A couple of weeks ago I went to Iowa City for the annual meeting of the Society of Economic Anthropology. I decided to take a bus because a) it was waaaay cheaper than a plane ticket and b) it gave me a reason to do nothing for long periods of time. Last time I took Greyhound cross-country my bus caught on fire (a long story for another day), but this trip was much less eventful. My itinerary went Fort Collins > Denver > Omaha > Iowa City and back again. I get motion sick in moving vehicles if I do too much with my eyeballs (read, write, etc), so I had nothing to do but look out the window, listen to music, think, and sleep. Between grad school and work I’m usually too busy to do nothing without feeling guilty about it, so it was nice to have an excuse. I was lucky not to sit next to any extroverted chit-chatters – just a nice old man from Nebraska who talked with me a little on his way home – and I had a row to myself for most of the trip out and the entire trip home. I did a lot of introspecting and life-plan-figure-outing while watching the surprisingly pretty midwest scenery (not pictured because it’s hard to take an in-focus photo while hurtling down the highway) go by.

The conference itself was great. Most academic conferences are structured in panels, with a series of people presenting their research/papers and then a combined discussion session at the end of the presentations. There are often multiple panels going on at the same time, with people running around all over the place. The SEA conference is much different and I really loved it. First of all, it’s a small conference. There were maybe 100 people total, with no differentiation made between grad students and professors/practicing anthros. There was one set schedule, with everyone attending the same presentations and getting to know each other continually throughout the weekend. And, best of all, each presenter got 20 minutes to present with another 20 minutes for discussion immediately afterward. Being able to talk about each topic in-depth was so much more enriching than the quick and dirty drive-by at a usual conference. And SEAgrads, the new collective for economic anthropology grad students that I help lead, had a great kick-off lunch. I learned a ton, met great people from all over the world, networked my lil heart out, re-charged my existential batteries, and watched Rogue One by myself in the university theater after I got tired of talking to people.

Ogallala, Nebraska.

Early morning transfer in Omaha.

Options.

Somewhere, USA.

Iowa City is much prettier than I expected (based on my stereotype that the midwest would be dry, dusty, and boring). 75% college town, 25% political hotspot (because of the Iowa Caucus).

The view from my hotel room, which – weirdly and/or smartly enough – is part of the University of Iowa student center.

Even prettier at night!

Best thing about conferences: tons of free food.

Brainstorming notes from the SEAgrads launch. We have big ideas and high hopes.

This place takes its Greek system very seriously, I guess.

A beautiful church-turned-event-space called Old Brick where we ate lunch.

Pretty things just outside the student center/hotel.

Lots of churches, lots of pretty near-blooming trees, lots of wide open sky.

I had half a day to kill before catching my bus home, so I explored the University of Iowa’s art museum. This is a collection of lithographs from the Tamarind Institute.

I spent a long time in a bookstore called Prairie Lights. Apparently political bigwigs all stop here for photo ops during their campaigns. I wonder if Barack Obama bought a copy of this when he visited?

I bought a copy of The Man in the High Castle and read it on the way home. Benefit of not being a smoker: more time to read when the bus stops. The more of his books I read, the more I think Philip K. Dick and I share some of the same existential angst.

Discovered while walking around the block looking for the very obvious bus station I couldn’t find.