Visitors from South Africa

For those who call Iowa home, our fields and farms can seem pretty ordinary. Most people take vacations to bigger cities or wilder landscapes. But for one couple from South Africa, Iowa was an interesting stop on a long vacation to the U.S.

Last week, Duane Asbe showed cousins of his wife, Louise, around the area to give them an impression of what north central Iowa is like. Danie and Elsabé Schoeman, who were on their first extended visit to the United States, saw the Heartland Museum, visited with local farmers, and even sat down in the Wright County Economic Development office to talk about what makes Iowa’s ag economy tick.

Elsabé spoke to the Monitor about their travels, which took them to California’s Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone, and the east coast before they took a bus to Iowa to visit Louise. Though they were seeing Clarion on a cool, drizzly day, and had already spent time seeing some of the U.S.’s best scenery, Elsabé said it was nice to just be with family.

“Being away from home so long, you miss human contact,” she said. “It feels like getting home.”

For the full story, see the October 19 edition of the Monitor.