Bethel, Alaska- relocation questions (Hope: transplants, eat, health)

[irshgrl64]

Bethel be ready!!! We're coming at the beginning of next month. I still have a few questions I was hoping someone could answer... or at least point me in the right direction.

Winter gear: what do I need to make sure I buy and should I wait and buy it up there or should I try and get it before I come?

Daycare: Should we try and find an individual or are the actual daycare centers pretty good? Any idea on the costs?

Schools: I was told I have 2 options- M.E. and Yu'Pik immersion... I'd just like opinions on this if anyone has any

Thanks!

[creeboo]

I lived in Bethel from 2003-2010.

Winter gear I would buy the nicest stuff you can, rated to -20 or more since it will get there frequently during the winter. Anything you buy in Bethel will be marked up HEAVILY and possibly not exactly what you'd want.

Daycare: your options will be limited. When we lived there, there were no "daycare centers" - it was Albanian and Filipino ladies, generally, who ran home daycares. I would get references from people you know who have kids. I understand there is a preschool there now run through the school. When we lived there, the rule rather than the exception was that the TVs are on all.the.time as an electronic babysitter. I did not personally use a daycare but this is from my friends who did.

School opinions: I had 2 kids that went through ME School and Gladys Jung. There were some great teachers there and some that were "meh" - like anywhere else, but with the added complication of not being able to pick up and leave. I haven't personally sent a kid to the Yu'pik immersion schools so I won't comment on that.

[creeboo]

Read back through the thread. The YK Housing in Kasayuli is "nice" by Bethel standards. I've been in them. Nice sized kitchen, has a garage, kind of an odd layout but that's how it goes. The main drawback would be living in Kasayuli subdivision which is far from town (again, as Bethel goes).

As far as cars? I wouldn't bring a nice car out to Bethel. We bought a dependable used car and sold it when we left. Bethel does (or did, when I was living there) things to cars. Rough driving, dust, cold, etc. and if you are there for any length of time you likely wouldn't want to fly the car out when or if you left.

[Lmonta60]

Hi all, so now it’s 2019 and I heard from the post office guy, mr Murphy that YKHC is renovating their housing. My son might take a contract job there and I’m helping with research. IS their housing viable? I read one person’s experience & it was pretty nasty. How is Kreider Rentals to work with?
I also don’t understand why the lady who interviewed him said she takes “3 totes by plan to anchorage “ when mr. Murphy said amazon delivers!? My son figured she might not be hip to online shopping, but it’s so obvious a thing to us that I find that hard to believe! How about Walmart online?
I was also thinking he could mirror his streaming to Apple TV from his iPhone, if we switched to Verizon (currently have Cricket which is kinda AT&T). I read Verizon uses GCI’s towers. True?
And shipping his vehicle is a must. He was told there’s a ferry but I think they meant the Barge....
Any feedback would be awesome. And too, how is YKHC to work for? Thanks 🙏

[stiffnecked]

Originally Posted by Lmonta60

Hi all, so now it’s 2019 and I heard from the post office guy, mr Murphy that YKHC is renovating their housing. My son might take a contract job there and I’m helping with research. IS their housing viable? I read one person’s experience & it was pretty nasty. How is Kreider Rentals to work with?
I also don’t understand why the lady who interviewed him said she takes “3 totes by plan to anchorage “ when mr. Murphy said amazon delivers!? My son figured she might not be hip to online shopping, but it’s so obvious a thing to us that I find that hard to believe! How about Walmart online?
I was also thinking he could mirror his streaming to Apple TV from his iPhone, if we switched to Verizon (currently have Cricket which is kinda AT&T). I read Verizon uses GCI’s towers. True?
And shipping his vehicle is a must. He was told there’s a ferry but I think they meant the Barge....
Any feedback would be awesome. And too, how is YKHC to work for? Thanks 🙏

He can't ship his vehicle in the winter. He'll have to wait until the ice goes out in late spring or summer. Have your son create an account and get on here and ask his own questions. You seem to have a chip on your shoulder about Alaskans not being hip,or educated. We had this stuff figured out long before you came on the scene. Let the boy grow up and ask his own questions. That is if he's internet savvy.

Here's a good link that'll walk him through the process about ordering his animal crackers and juice boxes online from WalMart or Fred Meyer.

https://www.alaskateacher.org/shopping_tips.php

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Lmonta60

My son figured she might not be hip to online shopping, but it’s so obvious a thing to us that I find that hard to believe! How about Walmart online?
I was also thinking he could mirror his streaming to Apple TV from his iPhone, if we switched to Verizon (currently have Cricket which is kinda AT&T). I read Verizon uses GCI’s towers. True?
And shipping his vehicle is a must. He was told there’s a ferry but I think they meant the Barge....
Any feedback would be awesome. And too, how is YKHC to work for? Thanks 🙏

This is a big mistake made by many newcomers. They decide they "just can't believe" something about Alaska and that whoever told them that must be mistaken. Then they find out for themselves and complain that no one warned them.

Amazon Fresh in Bethel? LOL. I can't even get Amazon Fresh at my home in Oregon.

Sure, Amazon Prime ships to Alaska, but it's not going to be what you're used to in upstate New York. Much of it won't be available, and what is available can take over a month to get here and often comes with pretty high added shipping costs. You son won't be able to order something and have it two days later.

I don't depend on Amazon Prime when I'm at my home in Alaska. It's frustrating and disappointing. I've heard it works OK for those living in and around Anchorage for some things.

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I don't depend on Amazon Prime when I'm at my home in Alaska. It's frustrating and disappointing. I've heard it works OK for those living in and around Anchorage for some things.

It doesn't work in Anchorage either. Prime membership just means you get it in one or two weeks instead of three or four weeks. And most food items don't ship. In fact, a lot of stuff doesn't ship.

[Lmonta60]

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

He can't ship his vehicle in the winter. He'll have to wait until the ice goes out in late spring or summer. Have your son create an account and get on here and ask his own questions. You seem to have a chip on your shoulder about Alaskans not being hip,or educated. We had this stuff figured out long before you came on the scene. Let the boy grow up and ask his own questions. That is if he's internet savvy.

Here's a good link that'll walk him through the process about ordering his animal crackers and juice boxes online from WalMart or Fred Meyer.

https://www.alaskateacher.org/shopping_tips.php

Stiffnecked,
Omg...Haha correct....animal cracker and YOO-HOO juice boxes lol. How’d ya know!?
I have a list I’m working through and he’s got his. That’s how we roll in this family. When we work as a team, the questions get asked and tasks get done. Funny how one might interpret that ignorantly if they don’t share that kind of family support network. Mama’s boy is still working full time at the moment. And you know, he supported me when I went through chemo, 2 knee replacements and multiple health problems. So I’m grateful to give him any kind of support to help process the information. I’m home. He isn’t. Isn’t that logical?
I truly baffles me how easily people do get this scenario in their head when it’s a mom helping her son. Perhaps I should just eat my bon bons and “do me”. But you see, if I WERE that kind of person, I wouldn’t have had a kid who takes magnificent risks.
Lol. Hopefully you will rethink your attitude. I am not a fan of limited, stereotypical perceptions accompanied by demeaning sarcasm. I also believe that young people who just pick up and go 5k miles into a whole new culture, to a hard lifestyle they already KNOW will be a shock in every imaginable way, but who do so to provide much needed care to these people who were here long before you and I are to be helped in that noble endeavor. These are ALL special people who sign on for a commitment TO OTHERS. And I’m honored to do the grunt work, the leg work and even some paperwork- if it helps him get there with some peace of mind.
THAT is a value that thrives in people like us and it saddens me that you see this and think such simple, 1 dimensional, stereotypical archetypes instead of what is authentically before you. And FYI, no one asked me to get on this forum asking questions. In our family you don’t have to.

[Lmonta60]

And I truly don’t like your authoritative tone. “Have your son....”. Isn’t that exactly hat you are so disapproving of in the first place? I don’t “have my son” do ANYTHING. This is *my* thing. That would be redundant. So your attitude is not based in logic but rather your prejudice. I surely hope that this is NOT indicative of the way folks are there.

[Metlakatla]

For crying loud, no wonder the kid's applying for jobs as far away from upstate New York as he can get and still stay in the U.S.