Tell me everything i should know about Iowa

I have a friend (spanish) that is going to spend a year in Iowa. I've searched and it doesn't look as a bad state to live.

Is there anything, good or bad, that he should know about Iowa?
Smething related to religions, safety, education, how open-minded is the people there...

They just passed a law for open same sex marriage :

Oh! they grow alot of corn up there also.

What do you want to know? I live in Illinois, but Iowa is only a 5 min drive from where I live.

I would be able to help you out more if I knew what area in Iowa he is moving to.

People are open minded. I guess I don't understand your reasoning for this whole thread. Please elaborate. I am willing to help

iskor12 said:

What do you want to know?  I live in Illinois, but Iowa is only a 5 min drive from where I live.

I would be able to help you out more if I knew what area in Iowa he is moving to.

People are open minded.  I guess I don't understand your reasoning for this whole thread.  Please elaborate.  I am willing to help

Click to expand...

He is going to Ottumwa, don't know where it is. it looks like a great city from its website
These are the things i want to know:

1º) How religious is the people there, and how tolerant to other religions (specially to non religious people)
2º) How open minded is the people there. I mean, if sex is a complete taboo, if young people go out to discos and stuff like that.
3º) If there's any safety issue. For example, dangerous animals, dangerous groups of people...
4º) If there's any remarkable "uncommon" law

Everything you can tell me. Better if it's possitive . BTW as far as he knows, he likes the place.

erdabyz said:

[quote author=iskor12 link=1239721375/0#2 date=1239725152]What do you want to know?  I live in Illinois, but Iowa is only a 5 min drive from where I live.

I would be able to help you out more if I knew what area in Iowa he is moving to.

People are open minded.  I guess I don't understand your reasoning for this whole thread.  Please elaborate.  I am willing to help

Click to expand...

He is going to Ottumwa, don't know where it is. it looks like a great city from its website
These are the things i want to know:

1º)[highlight] How religious is the people there, and how tolerant to other religions (specially to non religious people[/highlight])
2º) How open minded is the people there. I mean, if sex is a complete taboo, if young people go out to discos and stuff like that.
3º) If there's any safety issue. For example, dangerous animals, dangerous groups of people...
4º) If there's any remarkable "uncommon" law

Everything you can tell me. Better if it's possitive . BTW as far as he knows, he likes the place.

[/quote]
Never mind!

jander6442 said:

[quote author=erdabyz link=1239721375/0#3 date=1239728375][quote author=iskor12 link=1239721375/0#2 date=1239725152]What do you want to know?  I live in Illinois, but Iowa is only a 5 min drive from where I live.

I would be able to help you out more if I knew what area in Iowa he is moving to.

People are open minded.  I guess I don't understand your reasoning for this whole thread.  Please elaborate.  I am willing to help

Click to expand...

He is going to Ottumwa, don't know where it is. it looks like a great city from its website
These are the things i want to know:

1º)[highlight] How religious is the people there, and how tolerant to other religions (specially to non religious people[/highlight])
2º) How open minded is the people there. I mean, if sex is a complete taboo, if young people go out to discos and stuff like that.
3º) If there's any safety issue. For example, dangerous animals, dangerous groups of people...
4º) If there's any remarkable "uncommon" law

Everything you can tell me. Better if it's possitive . BTW as far as he knows, he likes the place.

[/quote]
Never mind![/quote]


Oh... thanks. Here in europe we don't use to know anything about american culture except what happens in your movies...
Religion was one of his main concerns, because he is not religious at all, and he was scared to find himself in a very religious society, having to follow it's religious rules.
You know... movies...

erdabyz said:

[quote author=jander6442 link=1239721375/0#4 date=1239728596][quote author=erdabyz link=1239721375/0#3 date=1239728375][quote author=iskor12 link=1239721375/0#2 date=1239725152]What do you want to know?  I live in Illinois, but Iowa is only a 5 min drive from where I live.

I would be able to help you out more if I knew what area in Iowa he is moving to.

People are open minded.  I guess I don't understand your reasoning for this whole thread.  Please elaborate.  I am willing to help

Click to expand...

He is going to Ottumwa, don't know where it is. it looks like a great city from its website
These are the things i want to know:

1º)[highlight] How religious is the people there, and how tolerant to other religions (specially to non religious people[/highlight])
2º) How open minded is the people there. I mean, if sex is a complete taboo, if young people go out to discos and stuff like that.
3º) If there's any safety issue. For example, dangerous animals, dangerous groups of people...
4º) If there's any remarkable "uncommon" law

Everything you can tell me. Better if it's possitive . BTW as far as he knows, he likes the place.

[/quote]
Never mind![/quote]


Oh... thanks. Here in europe we don't use to know anything about american culture except what happens in your movies...
Religion was one of his main concerns, because he is not religious at all, and he was scared to find himself in a very religious society, having to follow it's religious rules.
You know... movies...
[/quote]It's still America this is the foundation of our country you could live next to Jim Farrel and blare 2livecrew all day.
It's all man made laws anyway. I'll say this I have had people in my family live in Iowa and they said it was great.......alas
things have changed that's what they have wanted "change" how's it tasting now.


Rant over, I'm out, good luck with the bud and the move.

Farming is the main business in Iowa. It is rolling hills in the east and flat in the west. Iowans tend to be very down-to-earth, and easy going. The largest cities are located along I-80 the main highway through Iowa. Fortunately, it is only about 150km from Des Moines. Your friend will do fine there.

I'm from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (2nd largest city in Iowa - still only about 150,000 people)

I grew up there. My wife, whos from Corpus Christi, Tx describes Iowa as stuck in the 50's.

Lots of people still cook at home, swap recipes, borrow a cup of sugar kind of stuff...

Watch the movie "Music Man" - It's supposed to be set in Iowa. It's an old classic and not far off.

erdabyz said:

[quote author=iskor12 link=1239721375/0#2 date=1239725152]What do you want to know?  I live in Illinois, but Iowa is only a 5 min drive from where I live.

I would be able to help you out more if I knew what area in Iowa he is moving to.

People are open minded.  I guess I don't understand your reasoning for this whole thread.  Please elaborate.  I am willing to help

Click to expand...

He is going to Ottumwa, don't know where it is. it looks like a great city from its website
These are the things i want to know:

1º) How religious is the people there, and how tolerant to other religions (specially to non religious people)
2º) How open minded is the people there. I mean, if sex is a complete taboo, if young people go out to discos and stuff like that.
3º) If there's any safety issue. For example, dangerous animals, dangerous groups of people...
4º) If there's any remarkable "uncommon" law

Everything you can tell me. Better if it's possitive . BTW as far as he knows, he likes the place.

[/quote]
From my experience from living here, I would have to say....
1.)  Religion is everywhere, but people here aren't going to hold him to it.  Times have changed.
2.)  Young people these days, are on a record for having the most sex....sad, I must say.  People, no matter where you live, are still going to break the rules.  Discos? haha I don't know about that area, but he wont be to far to where he could go to some.
3.)  No worries here
4.)  None that I know of.

He should get along fine.  The question is, how opposed to religion is your friend.  Will he freak out if some one approches him about it?  He most likely will see people who aren't affraid to express their religion, but I don't see anyone trying to force it uppon him either.  

He will be about 60 min from where I live.. Quad Cities. I must say though, unless I am mistaken, they did have some rather sever storms there last year.

icecruncher said:

I'm from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  (2nd largest city in Iowa - still only about 150,000 people)

I grew up there. My wife, whos from Corpus Christi, Tx describes [highlight]Iowa as stuck in the 50's.[/highlight]

Lots of people still cook at home, swap recipes, borrow a cup of sugar kind of stuff...

Watch the movie "Music Man" - It's supposed to be set in Iowa. It's an old classic and not far off.

Click to expand...

Hahaha. In some locations, this is very true! In most of the larger cities, there is no need to worry.

erdabyz said:

I have a friend (spanish) that is going to spend a year in Iowa. I've searched and it doesn't look as a bad state to live.

Is there anything, good or bad, that he should know about Iowa?
Smething related to religions, safety, education, how open-minded is the people there...

Click to expand...

Cualquier duda avisame a ver si te puedo ayudar

Well there's a great folk band from there slipknot ;D

John Lawson said:

Well there's a great folk band from there slipknot ;D

Click to expand...

Slipknot & Trivum , @ the Bell Center 29th April / Korpiklaanni (for the paganfest) 29th April @ the Medley.
I guess i wont go to any of them as its physically not possible to divide myself.

Btw, what this thread about?
-Greg

I live in Illinois (a state away) in a farming community so this can't be that much different than Iowa and we aren't that bad. :

styropyro said:

I live in Illinois (a state away) in a farming community so this can't be that much different than Iowa and we aren't that bad. :

Click to expand...

Yeah but you haz way too many laz0rs!!!

My bud isn't oposed to religions, he's just not religious and he won't want to folluw strict religious rules, like going to the church several times per week or things like that.


I'm also thinking about going to live to the US when i grow up, because spain started sucking some years ago, and it is getting worse and worse... And if not to live, i must visit the US at least 3 times in my live: One for a Six Flags park, other for an antigravity flight at ZeroG, and the third to become spacial tourist at Virgin Gallactic. Well... that would be if I earn enough money.