Friday, May 14, 2010

Iowa is a real place

Iowa is real. This is comforting because we're moving there, and it's important to confirm the veracity of one's habitation before making it such. So I went there and stood on its soil with my own feet. Yup, real.

After spending a year and a half deciding where to go to MBA school, the reality of our moving to Iowa is suddenly looming on us. We are moving in less than 3 months! In honor of that fact, we took a trip to Iowa to see the city and its fine people. I learned a few things.

1. The weather is horrible. Actually, it was perfect for us except for one torrential downpour that I won't mention here. But apparently, spring is Iowa's more flattering season. I kept hearing over and over, "We just had the more horrible winter of my life," and, "Get ready, because you won't be able to walk outside for six months without risking bodily harm." Great.

2. Pubs. One per block. I forgot they exist. It turns out that Provo has ice cream shops where other college towns have pubs.

3. Water everywhere. You can't go from one end of campus to the other without crossing a river. And the lawns are green WITHOUT SPRINKLERS! Where on earth does all that water come from, and how can Utah get some?

4. Gnats.

5. Everything that isn't man-made is green. Green oozes between cracks in the sidewalks and swallows your toes if you stand in place too long. Green, green, green!

All in all, the town is adorable and has a wonderful small-town feel. We scoped out our new apartment (from the outside) and it looks very respectable.



Here's Camber on a bona fide Iowa street. As you can see, I'm happy to be here.



The lovely University of Iowa campus. Like I said, green. Except for the sky and the tulip petals.



Isaac was there too. Doesn't he look like an MBA already? This is the building that will see him more than I will when we come to school.