Distance?

I was checking some apartments for rent, on the google map, it clearly showed that it’s like 30-40 minutes from that apartment to school.

I talked to a friend, who is from Europe, about renting an apartment. I did some research on a website and found some apartments that looked pretty good. However, I still tried to look for an apartment that I can easily walk to school. But, eventually, I decided to stay in an apartment near a metro station and a bus stop. Normally, it takes around 30 or 40 minutes to school.

“Well, that’s very normal.” My friend said, She indicated that, in Europe, it’s normal to spend 30 to 40 minutes commuting to the place you work or the school you study. I should not expect to find a place that is super close to school.

Growing up in a country in Southeast Asia, which is very convenient. I usually don’t like to spend too much time commuting. I like to stay in a place where I don’t need to spend more than 20 or 25 minutes commuting to the office.

However, I truly have a different view of “distance” after traveling to many countries.

Previously, I was just thinking about staying in a place, which is close to downtown. So, I just need to take a bus or a metro to the city center in 15 minutes. But now, distance is not the key factor for me to consider. There are so many factors to consider such as the safety of the neighborhood, budget, transportation and so on.

Moreover, I don’t mind spending a little bit more time walking on the street during a trip. Spending more time experiencing a city is not bad to do while traveling. Additionally, in some cities, living downtown might not be the best option.