Outsider on the Inside

 

It was a perfect day in Iowa. Sunshine, slight breeze, live local music, ample space to sprawl out on the green grass, local beer, and all of it surrounded by art.

 

This got me thinking of two things: 1) It was a nice day to be in Iowa and 2) Why Iowa gets such a bad rap from outsiders.

 

I’ll address No. 1 first.

 

I’ve already made a spiel about the Iowa weather, but I will re-iterate my point. I grew up in San Diego where the average temp is an easy 72 degrees and most days are bright and sunny. Sometimes there is a slight breeze. Unlike in Iowa, in San Diego there is no guessing game played with the weather. This is what I am used to; this is how my genes have adapted. Days in Iowa reminiscent of San Diego are rarities. But when they happen they, unlike the mundane perfect day in San Diego, are cherished.

 

Now I’ll address No. 2: Iowa’s bad rap.

 

My non-Iowan friends frequently ask when I am moving back to California. Many can’t believe I am here, and still many others can’t locate Iowa on a map. This is clearly a sign of xenophobic sun lubbers who probably squeaked by in ninth grade geography class. But as I sat on the grass that perfect Sunday afternoon listening to music and feeling the warm sun on my face I thought that these xenophobes did not know what they were missing.

 

People speak of the Iowa brain drain. People get a good education at extensive network of colleges and universities throughout the state and then they leave. Why? In my three years here those who can answer that question say they want to find better jobs or they want to try out life in a big city like Chicago or Minneapolis.

 

But this doesn’t take into account those who leave their native Iowa and choose to come back to raise their families. It also ignores those who leave Iowa perhaps after high school to attend college or explore the world but miss it and would move back if they could. There is specialness to Iowa that isn’t readily apparent from the outside. Those who grow up here understand this, and those who migrate here come to know it.

 

I felt its full force that beautiful day when it seemed the rest of the world was missing out on the easygoing and accessible nature of this place. There was no elbowing through a thick crowd or $10 watered-down drinks; just ample space to enjoy the day and life in Iowa—with no cover charge.

 

As more events like the Des Moines Arts Festival, 80/35 music festival (this weekend) and the weekly farmer’s markets around town continue to expand, Iowa may not seem such a far off and dismal place to outsiders. It may shake its fly-over status. It has the makings to become a destination point from all over the country where people can kick off their boots on a Sunday afternoon in the park and take in all it has to offer.

 

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