficient solutions.By using
smart lampposts like the ones we described earlier, the city of Barcelona
reduced their energy usage by 30%, resulting in $37 million saved each
year.

Optimal budget planning

Cost management is a big issue for city governments and

administrations, and it can be difficult to allocate budgets to cover all the
different needs a city has. But because smart city technologies prioritize
efficiency, they provide lots of opportunities to reduce spending. In one
California City, these technologies helped the city reduce water consumption
by 20%.They can also help local administrations pinpoint where the real
issues they need to address are by using data. This means that instead
of making educated guesses, they can make budgetary decisions based on
real needs. Some tools, like our award-winning Smart Social Care, can
even predict where the areas are going to be that need the most help in
the future.One study estimates that,cities can save up to $3.49 in their
overall state budget for every $1 they spend on technology.These are just
a few things that make a smart city smart. When comparing smart cities
vs. regular cities, it’s clear there are lots of ways that citizens and
governments alike can benefit. Any city can become a smart city - it just
takes a bit of technology!

Differences in the City in terms of Social Class

(Social class in the Philippines)

Social class - contray to popular belief, social class is more than just
about how much money your making.The three social class in the
Philippines are as follows:
  The low income class
- Between the poverty line.

 The middle income class

-Most of them live in urban areas , especially in Metro Manila and
nearby areas

 The high income class

- The higher level of disposal income and exert more control over the use
of the natural resources.

Differences in the City in terms of living

When it comes to weighing out the differences between urban,

suburban, and rural living experiences, it can be difficult to determine what’s
true and what’s merely a humorous or exaggerated stereotype. In this
guide, we’ll walk through the differences between these living situations
and draw attention to certain aspects of living, such as transportation,
commute, lifestyle, and more
.
Cost of Living

This is a hugely important factor in deciding where you want to live.

We all operate on a budget, whether it’s large or small. None of us have
an infinite amount of money to spend on a house or apartment. We must
decide how much we can realistically afford to spend on our house or
apartment. Since all our budgets are different, it's important to know how
much you can expect to pay in each type of setting
.
Cost of Living in the City (City living vs suburban living)

It’s difficult to judge which is more expensive to live in — the city or

the suburbs. While you might expect that housing prices in cities are higher
than anywhere else, that’s not necessarily the case. The average monthly
rent in an urban setting is $1640.The average two-bedroom apartment in
NYC is $3411 each month, as of September 2017.Of course, this
information should be taken with a grain of salt. Some cities, such as the
obvious example of New York City, have rent that’s astronomically higher
than this average.And that’s a decrease from last year.Other smaller cities
will most likely offer much cheaper rent than the larger cities. Beyond
this, neighborhoods in different cities will have differing price ranges.
To continue with our New York City example, rent in the East Village will be
far more expensive than rent in the South Bronx.And of course, these
figures, while accurate, are hard to trust. After all, many city renters are
flocking to the suburbs to find cheaper rent rates. There’s so much variation
from city to city, suburb to suburb and neighborhood to neighborhood. The
only way to know for sure is to look at the city and suburbs you live in
and compare the two.If you have your heart set on living in the city but
think you can’t afford it, consider looking in a different neighborhood, or in a
smaller city altogether. You might be surprised by the affordable prices you
can find.

Cost of Living in the Suburbs

On average, suburban living spaces tend to cost more than urban

spaces, which may come as a surprise. The average monthly suburban
rent comes in at $1695, just over $50 more expensive than the urban
average. While $50 may not sound like a lot, it can add up very quickly
when compounded over multiple months.Again, however, expect some
variation in these numbers. Different cities will create different types of
suburbs that lead to different costs of living. Beyond this, suburbs naturally
divide further into smaller neighborhoods. Naturally, some of the
Neighborhoods will be more or less expensive than others.

Cost of Living in Rural Areas

Rural living offers the lowest housing prices, by far. Now, this isn’t to
say that there aren’t expensive, luxury houses in the country, but they tend
to be few and far between. In almost every situation, country housing prices
will be much more affordable than urban or suburban costs.Keep in mind
that even though you’ll be spending less on rent in the country, you may
end up making up the price difference in other ways. Depending where you
live, you may need to drive 30 minutes or an entire hour to reach your
grocery store, a mall, a movie theater, or even your job. With gas prices as
what they are, this can add up very quickly.

Transportation
(Advantages of Living in a Rural Area)

Transportation looks vastly different in urban, suburban, and

rural communities. In some situations, you’ll find yourself riding trains
and subways, in others it’ll be almost entirely cars and in still others, you
can do a lot of walking. Each living situation offers possibilities, and it
comes down to which are most convenient for you and which fit the most
neatly into your lifestyle.
 Transportation in the City

When you live in a city, your transportation situation will be greatly

dependent on what size city you’re living in. If it’s a small city, you’ll likely
still own a car and use it to drive yourself everywhere. You might also walk
some places on foot if they aren’t too far, but you’ll probably be very
dependent on your car.If you’re looking at bigger cities, however, a
car might not be necessary. Instead, you’ll ride a subway, train, bus, or
other form of public transportation everywhere you go. Otherwise, you’ll
walk. Having a car in a big city simply isn’t practical — the traffic is crazy,
there’s no place to park and it’s often faster to walk than to drive.All of
this means you’ll save big on things like gas bills, car insurance, and car
maintenance, not to mention the cost of buying a car itself. In exchange
however, you’ll have to buy things like bus passes, metro cards, and
similar items to let you access your cities public transportation systems.

Transportation in the Suburbs

This is an in-between situation where you’ll likely have a few

different options. You’ll almost certainly need a car if you live in the
suburbs. It would be very hard to live your daily life without one.
However, depending on your city, the public transportation systems may
extend out into your part of the suburbs.You may also still be able to get
around on foot, depending on your neighborhood and how close you are
to shopping centers or local business districts.

Transportation in Rural Areas

If you’re living in a rural setting, there’s typically no way around it —

you’ll need a vehicle. There is no other way to get from place to place.
This can be a positive thing. You don’t have to worry about buying
public transportation passes or the hassle of learning your way around bus
stops and subway stations. Of course, this also means that now you must
worry about things like car maintenance and repair, insurance, and
other responsibilities that go along with owning a car.However, being limited
to driving can also be a negative. If you love walking down the street to
your favorite coffee shop or window shopping as you walk along a busy
street, these activities will be off the table unless you feel like driving into
the city and parking your car somewhere first.
 Amount of Space

Space is important to all of us. Whether you live by yourself, with a

roommate or spouse or with a family of 10, you need your space. However,
some of us are content with a tiny studio apartment, while others prefer a
large house with a sprawling yard. Neither is right or wrong, and both can
be perfect for different people. Urban, suburban, and rural settings offer
wildly different amounts of space, with some small variations.

City

Urban settings typically do not offer much space. Of course, there’s

an exception to every rule, but this rule is pretty hard and fast. Apartments
come in all shapes and sizes, from studios to sprawling multi-bedrooms
palaces. However, large apartments are scarce and tend to be very
expensive. The odds of finding yourself in a small apartment are very high.
Even if you do manage to snag a gorgeous four-bedroom apartment, you
might have little to no outdoor space. You may have a balcony, but it will
likely be your only private outdoor space. If you don’t have a porch or
balcony, you’re probably don’t have any outdoor space at all.A house
will be very similar. If you do find a house in the city, you may also gain
access to a tiny, fenced backyard. Even in this scenario, however, any
yard you do have will likely be very small.Cities, by definition, tend to be
lacking in space. They consist of thousands or millions of people all
cramped together in a small amount of space — naturally, there isn’t a lot
to go around. If space is something you feel you need a lot of, and
particularly outdoor space, this may be a serious drawback for you.

Suburbs
.
As is often the case, a suburban setting marks a great balance city
and country — in particular, the amount of space offered by each.In
a suburban setting, houses will likely be bigger than any in the city.
Three- and four-bedroom houses are common, as are houses with multiple
stories, basements, and garages. Unless you have an enormous family,
you’ll likely find all the indoor space you’ll need in the suburbs.There’s
also more outdoor space in the suburbs. You’ll most likely have both a front
and a back yard, although the size of these yards will be dependent on
what kind of neighborhood you live in. It will most likely be relatively small —
at least when compared to the yards you’ll find in rural settings.You may
also find yourself in a suburban apartment, townhouse or housing
 development. Most apartments and townhouses will have less indoor
space than traditional houses. It’s also important to note that most
developments, whether they’re communities of houses or apartments, will
likely have less outdoor space.

Rural

If you’re the type of person who craves plenty of space, then rural
living might be for you. In rural settings, you’ll have enough space for
anything you can imagine. The houses are roughly the same size as the
houses you’ll find in the suburbs, although you may be able to find larger
houses for more affordable prices, since many country houses are older.
The real treasure here is the amount of outdoor space. Of course, not
every country house has a large yard. There are plenty of small towns in
rural areas where houses have very small yards. However, country houses
tend to have more outdoor space, generally. Plenty of these houses sit on
lots of multiple acres, and some properties contain woods, streams, ponds,
and other natural wonders.You’re also likely to have more space between
you and any neighbors in rural areas. Again, this isn’t always the case, as
on the main streets of many small country towns. But most of the time,
you’ll be able to enjoy your outdoor space without being three feet away
from your neighbors.

Commute
.
While the answers to this category might be obvious, it’s still worth
mentioning since commute time is such an important part of every
working adult’s life. For many people, a commute can make or break a job
offer or potential housing situation.

Commuting in the City

If you live and work in the same city, you’ll most likely be quite close
to your place of work. Your commute will either consist of walking,
accessing public transportation or both. If you do use public transportation,
an excellent way to make your commute less painful is to multi-task during
it. You can answer emails on your phone on the bus, listen to an audio
book,or engage in any other activity that might be difficult to do if you had to
drive.
 Commuting in the Suburbs

In a suburban setting, you’ll probably have to drive to work. The good

news is that this will likely be a short drive. Even if you commute, most
suburbs are within 30 minutes of the city. The advantage of driving to work
is that you stay out of the elements you’d be exposed to if you were walking,
and you get to stay away from the lovely sights, sounds and smells of
public transportation.

Commuting in Rural Areas

Unless you’re lucky enough to work someplace in the country, you’ll

most likely have to commute to the suburbs or the city. This can add up to
a lot of hours in the car, especially when you consider the amount of time
you’ll spend in rush hour traffic. Again, however, you get to make this drive
in the comfort of your own car, safe and sound from any elements. This
long drive also might provide the slight advantage of giving you time to
wake up in the morning before you arrive at work.

Lifestyle

This is a much less definite category than some of the others.

Lifestyle can encompass a wide range of things, and likely means
something slightly different to everyone. Nevertheless, it’s an important
aspect of deciding where to live, as everyone has a different way of living.

Lifestyle in the City

Do you love culture? Nightlife? Shopping? Music, theaters and

museums? Do you love unique restaurants and dining experiences? If so,
the urban lifestyle is for you. If you live in the city, you’re only a quick walk
or a bus ride away from the most current trends in entertainment, the
latest fashions, and the most up-to-date thinkers in the world. World-
class concerts and plays are more likely to make stops near you. New
stores and trends will hit your location first. You’re more likely to meet
people from all over the world and have access to famous speakers and
events. People come from all over the world to gain access to this level of
culture, and you could live right in the middle of it. The urban lifestyle is
also extremely fast-paced. While you’ll certainly find all kind of people in
any city, most city-dwellers tend to adhere to a more urgent pace of
living. Something is always happening, and people tend to be slightly
more aggressive and less likely just to stop and smell the roses.
 Lifestyle in the Suburbs

All kinds of people live in the suburbs. You’ll find single people,
elderly couples, and newlyweds. However, it’s impossible to deny
the overwhelming number of families you’ll find living in the suburbs.
Suburbs are a great place to raise children. You’re close to businesses
and organizations your kids can join, the schools tend to be fairly good
and you’re still close to the city, where you might work. You’re also
probably surrounded by other families with children who your kids can
be friends with. While anyone can live in and enjoy the suburbs,
they’re particularly beneficial if you have children.Once again, the suburbs
seem to have the perfect balance of urban and suburban cultures. You’re
still just a short drive from all the culture and happenings of the city life, but
you also have the options to pull back from the entire bustle and retreat to
your quiet neighborhood at night. There will be plenty of days in the
suburbs where life is so quiet you might forget how close you are to the city.

Lifestyle in Rural Areas

The rural lifestyle is, in many ways, the opposite of the urban lifestyle.
If the urban lifestyle prizes an aggressive, go-getter attitude, the rural
lifestyle is much more focused on enjoying the simpler things in life. Of
course, this is a generalization, and not everyone fits into this category at
all. People who live in the country often drive all the way into either
suburbs or the city for work, so it’s entirely inaccurate to imagine country
dwellers as uncultured or anything of the sort. However, it’s true to say that
it’s much more difficult to drive into the city for a concert, a museum, or
anything else of this sort if you live in a rural setting. For lack of a more
elegant phrasing, there’s a lot less to do in the country, so life just tends to
move at a slower pace. This doesn’t mean you can’t get a great job, have
friends, or have fun if you live in the country. It just means you might have
to look a little harder for entertainment than you would if you lived in a city.
The rural lifestyle can be wonderfully refreshing. If you love nature,
quiet activities such as reading or very full-time hobbies that would be
difficult to pursue in a more distracting atmosphere, the rural lifestyle might
be just the ticket.

Religion

Religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and

world views that relate humanity to an order of existence.Many religions
have narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that are intended to explain
the meaning of life and/or to explain the origin of life or the Universe.
From their beliefs about the cosmos and human nature, people derive
morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle.

According to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in

the world.Many religions may have organized behaviors, clergy, a definition
of what constitutes adherence or membership, holy places, and scriptures.
The practice of a religion may also include rituals, sermons, commemoration
or veneration of a deity, gods or goddesses, sacrifices, festivals, feasts,
trance, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation,
prayer, music, art, dance, public service or other aspects of human culture.
II. CITY LIFE
AND
INFORMAL
SETTLERS
 City Life

City life or urban life is relate to the way of living adopted in densely
populated human settlements and to the conditions and the quality of life
in cities.

Urban settlers

 There are the ones who experienced most of the city's lifestyle
 They quickly adapt to new trends
 The cosmopolites are professionals, students, professionals, and
basically people that have been drawn to the city because of the benefits

Characteristics

 Densely populated
 Products and services can be unpredictable at its cost
 Not cosidered as nature friendly
 Full of excitement
 Everything isn't permanent

Problems and challenges

1. Environmental threats

Rapid urbanization, which strains basic infrastructure, coupled with

more frequent and extreme weather events linked to global climate change
is exacerbating the impact of environmental threats. Common
environmental threats include flooding, tropical cyclones (to which coastal
cities are particularly vulnerable), heat waves and epidemics.

Owing to the physical and population density of cities, such threats

often result in both devastating financial loss and deaths. Making cities
more resilient against these environmental threats is one of the
biggest challenges faced by city authorities and requires urgent attention.

2. Resources

Cities need resources such as water, food and energy to be viable.

Urban sprawl reduces available water catchment areas, agricultural lands
and increases demand for energy. While better application of technology
can boost agricultural productivity and ensure more efficient transmission
 of electricity, many cities will continue to struggle to provide these resources
to an ever-growing urban population. Beyond these basic requirements;
haphazard growth will see the reduction of green spaces within cities,
negatively affecting liveability. As fresh water becomes scarce and fertile
lands diminish, food prices may escalate, hitting the poorest hardest.

3. Inequality

When it comes to both the provision of basic resources and

resilience against environmental threats, the forecast is uneven for
different groups of urban inhabitants. As the number of urban super-rich
grows, many cities will also see increased numbers of urban poor. The
widening gap between the haves and have-nots will be accentuated in
the megacities of the future. Such inequalities, when left unchecked,
will destabilize society and upend any benefits of urban development.
There is a critical need for policy-makers to ensure that the fruits of
progress are shared equitably.

4. Governance

Future cities offer immense possibilities to enrich the lives of

their inhabitants even as the challenges are stark. To make the best out
of inevitable urbanization, good governance is imperative. Cities will
increase in size and their populations become more diverse. Governing
these cities will, therefore, be progressively complex and require the
most dedicated of minds.

l
 ADVANTAGES OF CITY LIFE

City life is much modern and fun. People enjoy luxuries and
comfortable amenities. There are number of facilities available in the city
that are not available to those living in small towns. There is nothing which
a person cannot find in a city. Even though everything is expensive here
but people still prefer living in a city rather than a village.Like the two sides
of the coin, city life has also benefits and drawbacks, but we’re going to
shed more light on its significance, which are as follows:

1. Education

Life in a big city is full of competition and opportunities for the

students. Big cities have better education opportunities. The schools and
Colleges here are equipped with a good infrastructure and all the modern
facilities to offer a great learning experience. These schools allow the
students to explore their interest from the very beginning as they do not
just focus on the academics but also on extracurricular activities. A
number of activities are introduced for the proper growth and
development of the students and also to help them identify their areas
of interest.

 Better Infrastructure

Compared to small towns and villages, the quality of education

provided in the big cities is quite high. The schools here are equipped
with all kinds of facilities. From well equipped laboratories to state of
the art sports complexes – they have it all. The faculties recruited for
these schools are highly educated and well-versed in their subjects. The
management here is experienced and is driven to improve the standard
of education. They are focused on building the future of the students and
work hard to achieve this goal. The competition is high and students
develop competitive spirit from an early age.

 Variety of Courses

Unlike small towns and villages, there are various colleges in big
cities. These colleges offer numerous courses specializing in different
fields. In order to seek admission in a specialized course in a good college,
the students are mostly required to clear entrance exam. Big cities
encompass good coaching centres that train the students to crack these
 entrance exams and get admission in the college of their choice.
Students who get the opportunity of studying in big cities can thus choose
from a wide variety of courses and pursue a career of their choice. They
stand a better chance of building a bright career. Big cities are especially
good when it comes to higher studies because of the variety of courses
available here. This is the reason why many students relocate to these
cities to pursue higher education.

2. Better Medical Facilities

Medical facilities are excellent in cities. There are number of

hospitals, pharmacies and diagnostic centers available in cities. City
hospitals are equipped with modern machines and equipment to deal with
any kind of emergency. There are many qualified doctors and nurses in
cities to treat sick people.

3. Job Opportunities

There are plenty of jobs available for individuals in cities. These

job opportunities are for everyone, from daily wagers to professionals. A
person can easily find a job that suits him or he can start his own business
too. There is immense scope for business growth here if a person works hard.

4. Entertainment Opportunities

Cities have big trade centers where people can buy everything.
Moreover, there are number of cinemas and restaurants with better food
where everyone can eat and enjoy with family. There are many parks
and gardens for children too where they can play and enjoy
.
5. Easier Communication

Science has made the world smaller. It has invented and discovered
many means and ways of communication. So communication has
become easier. In a city, people can communicate with one another
over telephone, cellphone, computer, etc through less convenience

6. Easier Transportation

People do not have to walk long distances. In the city, there are many
sorts of vehicles that allow people to get to a location sooner and with
less difficulty.
 7. More scope of art, culture, and literature

As there are so many cultural centers and literary cubs in cities,

people have greater opportunities to engage in art, culture, and literature.

8. More Recreational Facilities

People in cities have greater leisure opportunities. There are

several movie theaters, theaters, bars, parks, and other attractions.

9. More Comfortable Domestic Life

Domestic life is more pleasant in a metropolis. A woman does not

need to go fetch water or gather firewood to light a kerosene lamp,
for example.
10. More Civic Facilities

People in cities have access to greater municipal amenities; they

have everything at their fingertips.

DISADVANTAGES OF CITY LIFE

People have varied views on what it means to live in a city. Some

people are drawn to the bright lights and bustle of city living. On the other
hand, there is no such thing as an unmixed blessing on this planet.
Everything has advantages and disadvantages. Similarly, city living has
several drawbacks, which include the following:
.
1. Social Distancing

Everyone is so busy in city life that they do not time for each other.
They live a very stressful life. Social bonding is also absent in city life.
They do not even know about their neighbors fully well.It is totally
normal for people to be neighbors without taking interest in other
people’s happiness and sadness. They are so busy in their race
towards success and power that they not have time for their families too.
This is creating a gap between family bonding. They do get successful in
the end but unfortunately, they do not have anyone at that time to share
their success and happiness
.
2. Pollution

There is a lot of pollution in city. There are different chemical

 industries in cities, their smoke directly goes into atmosphere and pollutes
environment. Moreover, different types of vehicles run in cities and
these vehicles emit smoke which pollutes the air.

3. Traffic Jam Issues

Traffic problem is another major problem in cities. Since

everyone is shifting from villages to cities that is why population in
cities is beyond normal level. This uncontrolled population has caused
many problems. Since everyone goes to work on his own personal
vehicle so the traffic jams have now become a part of daily life. AS a result
of this, people get late from their office.

4. Higher Standard of Living

In a city the standard of living is costlier and higher. People of
limited income lead income their life through much hardship, the price of
things are very higher.

5. More Violence and Crime

Crime figures for the city are always higher than that of rural areas.
People who live in the city are exposed to a violent environment on the
streets. More violence and crime takes place in a city, the criminals
do not hesitate to commit crime, violence, killing, hijacking, and so many
crimes and anti-social activities.

6. More in secured Life

In a city, life is more secure. People lack protection and security, as

well as the opportunity to appreciate natural beauty such as lovely flowers
and murmuring streams on the ground below. They cannot even hear
the sweet songs of birds.

7. Less scope of getting fresh things

There is less scope of getting fresh things , in a city there is

adulteration in everything

8. Less scope of enjoying life

Life here is so artificial that man loses his divine origin and becomes
almost a machine.
 9. Overcrowded

As population density in cities increases, it leads to overcrowding. As

more people join the cities rush each day increases, roads and
freeways became crowded.

10. Greater spread of illness

People who live in cities are constantly exposed to an unhealthy

lifestyle that leads to health problems.

Conclusion

City life offers a higher standard of living and a better way of

life. It broadens an individual's horizons and provides opportunities in a
variety of fields. Cities have their own set of benefits, but they also have
their own set of disadvantages. However, we must always see the bright
side of everything. Despite this, city life has its allure and beauty.
 INFORMAL SETTLERS

What is Informal settlers?

Informal settlersis a broad concept that refers to individuals and

groups who establish their principal residence in mostly urban areas and
types of dwellings considered illegal or in discord with the dominant social
norms. Informal settlers are the main producers of the city in the Global:

▪One who settles on the land of another without title or right or

without the owner's consent whether in urban or rural areas.
▪Lots without the consent of the owner.
▪Danger areas along river banks (Examples: People's living in Squatter
Area or shanty towns)
▪Railways, under the bridge
▪Areas where groups of housing units have been constructed on land
that the occupants have no legal claim to, or occupy illegally. which is
illegal, falls outside of government control or regulation, or is not
afforded protection by the state. Due to the informal nature of
occupancy, the government will typically be unable to extract rent or
land taxes.

Why are there informal settlers?

Because informal settlers are interrelated factors have driven

the emergence of informal settlements: population growth; rural-urban
migration; lack of affordable housing; weak governance (particularly in
policy, planning and urban management); economic vulnerability and
low-paid work; marginalization; and displacement so that why people are
living in squatter areas

Who are considered as a informal settlers?

Those people living in slums and poor residential neighborhoods

is a global phenomenon accompanying the growth of urban populations.
An estimated 25% of the world’s urban population live in informal
settlements, with 213 million informal settlement residents added to the
global population
 Informal settlements are residential areas where:

▪ Inhabitants often have no security of tenure for the land or dwellings

they inhabit for example, they may squat or rent informally;
▪neighborhoods usually lack basic services and city infrastructure;
▪housing may not comply with planning and building regulations, and is
often situated in geographically and environmentally sensitive areas

In addition the considered as a informal settlers are the people who

are living illegally on lands that they don’t own without permission from
the owner. Informal settlers don’t live alone, mostly they live in groups.
Informal settling is the result of lack of opportunities. People tend to
migrate to other places because they cannot find jobs for their families.
They are finding jobs in other places to provide for their family and the
migration causes the over population in highly urbanized areas in the
country. Informal settling is the only option for workers that cannot afford
to rent a decent house near their work place.

CHARACTERISTIC OF Informal Settlers

The communities who live in urban informal settlements are diverse,

as are their environmental conditions:

 Inadequate access to safe water and sanitation,

 Poor quality of housing and,
 Overcrowding, and insecure residential status.

The communities who live in urban informal settlements are diverse,

as are their environmental conditions. The squatter settlement is
unplanned and has the following characteristics:

 overcrowded and noisy

 houses are made from cardboard, wood, corrugated iron,
plastic
 sheeting and metal from oil drums
 lack of sanitation, clean drinking water and open sewers
 poor waste management
 thousands of workshops and people employed in the informal
job sector
 PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGE OF
INFORMAL SETTLERS

More than a billion people live in marginal and informal settlements,

many without access to basic services, and very frequently in high-risk
areas. Their vulnerability to disaster events is often compounded by a
lack of infrastructure, environmental degradation, and increasing
challenges exacerbated by climate change and sea level rise. If there
is so much technology for prediction and prevention, why do governments
Or donors continue to struggle with losses in the same communities,
disaster after disaster? Evidence in the scientific community leads us to
believe the answer to this question lies in the process of how human
settlements are established and the underlying factors that encourage
the population within those communities to establish in high risk areas.

Traditionally, this problem has been addressed by trying to relocate

or upgrade the high risk communities. However, efforts to implement
relocation and upgrade projects without multi-stakeholder participation
and evaluation of complex social, economic and cultural factors that
Create and sustain such settlements often results in failure the resistance
of the population. This leads to a waste of government and donor
resources and time with little to no significant improvement on the problem.

Over the course of three field research trips to the Philippines and
Chile, one of our faculty/staff research teams (Dr. Cuadra, Dr. Dilling, and
Ms. Samples, along with Dr. Brower from PA on two of the trips) delved
into the benefits and dilemmas encountered during the implementation of
relocation and upgrade programs designed to safeguard informal
settlements from natural phenomena. Their research effort was
specifically focused on the social, cultural and economic reasons that
influence informal settlers’ resistance, mistrust and ultimate abandonment
of relocation sites and withdrawal from upgrade projects. The work
included collection and analysis of qualitative data from in depth
community and government/donor interviews, focus groups, archival
research and field observations. Their findings have been presented and
published in a number of venues, as seen at the bottom of this page.

Informal, marginal settlements in the developing world are not

only increasing but worsening in the face of overpopulation,
economic instability and unprecedented climate variance.
In the Philippines, cities are powerful magnets for rural populations lacking
local opportunities and who seek to achieve prosperity for their immediate
and future generations. These centers of “possibilities” however fail to
provide basic needs and services for increasing numbers of internal
immigrants. UN Habitat reports that as of 2012, at least 63% of the 92
million Filipinos live in urban centers such as Metro Manila, or what is
officially called the National Capital Region (NCR). An estimated 3.1
million of them lack secure land tenure and 2.7 are informal settlers
living in slums (Karaos, Nicolas, Rabacal et al, 2012). The Philippines,
like many island countries, suffers from land deficit; housing is not only
difficult but economically unfeasible for the urban poor. Thus, the urban
poor are unconsciously driven to areas otherwise unsuitable for housing
These danger zones are prone to flooding, seismic activity and
landslides. Living in these areas exposes informal settlers to a vicious
repeat cycle of destruction and loss of life.

What is the source of a community’s resistance to relocate in the

face of continuing risk? Some studies suggest that the place that we call
home is not just a point in a geographical setting. Communities develop
shared values and shared identity with place (Hewitt, K 1997). The
Filipino government is currently on a crusade to address this problem by
planning to relocate the individuals at high risk; they have certainly
found opposition from the settlers.

Solution and Recommendations for the

Improvement of Informal Settlers

1. Provide a variety of housing options in regards to tenure and payment,

such as short-term rental, long-term lease, cohousing, and financed
purchase;
2. invest in education, healthcare, and social services .

Another solution and recommendations are as follows:

1. contain city sprawl;

2. Create tenure systems through land pooling and plotting;
3. Effect participatory and incremental regularizing of “informal urban
types” and properties;
4. Implement localized planning and improved information management
systems;
5. Identify appropriate housing forms for the city’s future;
 6. Reduce plot sizes; and (7) regularize and improve exterior public
spaces.

Additionally, Janice Perlman4 sets forth eight recommendations

for the improvement of informal settlements:

1. Provide a variety of housing options in regards to tenure and

payment, such as short-term rental, long-term lease, cohousing,
and financed purchase;
2. Invest in education, healthcare, and social services for people,
not just in infrastructure and buildings;
3. Involve the community in planning and on-going decisions;
4. Provide a stronger government presence in informal settlements;
5. Continue improving and integrating previous government-
sponsored projects and fringe neighbourhoods;
6.Prevent rogue developers and landlords from conducting
fraudulent property sales and housing rental practices;
7. Secure land and housing in anticipation of future migration and
population growth; and (8) foster expansion and increased
density according to the long-term needs of the city and the best
interests of the residents.

When commissioning guidelines to improve informal communities

governments should identify their resources before contractors begin
their planning efforts. This should include not just financial resources but
also other resources available to the government, such as the workforce
and equipment that can be furnished by public sector divisions, NGO
partners that can contribute with materials and volunteer labor, and
the presence of local skilled workers. For example, the state might have
the financial means to clear the land and lay the foundation for a
development; an NGO might construct the posts and floors; and
local laborers/future residents could complete the building envelope and
do finishing work. For their part, planners and architects working in
LMICs should develop phased and flexible implementation plans that take
into account the resources and material constraints of the local
government.
Description:
Train your eye and improve your observation skills by playing this
simple but fun picture game. As the name implies, you should be
able to spot the difference between the given pictures.

What to do?
 Choose a member of your group to represent you.
 We will be giving two images of cities in this activity. Within 30
seconds, you must determine the differences between the two
and share them to the class.
 ASSIGNMENT
Instructions: Kindly answer the following questions in MS Word.
When you're done, send it to our group chat with your name written
on it. The deadline for submissions is October 7, 2021 (Thursday).

1. How would you describe a city in your own words? (5pts)

2. Differentiate between the Smart City and the Normal City in

terms of technical distinctions in the city. (5pts)

3. In our report, we talked about three different socioeconomic groups

in the Philippines: low income, middle income, and high income.
Do you believe it still exists today? If so, how does it influence people's
lives, particularly those who reside in cities? (5pts)

4. After learning about the benefits and drawbacks of city living.

Do you still want to be a city dweller? Why or why not? Justify your
viewpoint. (5pts)

5. Why do you think there are so many informal settlers in our country?
What are your suggestions/recommendations as a social studies
education student to effectively alleviate the problem? (5pts)

II. Make a comprehensive explanation on the topic "Negotiating Diversities in the

City" through an infographic. In creating the infographic, the information must
based from the discussion and the important concepts understood from the
topic.

The output will be graded with this criteria:

Content-10 pts
Organization-10 pts
Design/ Creativity-5 pts
 ASSESSMENT
Link:
 REFERENCES
Negotiating Differences in the Cities
 Macomber J. (2016, January 18). The 4 Types of Cities and How to
Prepare them for the Future. Retrieved October 1, 2021, from
https://hbr.org/2016/01/the-4-types-of-cities-and-how-to-prepare-them-for-
the-future

 (2018, February 2). The Differences between City, Suburban, and

Rural Living. Retrieved October 1, 2021, from
https://www.rentpmi.com/blog/2018/02/02/the-differences-between-city-
suburban-and-rural-living/

 Lampard E. (2021). City. Retrieved October 1, 2021, from

https://www.britannica.com/topic/city/Industrialization-and-the-modern
-world

 (2021). Smart City Vs. Normal City: What are the Differences?.
Retrieved October 1, 2021, from
https://blog.bismart.com/en/smart-city-vs-normal-city-what-are-the-
differences-sciencedaily.com

City Life
 Oliveira et al .(2020, April 25). Urban Lifestyles and Consumption
Patterns. Retrieved September 29, 2021, from
https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-957
17-3_54

 (2020, August 10). Life in a Big City Essay. Retrieved September 29,
2021, from https://phdessay.com/life-in-a-big-city-essay/
 Chee C. (2021). 5 Big Challenges Facing Big Cities of the Future.
Retrieved September 29, 2021, from
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/10/the-5-biggest-challenges-cities
-will-face-in-the-future/

Informal Settlers

 Vohapuglo L. (2021). Strategies for Improving Informal Settlers.

Retrieved September 29, 2021, from
http://www.buffalo.edu/globalhealthequity/Resources/policy-briefs/issue-2-
-strategies-for-improving-informal-settlements.html#:~:text=Additionally%
2C%20Janice%20Perlman4%20sets,education%2C%20healthcare%2C
%20and%20social%20services

 (2021).Informal Settlers and Disasters. Retrieved September

30, 2021, from https://em.fsu.edu/research-informal.php

 (2021).Informal Settlements. Retrieved September 30, 2021 from,

https://gsdrc.org/topic-guides/urban-governance/key-policy-challenges/
informal-settlements/