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Old 05-19-2010, 07:23 AM
 
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
2,401 posts, read 4,347,219 times
Reputation: 1464

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Quote:
Originally Posted by lonelyinIOWA View Post
Well... I moved to Iowa because my husband is from here. AND now we are moving again...because I just couldnt ajust well to living out here. I would say that it was mostly the people that just rubbed me raw. But there are posistives about this area. I have no idea who told you the school suck but they are very very mistaken! That is one of the reasons we moved out here in the first place.
PRO- Schools...Teachers are great, high standards, great specials programs, etc... LOVE the SCHOOL SYSTEM!!!
- Safety, most cities are going to have crime... I know for a fact that Des Moines, Souix City & Iowa City don't even compare 1 tenth of portland, LA, Atlanta, Chicago, Saint Louis, etc... I live in a resort town on the border of South Dakota and Minneasota. Very little crime. Plus in a small town everyone know's eachother and if something seems out place it wont be but two buzzez of bees wing untill you know about it. SO safety, YES its great don't worry

My Cons (why I just couldn't live here anymore)
- Livestyle is so slow, quite, and not exciting in the least bit. Its also very lonely, I mean lonely. If you are moving to a smaller town make sure you know someone who has a few friends already or you will be by yourself with no one to talk to and nowhere to go... Makes things very isolating.
- People are DIFFERENT... They work hard! I mean hard, plus they seem to have a little cranky attitude toward people from outside areas who don't want to work until the croak and get burried. That's right, don't talk about RETIREMENT>>> cause that just isn't an option they will classify you as lazy right of the bat! Plus don't do anything wrong, say anthing that might be wrong, don't walk the wrong way, and don't be happy for at least a year just to avoid GOSSIP... YOU want to be far way from that! Yup, just different kind of people, and clicky doesn't even begin it!
- If you like watching corn grow, fishing, biking, or boating BY YOURSELF because people just dont "hang out" and kick back with others then you will love it. Plus if you have a young child, make sure you work so they can go to school or they will be just as lonely as you are.

Anyhoo goodluck!

28 more days till I move back down south!
You've described your experience in one small Iowa town. I assume you agree it wouldn't be fair to generalize your very specific experience there, with being necessarily representative of living everywhere in Iowa.
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Old 05-29-2010, 11:16 AM
 
412 posts, read 1,152,757 times
Reputation: 198
I've been here in Iowa for a month so far. I think it's not too bad at all but of course life here is slow and quiet and not much gridlock traffic to deal with. The cost of living is impressively cheap. The weather is extreme and also impressive as well. There's some interesting attractions to check out like Hartman Natural reserve which have some bluffs and forests with lots of ground cover. Lot of bicycle and walking trails in Cedar valley region as well. I saw some nice rolling hills with Indian reservation near Tama. I'm sure there are plenty of hidden gems in Iowa state, you would have to look hard to find something interesting.

The whole state of Iowa only has 3 million people compared to Seattle area with over 3.5 million people with over 6.6 million in the state. I see so many small towns layered all over the place. I noticed that almost every small town are not growing or losing population, I think it's due that they're migrating to larger cities like Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, etc. Overall, Iowa state is growing pretty slow.

At least, it's only 3 to 4 hour drive to Minneapolis to visit for a weekend or Chicago as well, which isn't a big deal.
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Old 06-10-2010, 07:25 PM
 
35 posts, read 153,086 times
Reputation: 26
Ah ditto capitalcityguy!!!!! I too will be moving down south soon, to Texas. We were transferred here from Texas and just never was able to "do in Rome as the Romans do". It IS a great place to raise children BUT the lack of social graces just got to me I guess. Totally different culture! Most of the people in Des Moines came from the farm, so any outsider just didn't fit in. At any rate, to each their own, but not everyone would be happy in the midwest, Iowa in particular!!!
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Old 06-10-2010, 09:32 PM
 
66 posts, read 185,578 times
Reputation: 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by txtoia View Post
Ah ditto capitalcityguy!!!!! I too will be moving down south soon, to Texas. We were transferred here from Texas and just never was able to "do in Rome as the Romans do". It IS a great place to raise children BUT the lack of social graces just got to me I guess. Totally different culture! Most of the people in Des Moines came from the farm, so any outsider just didn't fit in. At any rate, to each their own, but not everyone would be happy in the midwest, Iowa in particular!!!
I said it once i'll say it one more again if you want to live in iowa without to much of that iowa feel,waterloo is the spot.
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Old 06-10-2010, 10:35 PM
 
Location: Des Moines
586 posts, read 2,184,512 times
Reputation: 385
No bigger city in Iowa feels stodgier than Waterloo, although Sioux City may be tied. I get a big feeling of old Iowa when in Waterloo since it's still so heavily tied to manufacturing and agricultural businesses, just like the rest of the state's economy outside of the growth centers. Not that there's anything wrong with that if that's what you seek, but it's certainly no Iowa Town or Des Moines or even Cedar Rapids when it comes to attracting outsiders and seeing growth or a more progressive populace.
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Old 06-20-2010, 07:28 AM
 
Location: England
149 posts, read 121,963 times
Reputation: 44
I have always wanted to visit Iowa!! I visit Las Vegas each October.I've been to New York City three times, the first time 20 years ago.On that trip I got a bus, and ended up in Zanesville, Ohio. Thissmall town facinated me, the wooden houses with the swings onthe porches, the kid throwing the newspapers from his bike. I'vealways been interested in small town America. I just like thesound of Iowa, and woul like to visit. Can someone give me thename of a small town, and the airport near it which would fitwhat I'm looking for. All I need is a nice small hotel, and plentyof that small town America that I like. Plus a nice diner to eat at!!America fascinates us English!!!
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Old 06-20-2010, 10:12 PM
 
Location: Des Moines, IA
1,744 posts, read 7,258,342 times
Reputation: 1239
David, have you ever read "Lost Continent" by Bill Bryson? It's written by a guy originally from Des Moines who had lived in England for most of his life and came back through the Midwest. It's like "On The Road" if it were written by Clark Griswold. I'd suggest it.


If you're looking for just one town to spend your time in, I don't know. Maybe Pella (closest airport, DSM). I'd suggest renting a car, plan for a road trip and visit several. You'll have no problems finding lodging and dining along the way. If you want to go this route, I'm sure we could recommend several places to build a loose itinerary.
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Old 06-20-2010, 10:17 PM
 
Location: The canyon (with my pistols and knife)
14,186 posts, read 22,727,826 times
Reputation: 17393
Iowa is not terrible. Shawn Johnson and Slipknot are from there.
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Old 06-21-2010, 05:08 AM
 
Location: England
149 posts, read 121,963 times
Reputation: 44
Thank you for your advice El Rhino, I will look into this more closely next year, as I'm in Las Vegas in October, and am goingto Cyprus in a couple of days, so I won't get the chance this year.I will visit Iowa next year for sure, as it has been on my mind fora while. England has some lovely countryside, in Cumbria to thenorth, and Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset to the south. Its justthe vast open spaces of middle America that fascinate me. Plusthe people of course. I think it was the film Field of Dreams thatfirst got me interested in Iowa, its got such a lovely sound tothe word I-O-W-A, it just trips off the tongue!!!
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Old 06-22-2010, 10:57 AM
 
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
2,401 posts, read 4,347,219 times
Reputation: 1464
I was going to suggest Pella as well.
[SIZE=2]
How about Clear Lake?

Not to stereotype, but I know that individuals from your part of the world tended to have a big fascination with Buddy Holly. I was reminded of this listening to an interview of Mick Jagger last night on TV. Buddy Holly played his last concert at the Surf Ballroom (still operating) in Clear Lake before his plane crashed leaving the nearby Mason City airport.

Clear Lake is a nice, clean small Iowa town so this might be worth considering.
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