Iowa's Personality

Palo, Ia is not too far from Cedar Rapids. It's a town of about 8-or 9,000 people, which would put it in the rankings of a "typical" small Iowa town. It is one of the many towns along the Cedar River that is faced with rebuilding after this year's floods. Several people in the town, including city officials, have been quoted as saying they are "stubborn" in that they are stoically pursuing their rebuilding efforts on their own, without a lot of haggling over federal or state funds or even over political rebuilding queries. I'm not so sure that "stubborn" is a characteristic solely owned by Palo. And, while I wouldn't characterize Iowans as "stubborn", I'd certainly find a more politically-correct adjective to use in describing how people from Iowa seem to just dig in and get things done the way they know how while ignoring outside interference. My dad would call it stick-to-itiveness. And, it's a characteristic I wanted to learn and experience when I thought about moving to Iowa. Perhaps it's a farmer's thing. You're living out there on your farm house in the middle of 400 acres (or 4!) and you're out plowing at the back of the acreage and the tractor breaks or stalls or you run over your foot, whatever. There isn't any help around. You assess the situation and do what you have to do to make it right. Cut off the foot, rebuild the engine, nestle down for the night, whatever. And, that's something it seems that Iowans just do. "Git 'er done", to steal a phrase. Calmly, coolly and with out much fuss, time and time, again I just see folks getting things done. Parents who take in their wayward children and adjust their lives to get them on the right path, children who look after aging grandparents or parents and count their blessings for the days they have, or people who've lost everything they have picking up the one dry board to nail it down as the cornerstone for their new house, right on top of the old. Iowans don't use therapy or ask the government to bail them out. They roll up their sleeves. Their families stop by and quietly pick up a spare hammer and then maybe a neighbor will wander over and silently leave dinner behind. It's in the state culture and it's something I hope I can learn as a transplant here.