moving into Alaska out of despair (motels, transfer to, college)

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by 4theluvofgold

I've been in your shoes, Food allergy disqualified me from military. My parents income was too high for financial aide, but required 7 years even if living out of the home. They were no help. My first business taken by eminent domain, my second business taken because of newly voted taxes forced upon me in the middle of my off season, then smashing my hand and losing a finger and disabling 2.

I have been through those times like you mention. Alaska is a place of refuge if you are tough. People say don't because of so much winter and so forth but for the freedom of mind it is great. I had my kelty backpack and my essentials. I rented cheap rooms paid for by my summer self employed work when I was younger. I mined gold for myself (hence the name) And I loved it, then I was ready for my major relationship and things took off for me and opportunity found me... But there have been hard times still but not like back then. If you need to escape and chose Alaska, you PM me and I will help you out as I can because it saved me.

When did you do this? Are there cheap rooms any more? I have not found anything cheap in Alaska. We are at the beginning of tourist season, room rates are increased. For example, to rent a room at a substandard motel in Fairbanks-the price increased from 900 to over 1300 a month. Granted, Anchorage has more places to rent cheap rooms but cheap rooms here can be higher than entire houses for rent in the lower 48. It sounds like he wants a peaceful, simple existance, and Anchorage is not that. Perhaps a dry cabin around Fairbanks would work, but many do credit checks. I'd just really hate for a young person to come up here, and get in a bad spot, and be stuck. People have this impression that things are simpler in Alaska, but they are not always, depending on what it is.

[aisaum]

I don't know where else to go. Military would have helped me ALOT. My body, who I am, is starting to feel like a prison. Can you imagine how it would feel to you if you were born in very very unfavorable circumstances, you can't do anything about it, and you're stuck like this till you die of natural causes? It's just painful and depressing to think about everytime I look at myself in the mirror

[roadfamily6now]

Are you willing to work any job? Are you willing to scrape by and work your ass off to ensure you don't freeze (literally) during the winter?

Yes, I think that Alaska can be a refuge and you can change your life here. But not in Anchorage. You should head for a smaller community, a less expensive place. It does help if you have some money to move up with and live on for a few months just incase but I really think that if you are strong willed and brave, you can do anything you want.

Good luck

[RayinAK]

If you want to start a new life, one that's financially different than the one you now live, amass enough cash to help you move to another place, but one where the state of the economy is better than Alaska. The cost of living in Alaska is just too high compared to what you can earn working a couple of part-time jobs at Walmart or another store in town. Permanent full time jobs are scares in Alaska, specially in the private sector.

What I would do is to spend a lot of time researching to figure with cities of States are the ones with the lowest rate of unemployment, and then plan to move to such a place. Regardless, you will need enough $ to sustain you for at least three months unemployed, and this could be a lot of cash. Keep in mind that three months is a minimum. The job market in Alaska during the summer is seasonal (part-time).

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by aisaum

I don't know where else to go. Military would have helped me ALOT. My body, who I am, is starting to feel like a prison. Can you imagine how it would feel to you if you were born in very very unfavorable circumstances, you can't do anything about it, and you're stuck like this till you die of natural causes? It's just painful and depressing to think about everytime I look at myself in the mirror

I'm not trying to give you a hard time. I am a single mom just trying to survive in Alaska. I grew up here and moved away at the age of 20 and craved to come back. So I did. I have more mouths to feed than you do, but it has been very hard for us, and I have a college degree with years of experience. Where do you live now? Do you qualify for Job Corp, which is a free education with room and board provided? I have seen many young men who move up here, who are homeless and fall into alcoholism and despair. There are seasonal jobs up here that provide room and board, I don't know if it's too late for you to get one. Check out these websites:

Welcome to Job Corps
Summer Jobs and Seasonal Jobs in Great Places | CoolWorks.com

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

Are you willing to work any job? Are you willing to scrape by and work your ass off to ensure you don't freeze (literally) during the winter?

Yes, I think that Alaska can be a refuge and you can change your life here. But not in Anchorage. You should head for a smaller community, a less expensive place. It does help if you have some money to move up with and live on for a few months just incase but I really think that if you are strong willed and brave, you can do anything you want.

Good luck

To be honest, I have found rock-bottom housing much easier to find in Anchorage. In Delta Junction right now, the hotels are capitalizing on tourism-they will not rent by the week or the month. Fairbanks is glutted by returning soldiers and even the crappiest of places are full of soldiers and tourists.

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by gobrien

To be honest, I have found rock-bottom housing much easier to find in Anchorage. In Delta Junction right now, the hotels are capitalizing on tourism-they will not rent by the week or the month. Fairbanks is glutted by returning soldiers and even the crappiest of places are full of soldiers and tourists.

That's true, when we moved in 1996 things were pretty cheap in Delta, but when the Missile Defense Base was built I do recall rents tripled.

Perhaps if our friend can find a cheap but sturdy travel trailer to bring up. Housing Solved! I know it can be done because my husband and I have reinvented ourselves a few times in Alaska. And we had kids to support.

I do not support the idea of coming up here and being homeless and on the street.

[AKStafford]

I second the suggestion for Job Corps.

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

That's true, when we moved in 1996 things were pretty cheap in Delta, but when the Missile Defense Base was built I do recall rents tripled.

Perhaps if our friend can find a cheap but sturdy travel trailer to bring up. Housing Solved! I know it can be done because my husband and I have reinvented ourselves a few times in Alaska. And we had kids to support.

I do not support the idea of coming up here and being homeless and on the street.

Yeah, Delta is not cheap now. I wish that I had a partner to help me, it really makes a world of a difference. That said, I am glad the missile defense project went forward. I've heard when Ft. Greely closed through BRAC, it really hurt the town. That probably why mostly everyone I knew from youth moved away, since the base was the main employer. The people who stayed were the farmers and business owners, and teachers.

[aisaum]

Bay Area of California. It's very expensive here, I need a degree to be able to get a job that can happily sustain me, and there's just too many people. More people means more competition for everything.

As for getting an education, right now, I'm just waiting on the 18th when there's a counseling session and talk how to get back into college. If not, then I'll have to do what they say, or start in a 2 year then transfer to a 4 year college, or think of another plan. I'll find a way, I have to. Job Corps does not look like a place for someone like me. I will feel uncomfortable dealing with people who do go there.

It's hard when I don't have parents to look out for me and guide me during my younger years. I have to learn everything on my own. It looks like people are discouraging me to go to Alaska and become "homeless", to escape. It gives me a second thought before really going to Alaska.