Indiana, My Home Sweet Home

I love Indiana.  When people ask where I’m from, I quickly reply, “I’m a born and raised Hoosier”.  I grew up just south of Indianapolis and am now raising a family just north of Indianapolis.   And that’s just fine with me.  In fact, my husband is from Michigan, attended Butler University and never left.  So clearly, there is something special about the Hoosier state.

It shocks me daily just how many people don’t know about my home state of Indiana.  In fact, my husband text me from the Florida airport last night and told me a woman sat down next to him and asked where he was from.  He said, “Indiana”. Her reply….”Oh so like the western part of the United States?” Seriously? It’s like the United States is solely made up of five states. California, Texas, Florida, New York and Chicago.  Yes, I know Chicago isn’t a state, but I am sure the people that live in Springfield, IL get sick of hearing “Oh so near Chicago.” I feel your pain.

Nevertheless, call us what you will, we are legit and shouldn’t be overlooked. We are not a “fly over state”. We are not Indianaians.  And we are not corn loving, jort wearing, race fans either. (That’s just one day a year.)  We are Hoosiers.  So for those of you wondering what’s so special about being a Hoosier, here are my favorite reasons why I love Indiana and all it has to offer!

1. The seasons.  I can’t get enough of fall and yet, I still love Indiana spring, summer and winter too.  I just want to be somewhere that I can get a taste of each and Indiana has it all…sometimes in one day too!

   

2. The kindness.  I lived in Florida for two years. We had some great times there, but I missed my Hoosiers.  There is something about Midwest hospitality that is alive and real here.
3. The vibe. Ok, we aren’t NYC, LA or even Chicago. But across the state you will find amazing places for art, culture, food, drink and fun. Naptown no more, Indianapolis is growing and so is the rest of the state! 
4. The sports. My family is full of diehard sports fans…I mean, we named our son Andrew. So whether it’s the Colts, Pacers, Indians, Fuel or the Eleven, there’s something for everyone in Indiana.
5. The people. Hoosiers are white, black, Indian, Asian, Hispanic, gay, straight, bi, trans, Christian, Buddhist, Catholic, Agnostic. We have farmers and we have tech moguls. We have sports fans and we have art lovers. The great thing is we have it all and we welcome all. I’m raising my family here and look forward to seeing Indiana continue to grow into the melting pot it should be.

   

Indiana isn’t just one of these things above. It’s a combination of all of them and you can’t have one without the other.  You can’t have an Indiana fall without a fun IU v. Purdue game, tailgating with fans from all corners of the state and all walks of life.  And you can’t celebrate summer without a trip to the Indianapolis Museum of Art or The Indianapolis Zoo followed by drinks and dinner on Mass Avenue.

Hoosiers are good, diverse people and I am proud to be one of them. So whether you know about Indiana or have heard of our cornfields and have always been skeptical, I encourage you to check us out next time. You won’t be sorry.