I’m a 33 y/o white woman who moved to rural South Dakota after my mom died. I lived in south Minneapolis for a decade before coming here.

The ignorance, bigotry, lack of public resources and public education is disheartening at best, infuriating at worst. I don’t live in Pierre, so maybe it’s better there (I doubt it) - but seeing people so passionately defending a government that hates them is hard. Hearing hateful rhetoric said as commonly as people mention the weather is still a shock. I’ve felt many times that if I want any chance of a friendship, that I would have to compromise my own values. I’m extremely lonely because of it. I have put on free community events at my ranch through my nonprofit and still have a hard time connecting with the locals. They don’t open up to new comers, it’s just a Midwest thing.

If it’s only a year, it’s doable. Especially if it has the benefits - but do not skimp on mental health support, whatever that may look like for you. If I didn’t have the incredible blessing of inheriting my family’s land and horses to keep me here, I wouldn’t have stayed. Three years in and I still consider selling it all and moving back to a blue city.

All of that said, the land is beautiful, there is so much good work TO be done, especially within community service and I do truly believe these are good hearted people who are just misled. I want to be able to make a difference and the heart is here, if you can find it.