I swore I wouldn’t move back. I graduated as a NHS Cardinal, but after that I hightailed it out of here, and thoughts of ever returning to Newton were pretty scarce and almost laughable.
Moving out of state for college is still one of the best decisions I have made yet. There was a certain type of independence I was looking to fulfill by living in a new place, with new faces and setting new “adult” goals.
I lived away from my hometown for five years and out of state for three of those years. While I attended college in Minnesota, I would visit home simultaneously. I would see my family and friends and hightail it out of here all over again.
It wasn’t until after I graduated college and moved to a suburb of Atlanta that I realized the comfort the Midwest truly provides. My fiancé, Adam, is a homegrown Georgia peach and his southern accent and lovable family provided me with a peace of mind.
However, the crime, the traffic and the constant heat made me yearn for peace and quiet, open spaces and the changing seasons.
So, the thought of moving lingered for quite some time as Adam and I awaited the right time to move our lives to the Midwest. Fast forward to September of this year, and we are driving a U-Haul cross country for 14 hours, with my parents and my dog Hank in another vehicle.
To see my parent’s house and their open farmland was a beautiful relief. Now as we are nearing Christmas time, my small little family is finally nestled in our home in Baxter.
My time back in Newton thus far has opened my eyes to the abundant amount of differences there are between Iowa and other places I have lived or traveled to. To share just a few, the breathtaking sunsets, the farmer’s wave while driving down rural highways, the friendly and awkward small talk at Fareway as the bagger helps load your groceries — and just in general, the genuine, pure “niceness” trait everyone seems to possess in Newton.
It only took me about eight years, but I think I’m finally starting to appreciate my hometown.
Contact Kayla Langmaid
at klangmaid@newtondailynews.com.