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But yeah, on paper it seems like a decent place. Not sure how I'd feel about living that far isolated in the middle of the Midwest with no family or friends though. Might make me depressed.
I live in Des Moines now and didn't recommend it to you because there is a large emphasis on family and for those without, it truly helps to be a somewhat conservative, evangelical Christian. Many of the churches can be quite welcoming with that background. I think I remember your feelings about that, but don't bash me, and I won't bash you.
Columbus, on the other hand, while "family friendly" has a lot of singles of all ages (gay and het) so singles who attend concerts and such *do not* stand out. Plus it is fairly progressive to the point I was getting uncomfortable.
I live in Des Moines now and didn't recommend it to you because there is a large emphasis on family and for those without, it truly helps to be a somewhat conservative, evangelical Christian. Many of the churches can be quite welcoming with that background. I think I remember your feelings about that, but don't bash me, and I won't bash you.
Columbus, on the other hand, while "family friendly" has a lot of singles of all ages (gay and het) so singles who attend concerts and such *do not* stand out. Plus it is fairly progressive to the point I was getting uncomfortable.
I disagree.
You get what you want to out of where you live. I have no children and am not christian nor do I ever attend any sort of church (and never will). I had plenty to do and plenty of friends to hang out with in Des Moines. Those that I met there were also not christian, and I had many gay friends who were doing just fine there. Lots of events that were not family centered. Always something to do.
I am always amazed at those who say you must be family oriented, conservative, and christian or you will be shunned in Des Moines/Iowa. I am none of those and it suited me fine, and I never felt any pressure to be any of that.
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Yes, I actually have considered Des Moines, quite thoroughly. I've also driven through the area on I-80 and stopped at a Walgreens near there, but that's it lol.
From what I've seen, it looks like a pleasant, laid back place to live, with some decent scenery, too.
But I heard it's a rather family oriented area without much of a gay singles scene.
I also have read MANY reviews about transplants who moved to Iowa and Des Moines in general and they said that Iowan people are a bit strange (for lack of a better term) and insular to outsiders. Who knows though.
But yeah, on paper it seems like a decent place. Not sure how I'd feel about living that far isolated in the middle of the Midwest with no family or friends though. Might make me depressed.
The problem with listening to other people's experiences is...well they are other people's experiences.
You will never know how any place will work for you until you experience it for yourself.
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The problem with listening to other people's experiences is...well they are other people's experiences.
You will never know how any place will work for you until you experience it for yourself.
True, but if enough people are saying the same thing, then that to me is a red flag. If you read many of the reviews of Des Moine and Iowa in general on other competing web sites, they all mention negative things about Iowa people. Of course, I don't have first hand experience with this.
True, but if enough people are saying the same thing, then that to me is a red flag. If you read many of the reviews of Des Moine and Iowa in general on other competing web sites, they all mention negative things about Iowa people. Of course, I don't have first hand experience with this.
I do.
I lived in Iowa all of my life (Des Moines from 2001-2013) until last November.
I find most of the negative stuff about Iowa to be false IME. And now that I live in Phoenix, the same negative stuff appears online about this area, too.
Believe only half of what you read on the internet. People are always going to compain about everything, but as they say, YMMV.
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