Uploaded on 2015-10-11 by AssilaWalid

1. **Political stability and safety** - Although safety can be seen differently than political stability, they both threat the basic survival feeling of feeling safe and secure. If there is no political stability, the city is prone to become a warzone, goods and other things will be difficult to flow in and out, and one's life is simply at risk. Safety on the other hand is less dramatic, but if there too many gangsters, gun possession, drug addicts/alcoholic or any other threats to safety, no one can feel safe and find it hard to live and cope with the constant fear of even doing everyday activities such as going to school or the grocery store. 2. **Infrastructure and sanitation standards** - this "governmental service" is quite taken for granted in the first world countries, but in countries who lack basic infrastructure of water and electricity, waste and sewage lines, such a quality will dramatically increase or decrease the livability of the city and comfort of its inhabitants and their satisfaction of basic needs. 3. **Job Opportunities** - simply if there is no income, the family will leave, even if the city is the most pleasant and enjoyable. This is simply so, because in the capitalist society/world, no money means no means to the basic needs of food, shelter, education, health care and simply everything needed for basic survival. 4. **Housing** - a shelter is a very basic need. If this need is unaffordable or out of reach, that city will unquestionably be unlivable. If housing is attained, but very expensive and a large deal of the salary goes to the rent, then many of the city's other qualities be seen less important because grappling with such an issue will be mentally exhausting. 5. **Transportation** - the efficiency, time needed and affordability of transporttion is just as important as the availability of the service itself. the city is not as small as villages and small towns and are not of a walkable distance as they used to be in the middle ages. People need to reach their work, entertainment, basic services such as schools, hospitals, grocery stores etc. and not everyone can afford a car or the gas to keep a car going. Transportation gives a sense of inclusion and should be accessible to all segments of the city's society. Q.2 I live currently in Abu Dhabi, but the story of my life has been that I lived every two-three years in a different city of a different country. And this is simply so becuase of the "Job Opportunity" factor.First with my father travelling with his family here and there for a job, and now me and my husband. We live in Abu Dhabi for the obvious and primary reason of the job opportunity. Any other reason is very secondary. To state five reasons is quite a challenge, as long as kept in mind and the first reason IS the reason, and the 4 other are simply complimentary: 1. Job opportunity 2. High standards of services such as infrastructure, transportation, health care, etc. ![infrastructure][1] ![transportation][2] 3. Safety - surveillance cameras are simply everywhere, in the streets, buildings, monitoring behavior and unwanted actions ![surveillance camera][3] 4. Public services of parks, places to walk, picnic, malls, etc. 5. Greenery and sustainability standards. Q3. 1. Political stability and safety - 95 2. Infrastructure and sanitation standards - 95 3. Job Opportunity - 90 4. Housing - 40 (great housing is *available*, but simply **too** expensive for any average inhabitant) 5. Transportation - 80 Overall score - 75 (much lower than scores given above because of unenjoyable climate, and lack of social connection as almost everyone is an international inhabitant who came for a job opportunity). Q4. If I were the mayor, and had the power to change just a single thing that would make the city sky-rocket in its livability is :reduce the real estate level, making housing more affordable and accessible to the average public. housing is very much available, just exaggeratedly expensive for no obvious reason other then the benefit for the real estate owners. Q5. Having the choice to move to another city is mainly a privilege and not always an option. And if someone is privileged with such an opportunity, most people would do it reluctantly because even though they are moving to a more ***livable*** city (depending on personal reasons), their city or hometown is part of the person/personality they are, and has their city been *livable* in the sense of the criteria of *livability*, they would not have dreamed to move and turn their back to their now-unlivable or less-livable city. City # 1: Leuven, Belgium Alhtough the chance for me to get a job in such a small city is very unlikely, I choose it becuase: 1. My hometown; close to heart, feeling of belonging and familiarity 2. Social connection; friends and family 3. All services of infrastructure, transportation provided with high standards 4. Education and health care of top quality and for free (becuase of my citizenship) 5. Agreeable climate, and green clean environment City # 2: Sharjah, U.A.E. It is a smaller, less luxurious city in the Emirates than Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but it provides a higher job opportunity possibility in it or Dubai which is of approximate distance. 1. Job Opprotunity 2. Good services of infrastructure and transportation and everyday services 3. More affordable housing than where I live now 4. Aproximaty to Dubai, for entertainment and opportunities 5. Family - relatives and a more homey envornment than international cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai City # 3: Stockholm/Helsinki/Oslo, any main Scandinavian city 1. Public services 2. Environment 3. Possible job opportunity 4. Culture and equality 5.Climate [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14445651068968408.jpg [2]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14445651323025448.jpg [3]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14445653049567001.jpg