Thanks Rrumbler, the 'Heartland' folks we met were truly amazing and genuine people.
Here in New Zealand we have a preconceived idea of America and Americans; gleaned from television shows and the movies...and it's not really very complimentary...you come across as loud, brash, and, very often, stupid.
The reality is quite different.
We found the average American to be a thoughtful, kind, and caring sort of bloke.
It was actually humbling that total strangers would go out of their way to make us feel welcome and to help in any way they could...something we just didn't expect.
You're an amazing bunch of people; and I'm very pleased to have met you.
Thank-you.