Into the wild

[Mephistopheles]

Hey everyone,

It's been a long while since I have had any sort of meaningful activity on the forum, and today I come to ask you all (not everyone, mainly just Americans, but that sounds less epic in my mind) about life.

Specifically, about life in the northern bit of the state of Indiana.

You see, the thing is, I'm very likely to move to Indiana in 2 months to do some really interesting science there. Having learned so far that doing actual research is really easy compared to getting the paperwork required to do said research filled in, I was wondering about how living in Indiana will work out as a European.

So far I've lived in a very nice, very densely populated country which, according to US political discourse, is either a marxist hellhole (see Bill 'o Reilly on Amsterdam for that) or the land of weed and hookers. In any case it's nothing like most of the United States. I have a friend who's from New York who has been painting a strange picture of the Mid West over the past few months whilst consuming whisky, but then again, he's from New York.

Anyway, try imagining that you are a vocal atheist from Europe with political views that lean towards marxism, socially liberal (i.e.: do whatever you please as long as you don't harm others) that moves to a Republican state. Will people throw rocks at me if I wear a tanktop with a Darwin-fish (jesusfish with legs) or a hammer and sickle on it? Is the food really as bad as my New Yorker friend tells me (apparently even the worst bread here is better than what they sell in NYC)? Does the tap water taste like chlorine? Are bicycles really only used for exercise or do people get around on them as they do here? What is the average cost of living if you're alone? Do people really get married in their early 20s? Are political ads really as outlandish as they are portrayed in GTA4 (parody aside)? How sensitive are subjects such as abortion and racism? (it may sound weird, but over here we have Sinterklaas, which is part of where Santa Claus comes from, but instead of the Coca-Cola version he's a bishop with a bunch of servants with blackface. And nobody gives a shit about the blackface)

I'm really curious about life on the other side of the Atlantic. Not the things you see on TV, but in general what it's like day to day.

 

[Jagermeistered]

Well, I have solved the gay marriage problem, and my solution will never see the day of light; because the masses do not care. I have bashed central banking and Keynesinism, but the masses do not care about that either. When you move here, nobody does not care about your thoughts. You will just be another tax ID.

 

[PiedPiper]

Ah, the heartland. Indiana can be a pretty uptight state, but good food may be found, rest assured, though it may be a change of pace from your native fare. Don't you cook? Relative cost of living is a bit difficult to calculate without knowing the where, what and how. A thousand bucks per month ought to put a roof over your head without too much problem, and plenty of folks use bicycles for economical travel... it's even considered sort of cool. I thought scientists were fairly well paid.

As for the socio-political and cultural stuff, it goes without saying to simply keep a low profile,... at least at first,.... until you get the lay of the land. Usually the less said about religion, politics, etc.,.. the better. Anyway,.. what do you have to gain by advertising? Nothing.

Two months, huh? By all means keep us updated. Start a journal in the spirit of Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad. Based on how you posed your questions, I think I would seriously enjoy reading about your reactions to the different setting. Good luck.