“What is so great about Iowa?”
That was the question I asked myself when I was looking at colleges. Coming from the great state of Illinois, where we have Chicago, the Cubs, Lake Michigan, the suburbs, and Portillo's traditional Chicago style food, I will admit it was hard to convince myself that Iowa could live up to my Illinois standards. After spending two years in the Hawkeye state, I can say that Iowa has surpassed my love of Illinois, but I wasn’t sure why until I set foot on the main street in my hometown of Rock Falls, Illinois.
Walking down the main street in Illinois, people passed by without noticing my existence at all. It seems that the citizens that walked the same streets as me are living in their own little world where they are the most important person all the time. In Iowa, I can walk down the main street in Waverly and make five new friends in a span of two blocks. Call it cliché, but Iowa nice is a real thing! Iowans seem to take more pride in who they are as a people and, because of this, go out of their way to make sure they are friendly to all they meet. Call me a dreamer if you want, but this fact was a nice (and welcomed) change from my Illinois upbringing.
Another thing that sets Iowa above the rest is the air. Again, call me a fool but there really is something different about the air in Iowa compared to anywhere else I have ever been. When I take a deep breath, I feel so empowered! My area of Illinois had a large concentration of factories, so air quality there was never the best. I remember hearing stories about how the orange glow emitted from the local steel mill would engulf the cities of Sterling and Rock Falls. The mill was polluting the entire environment around us, but they were also the largest employer in the county so people never complained. Coming from a dirty environment to an environment that is naturally clean is “a breath of fresh air” to these two lungs of mine.
Overall, my time in Iowa has been a wonderful experience. I love the people, I love the places, and I love all of the smiling faces that I have met through my travels. Iowa will always hold a special place in my heart. Iowa is where I lived in my undergraduate years and Iowa will most likely be where I attend graduate school. No matter where in the world I find myself, I know that I will always have a home in the great state of Iowa. The state song of Iowa sums up my love for this beautiful piece of God’s country best;
You asked what land I love the best, Iowa, tis Iowa,
The fairest State of all the west, Iowa, O! Iowa,
From yonder Mississippi’s stream
To where Missouri's waters gleam
O! fair it is as poet's dream, Iowa, in Iowa.
