In a way, my stay in Ames has made me Western-cultured. What I meant by cultured is that I had some opportunities to enjoy arts performances and exhibitions around the town. Although Ames is small in American standard for cities/towns, this city obviously has the resource to pull some of decent arts gatherings to the town.
Last year, I went to Cinderella Ballet Performance with my roommates in Stephen Auditorium. Since then, I had gone to another ballet performance (The Nutcracker) and this Thursday, I'm going to watch St. Petersburg Ballet Company presenting Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I thoroughly enjoyed the performances and the classical music accompanying the dance. Ballet is one of my favorite performance since I was a kid (and figure skating, and gymnastics *ISU has one of the best college team for gymnastics and I have to make a mental note to watch it before I go home to Indonesia) and it was too bad that I could only see them on TV back home. Such performances, if any, would be in Jakarta, and the ticket would be extremely expensive.
I also had some chances to listen to very fine music performances. From the pop-folk side, of course I will never be able to forget John Mayer's concert at Hilton Colliseum in November 2003. I also went to ISU Jazz Bands Concert in Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall last year. Just an hour ago, I was invited by the Hertz to watch the Vemeer String Quartet at Ames City Auditorium (they're very active in various organizations in town and Joyce is in the Board Directors of Ames Town and Gown Chamber Music Association, the one invited the Quartet). I definitely will watch Prague Symphony Orchestra in March! I love classical music and it was relaxing listening to the Quartet playing Quartets by Dvorak, Tower and Brahms tonight.
And the campus is full of exhibitions, if you know where to look! I passed works by Christian Petersen, a sculptor who became ISU artist-in-residence, everyday, like Library Boy and Girl at Parks Library. Or Iowa's famous artist Grant Wood's When Tillage Begins, Other Arts Follow fascinating mural still at the Parks Library. Or Border Crossing by Luis Jimenez in front of LeBaron Hall.
There are many things that I want to see before I leave this country, things that I will never be able to see back home, because it is just either non-existent or too expensive. I feel blessed that I have this opportunity to learn about many things here...
