After leaving my rural hometown for a big city, I never thought I'd be back. Now that I am, I can't believe I ever left.

I never imagined I'd trade a big city for my rural hometown, but now I've never been happier.

Abigail Ali

Growing up, all I wanted was to leave my rural hometown of Edenton, North Carolina, behind and move to a big city.Alongside a population of less than 5,000, Edenton has one big grocery store and a downtown that really just consists of a single short main street.Almost every bar and restaurant closes by 10 p.m. on the dot, and it feels impossible to walk through town without seeing a familiar face at least every five minutes.I was tired of small-town living and craved a place full of exciting experiences, trendy restaurants, professional theater productions, and high-profile events — all things I'd never found where I grew up.At last, at 23, I made it to one of those big cities I'd dreamed about when I moved to Chicago to pursue my master's degree in journalism.As I packed my bags, I swore I'd never return to my rural roots and I didn't even think I'd miss them much. It turned out I was wrong about both things.As much as I loved living in Chicago, I couldn't make it work

Living in Chicago felt like endless opportunities were at my fingertips.

Abigail Ali