Chikemma C. Nwana - Iowa's Quality of Life - Leadership Iowa University

Iowa's Quality of Life

Chikemma C. Nwana

 

Today, we had various speakers talk to us about the quality of life in Iowa. Relating the quality of life in Iowa to my community - Abuja, Nigeria, It is very fascinating to connect a lot of similarities to both. I come from a community of 778,567 people which is a small community compared to the 140 million people in Nigeria. The quality of life in Abuja is not as easy going as that in Iowa, but I must say, it’s better than Nigeria’s New York – Lagos state with 17,552,942 people. There are good jobs yet very competitive; it is not easy to be an entrepreneur because of the size of the population. Abuja is also a better place to raise children than Lagos because the crime rate is not as high as in Lagos; just like it’s better to raise children in Iowa than in New York City. Also, the city of Abuja is not so busy, just like in Iowa. Abuja also takes pride in its cultural artifacts which is displayed in the city’s art and culture building. The difference between Iowa and Abuja is that compared to other parts of Nigeria, Abuja is the most expensive city to live in because it is the capital of Nigeria. Other than that, I reckon that the quality of life in Abuja includes: living a quiet life, enjoying the beauty of nature such as rocks, and having the friends you want to have, which is similar to Iowa.

Today, I saw Iowa not as a state with a lot of farmlands, but as a city with opportunities waiting to be grasped. The tour downtown Iowa was a very exciting experience for me. I was in Denver, Colorado for my internship this summer and I reckon Des Moines is a better place to live even without the mountains. The art and craft I saw was really amazing and it in itself shows the culture and diversity of Iowa which I hadn’t seen in my 2 years of living in Iowa. We also visited the Iowa Hall of Fame and most parts of Des Moines, all of which was a thrilling experience for me.
 
The round table conference we had with various speakers was wonderful. I was able to ask questions and have almost a one-on-one conversation with Janette Larkin, a publisher at Des Moines. Robin Anderson, executive director, Mason City Chamber of Commerce, spoke to us about servant leadership. Her golf ball, stone, sand, and beer illustration was spectacular. For me, that was the highlight of the day. It’s a philosophy of life that I will follow: no matter how busy your life is, remember to have a beer with a friend.
Oct 2, 2009 4:15 PM |Add a comment
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