So, I'm applying for academic jobs this year. It's pretty stressful. To help me get all geared up and ready for interview season,
my PhD advisor set up a mock interview at his institution,
the University of Iowa in Iowa City. My flights got canceled and re-booked on a 6:30 AM flight... which ended up being a good thing, because I got there early enough to finish up my talk and have a look about the town.
The first thing I noticed upon arriving in Iowa is that it was exceedingly snowy. (Guess that only seems like a shock if you are living in Texas). I was especially amused by this bench, where it looks like some Iowa natives were so immune to the snow that they could just sit down in it:
My hotel was by a cute little bar area:
I didn't get to sample their wares, but it looks like the bars around served some delectable delicacies:
Unfortunately, having the campus bar scene right by my hotel meant there were college students singing loudly out my window at about 2:30 AM. But I had a good visit anyway. One of the highlights was some gelato made in-house right across from my hotel:
I got half chocolate, half raspberry:
Historic side note: Did you know that Iowa City was once the capital of Iowa? I guess the politicians all left, but they did leave behind a sweet building with a golden dome:
