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Are you from Alaska? Tell me why and why i wouldn't wanna live there

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by edgy, Jul 25, 2014.

  1. edgy

    edgy Guest

    Are you from Alaska? Tell me why and why i wouldn't wanna live there

    Also tell me about the seasons, the flora and fauna, the people, and the area you're talking of
     
  2. Argentwing

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    Well I live literally as far away from Alaska as you can get while still being in America, and I wouldn't want to live there not only because it's bloody cold, but because a lot of it is so remote. Of course the landscape defies description of majesty, but I've been told a lot of things we take for granted in more established settlements are a serious pain in the butt. So much that there was a short-lived series about how different it was to live there.

    Tougher In Alaska - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
  3. Mogget

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    It really depends on where you live. Anchorage is a fairly normal town, not huge, but about 300k people, plenty to do, although stuff closes early. The nearby ocean keeps the climate fairly mild (rarely above 75 in summer, rarely below 10 in winter). The big thing that newcomers have trouble with isn't the cold, it's the dark. In December it's only light for four or five hours, even as far south as Anchorage, even worse farther north.

    if you're in rural Alaska, all bets are off. It's hella remote and hella expensive.
     
  4. Weekender

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    I lived in Anchorage for about 3 years before we came to Georgia, and my brother has been going to college there for roughly the past 8 years. The first thing I tell everyone is that you've never breathed fresh air until you've breathed Alaskan air. The people are great -- everyone is super friendly and a bit whacky. The larger cities aren't so different from many of the smaller cities in other states, and I'd recommend either Anchorage or Fairbanks areas if you're not so into rural living. But even the smaller towns have their charm, and most aren't quite as "primitive" (for lack of a better word) as most people are led to believe.

    The cold isn't so bad, but the daylight patterns will mess with your head. It's always fun to take a walk around 8:00pm in the summer while it's still light as midday.

    Also, I don't remember much about this since my mother handles all the finances, but last I heard the Alaskan government pays legal Alaskan citizens a dividend each year. I myself got a total of about $5000 while living there.

    Overall, I personally love Alaska. If you're big into nature, an awesome local population, and local cultures, it's a great place.
     
    #4 Weekender, Jul 25, 2014
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2014
  5. MatthewJS

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    Where I live, its pretty cold in the winters (24/7 darkness for a couple months) and it varies in the summer, but has 24/7 sunlight. in my town, we hunt animals for food and clothing. in my town, people are kinda rude, depending on the type of crowd youre with. I would say more, but it would look like a fucking book... haha. I would never leave my home state, but possibly my hometown.
     
  6. QueerTransEnby

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    Yeah, land of the midnight sun in the summer, but it's dark most of the winter. Plus all the crazy wildlife. Northern MI is enough for me. :slight_smile: It's like Alaska light.
     
  7. tulipinacup

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    I've seen an episode of Top Chef where they went to Alaska and one chef cooked chum salon for the guests which is apparently it's a type of fish that the locals use to feed dogs lol
     
  8. AKTodd

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    I was born and raised in AK and go home every few years to visit family. Grew up in one if the communities between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

    Conditions are as modern or primitive as you care to make them or can afford. At various times we lived with no electricity or running water or indoor plumbing. But our neighbors had that. It was a choice made by my family for reasons too involved to go into. Most people live with all the modern conveniences although there are still some folks who choose to live at least part of the year in the wilderness in a cabin they built themselves and living off just what they produce or can bring in.

    Buying in bulk is common outside of the cities because the nearest grocery store is several hours drive away. If it can be put inside Alaskans will put it inside. Outdoor arenas and sports stuff are almost nonexistent. It's considered normal to have moose wander thru your yard or down your street, even in the cities. Bear are pretty common these days as well, more than they used to be it seems.

    Virtually all consumer goods, fuel, etc. have to be shipped in and so prices are high. Wages tend to be high as well, but the prices balance that pretty strongly.

    Where I grew up there was snow on the ground for 8-9 mos a year or so and temps could drop to -40F. Fairbanks could hit -70. Per my family, the winters are getting colder in my hometown (-60 or so), but the last time I was home everyone was getting roasted with 80-90 degree heat, which was nearly unheard of. Of course, climate change is just a theory:/

    People are generally nice. Politically the state is pretty conservative, although there's a bit of a range of what that means and not everyone is.

    The scenery is very nice (when my partner visited for the first time, it blew his mind), but growing up with it, I didn't think much about it, either way.

    Todd
     
  9. asdfghjk

    asdfghjk Guest

    Have a lot of family there and have been lucky enough to visit. High prices especially on produce. Light for most of the day in summer then dark most of the winter sounds cool but experiencing it is pretty surreal. Gorgeous state though.
     
  10. edgy

    edgy Guest

    What's wrong with looking like a book, bro?