Brookings, or B-town, as “my home” in US

I got many questions from my new friends and colleagues at College Park Maryland on how do I feel about moving into DC’s area, after almost 3.5 years (from beginning of January 2009 to the end of April 2012) spending time “peacefully” in a small town namely “Brookings” (see Wikipedia).

Brookings from the sky, left front ground is the Brookings municipal airport, the place for our gliding and fun flying activities; the right front ground is the Indian Hills, the best luxury neighborhood at B-town. The background is the whole town of Brookings, separated by 6^th street or Highway 14; The University is on the left side of the 6^th street. My apartment was in the very far-backside of the University complex. 

In fact, not many people in big cities of America knowing about this small town. Yet, honestly, it is quite emotional for me to answer the question. Yes you may say I am weird, because I used to live in Jakarta, a capital of Indonesia, a city with population more than 10 million people, so what is so special with a small town? But, let’s talk more about Brookings, my small town in the prairie with population only about 22,000 people. How the town looks like? Well, I believe that many Indonesian familiar with the Laura Ingalls Wilder TV-series titled “Little House on the prairie”, the site which just about 40 miles (+ 65km) from B-town.

School building at Laura Ingalls homestead, about 40 miles from Brookings

To easily describe B-town and surrounding, just recall the landscape of that movie, of course in different “time-frame” and you will see kind of similar scenery.

One beautiful snapshot of surrounding B-town near Oakwood Lake, of course, in a right season to walk around. Do not even think or try to do it on a terrible winter

In fact there will be no “love in the first sight” for B-town, for sure. First time I stepped my foot at B-town was a nightmare, away from my expectation about living in US. I was shocked, from a huge airbus airplane for crossing the Pacific Ocean, changed into medium Boeing airplane, and at last, flew with “tiny” jet to reach Sioux Falls, the biggest city in southeastern of South Dakota State. The airport and the city of Sioux Falls was so clean, but extremely quiet. I was wondering about where are the people, it was so empty, nobody around though it was a mid-day around lunch time. Parking lots was full of car but nobody show up, contrasted to Jakarta.

Target Department store at The Empire Mall East Sioux Falls. The parking lot is full of car but nobody walking around, and it was mid-day. Just imagine if this is Jakarta where this place may full with sidewalks (Kakilima) tents for foods.

Then we drove for another 45 minutes to B-town. We crossed the plain, very flat area with empty field along the interstate, remained me the TV-series of “BJ and the bear”: an adventure of a truck driver and his simpanse who accompanied him drives along a quite straight roads, in the middle of nowhere, with only few cars and big trucks passed. I experienced similar situation. It was November, but some snow patches were spreader out and it was already too cold for me, though it was only about 0⁰ C (a nice temperature for heading winter at B-town). I convinced myself that it supposed to be my first and last visit at B-town! In fact, my second and third visits were summer, sometime in June and August and those were already too hot for me. So the temperatures never match my expectation, but I keep coming back.

Interstate 29 from Sioux Falls to Brookings during the winter time. The wind was not friendly at all (you can feel your car shakes) and snow was blowing all over the Interstate sometimes covers your view. Actually it is not safe to drive in the speed of Interstate (South Dakota speed limit in the Interstate is 75 miles per hour or about 120 km per hour), but people get used to it, including me. Many cars slide into the ditch during this kind of weather, so be careful.

Interstate 29 (usually called I-29) around Sioux Falls on early Summer or late Spring. The view is good and no wind or neglect-able wind. See how empty the Interstate, only few cars and trucks were passing; compare this with busy Jagorawi toll between Jakarta and Bogor, or Interstate 95 in the East coast.

After the fourth visit on October which was too windy for me, I finally came back to B-town as a student at South Dakota State University (SDSU), meaning: I will be leaving in that place for years, not only short visit or stay for a month or less. It was January and I felt like in a hell, leaving behind all wonderful things in my life and heading up the flat empty plain that covered by thick snow with temperature reached already two digits below 0⁰ C, horrible.

Spending a year of living, and experiencing all the four seasons, I then call B-town as my “home”. The safeness, quietness, peacefulness and friendly town and the habitant have been enchanting me. No traffic jump, no wasting time and nearly no violence and crime. Additionally the place is so clean, nice look and cheap. The sky is always “really blue” and the grass and leaves are always “really green” at B-town, I love it.

Brookings downtown at Main Avenue. Cottonwood coffee shop was the place for hang out for coffee or tea. On summer there will be music performances in front of the café and I like to sit outside and enjoying the music. This picture is depicting the daily situation of downtown, so quiet and peaceful. Around Hobo day or during weekend within semester, this street enlivened with young people wandering around shouting to each other, I do not why.

This is another hang out place, a cinema5 or Brookings theater. The premier movie usually start playing on Friday midnight, and this place will be merrier. I prefer watch a movie after 9pm so won’be many people hanging around and the cinema just like my private cinema. Once a month on late Spring and summer, the parking area will also be occupied by open vegetable market fresh from household garden or field.

In average only 7 minutes require to go everywhere in town. For this reason, I then develop a habit of taking a nap during lunch time. During winter I can leave my car engine on to keep it warm, while I was doing my grocery shop at Walmart or Hy-vee, or doing my breakfast at home. I can leave my apartment unlock comfortably at any time. But the most enjoyable moment was when somebody walks into coffee shop, most everybody inside say “Hi”. People know to each other.

The post office at Main Avenue, a very good look with the old style building. The snap was taken from the cottonwood coffee shop across the street. On Saturday around 12pm just before the post-office closing time, you may meet some of your acquaintances or friends in a queue.

At every corner of the town people are literally nice; I feel living among friends, even when I walk into downtown bar or pub to socialize with B-town community. We have a monthly event called “science at pub” when people with the similar interest, mostly from the University, will interact among themselves.

The SDSU campanile viewed from a glider. The building in the left side is the South Dakota Art museum.

Now let’s talk about the university, symbolized by the campanile that the bell tolled correspondingly at every hour. Most of my time was at Wecota Hall, my lovely office just a block across the campanile along Medary Ave, one of the major streets in town, comparable to 6^th street and Main Avenue. Just noted, when you live at B-town, just memorize five major roads: Interstate 29, Highway 14, 6^th street, Main Ave and Medary Ave, and you know everything about exploring the town. 

Wecota Hall main entrance; on second floor, the center window with railings under the canopy was my office room, the left and right windows of mine are my good friends’ offices. This is a daily view of the building from Medary Ave during Spring and Summer time. Due to cold weather I rather use back door during Fall and Winter as it is closer to the parking lots.

The main lobby of Wecota Hall. The glass door goes to the rooms of our proffesors. The glass window on the right side shows people who works at the center. The stairs to my room is to the right side of the glass window.

I love my life among friends at Wecota Hall where we have a comfortable lounge for coffee, tea, lunch, studying, talking, arguing, discussion and playing games at 2^nd floor, just opposite to my office. You will not believe that we are doing science when you saw us joking upstairs, but we are, check this out. It was wonderful times, working hard and playing hard among friends.

Different view of the veterans memorial and highway 14 that mingled with 6^th street when entering the town. The building complex on the right side of highway 14 is Brookings utility office.

The west side of my apartment building at Mill’s property. The upper part of the building on the right side that covered by flowering tree was my apartment. This snap was taken on late Spring when the trees start flowering in different color, so beautiful

The east side of my apartment building on the first day of 2012. The white car in the middle covered by thick snow was my lovely Honda. I cannot move out my car until the snow car shoffeling out the piles of snow at parking lot. This is normal condition from December through February.

I am now living at College Park Maryland, a sub-urban of DC, a capitol of US. This put me back on the track of my busy professional life with “international community”: a perfect time for me who almost in the end of my study. However, “the wonderful memories of B-town” are safely kept in my right-brain; from the time of suffering due to extreme weather, like scratching ice on the car, shuffling piles of snow, sliding on the road due to black ice, struggling from strong wind and frequent thunderstorm; enjoying the silent of Wecota Hall at night, driving around with the white Honda on the quite country roads of Brookings county by listening to 95.5FM or 93.7FM; until rejoicing times with friends such as coffee or tea time at “Cottonwood” or lounge office, flying with tiny aircraft or glider, partying, watching a movie, hanging around downtown, shopping, many gathering events and other fun times we spend together. 

Life is all about changing, so keep going.

Special thanks to Nita Sari Dewi, Ruandha A Sugardiman, Gray Tappan and Sanath Kumar for sharing some of the photographs.