Need help! (Anchorage, Talkeetna: fit in, affordable apartment, rent) - Alaska (AK) - City-Data Forum

Jb18 · 09-19-2008, 04:00 PM

Hello everyone, My name is Jacob. Let me explain my situation. I am 17 years old (will be 18 Nov. 9th) and on November 20th I plan on moving to Anchorage,AK. I have some money saved up (I make good money at work) and my parents are giving me some money for my birthday as well as other family members and friends. When I move I'll have about $3,000.00 to get my by. I plan on driving the whole way to Anchorage,is that a good idea? Its the cheapest for me. I can't afford the ferry. I don't really have a problem getting there it's when I get there that worries me. When I get there I need to have a play to stay as well as a job. I have found some really nice apartments on the Achorage Daily News web-site and and I have looked for some jobs online but no luck! I work at a gas station so I handle money all day everyday and I also do deposits and things like that. I would like to find a job at another gas station in Anchorage or at a bank. I would even work for a cellphone company selling phones or something,I'll do anything! I'm a hard worker and I can do whatever I put my mind too. I will also start college classes online in January (Majoring in Mortuary Science). All I need is a job and a nice,affordable apartment in Anchorage to get me started. I'll admit,I'm scared about driving all the way up there (I hear its dangerous in the winter) but I know I'll be safe,I'm a pretty smart person. I was raised in a small town in Mississippi and I just don't fit in here. I can't be myself here and I just don't feel like this is where I ought to be. I'm miserable here! I need to be some place where I'm happy at and can be what I want in life and move on and do my own thing without family drama and people you grew up with knowing all your business. I know it sounds crazy but I have to get outta here before I scream! I'm determined to move to Alaska and I'm so excited to move on with my life and do my own thing. I know its not going to be easy,I would never even think that! It's going to be really heard but I believe I can do it. All I can do is trust in God and he will help me. If anyone in the Anchorage,AK area could help me or give me some advice I would REALLY appreciate it. Thanks

lyoness · 09-19-2008, 04:21 PM

Jacob, every fiber of the mother in me just had a heart attack. Are your parents ok with the move or are you pretty much running away? Just curious, but you need to know you have the support of your family in case, god forbid, something happen so far from your people. Please read thru all the posts on the road conditions thru Canada and Alaska in the winter. Have you thought about maybe flying and buying a car once you get here? I hope I'm not coming across as negitive, it is just the time of year you chose to drive all the way from Mississippi, otherwise I'm all for everyone finding their happy place, just be sure you have a plan, Alaska is no place to fly by the seat of your pants. It's not like you can sleep on a park bench somewhere.

Jb18 · 09-19-2008, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyoness

Jacob, every fiber of the mother in me just had a heart attack. Are your parents ok with the move or are you pretty much running away? Just curious, but you need to know you have the support of your family in case, god forbid, something happen so far from your people. Please read thru all the posts on the road conditions thru Canada and Alaska in the winter. Have you thought about maybe flying and buying a car once you get here? I hope I'm not coming across as negitive, it is just the time of year you chose to drive all the way from Mississippi, otherwise I'm all for everyone finding their happy place, just be sure you have a plan, Alaska is no place to fly by the seat of your pants. It's not like you can sleep on a park bench somewhere.

Everyone in my family knows I am leaving when I turn 18. I got my G.E.D in May and I already pay all my bills at it is. I'm already on my own the only thing is I need to get out of Mississippi. I have to look after myself and do what makes me happy. I don't want to be miserable and depressed for the rest of my life and if I stay here that will happen. Like I said,I'm a pretty smart person. I have high hopes in life and I'm the type to finish what I started and not to give up. I'm a hard worker,I love to help people. Which is the reason why I want to be a Funeral Director. Like I told someone the other day,I may regret this choice 5 years from now,but,I may say it was the best choice I've ever made in life. I want to go and meet new people,make new friends,be myself and do what makes me happy. I know I can make it. It's just getting everything in order thats a problem lol

lyoness · 09-19-2008, 04:37 PM

You sound like my boys. Do a lot of reading in this forum, so much great info. I won't be up there for another year looks like, so I can't give advice, but there are a lot of links in these threads for employment and ideas for apartments. Best of luck to you!

akck · 09-19-2008, 05:17 PM

Have you ever driven in snow and ice conditions? If not or you have limited experience, I suggest you wait until spring. Also, I don't think $3,000 will be enough to get you there and pay for your first few months of expenses.

Dusty Rhodes · 09-19-2008, 05:19 PM

Jacob, I can certainly sympathize with your wanting to move to Alaska, If I could find work there, I would in a heartbeat. Jobs are somewhat Scarce, and, oh yeah, one other little thing, the skills you learned for most of your life, learning how to live and survive in the climate of Mississippi will not be of much use to you in Alaska. It is a wilderness, it is huge and, with a good degree of regularity, it kills the natives. It usually only takes one bad mistake. How much true experience do you have driving on ice and snow? One other thing, $3000 may get you to Alaska, gas and food in transit, you still have to live once you get there - car camping can get very dangerous. Just for illustration, from Atlanta to Anchorage, in a straight line (there are no highways or road systems that move in straight lines, terrain gets in the way) it is 5000 miles, I suspect you would arrive in Alaska broke, homeless, hungry and in serious need of a bath and clean clothes, a few prospective employers would likely be leary of a broke, dirty, smelly, kid claiming he wants to work. It may happen, who knows. I would suggest you save more money than 3 grand, spend another year save almost every penny, buy MRE's and have a good winter wardrobe at hand (winter clothes suitable for Mississippi won't help you much around the 60 degree plus, north latitude, (the latitude 62 restaurant? roadhouse? outside Talkeetna is one frame of reference). I'm not saying "DON'T GO" I am saying, "do your homework, and do not become another statistic, a john doe frozen to a rock somewhere out of town" spend the time, ask questions, you have only three posts. How many questions have you asked about basic survival, and other practical issues? There are some good minds in this forum, use them as a resource. I fully understand being in an area you really hate, but,...learn from it, use it to your advantage, plan this whole thing out carefully, Alaska is an entity, it is alive and vibrant, it does not often give lifelong residences a second chance if they make a big mistake, new guys have a shorter life expectance, particularly new guys who haven't done their homework. Read!!! Ask!!! Listen!!! Plan!!! A good quality 12 guage Pump Shotgun, with several boxes of rifled slugs, and some good fishing tackle would also be a wise precaution. I really would like you to move up, Alaska is grand, I would also prefer you to be alive one year later.

Dusty Rhodes · 09-19-2008, 05:25 PM

and Lyoness...... you spelled "rotten" correctly! - D

stiffnecked · 09-19-2008, 05:33 PM

Great plan, your well on your way, your just picking the wrong time of year to come. If I was in your shoes, I'd suck it up, work hard and save more money. Then in April of next spring I'd head up. There are 18 million tourist related jobs you can latch on to starting in the spring. That will get you here and keep you from going broke. If you work hard some of those jobs can lead to full time year round employment. After I retired that's what I did. Took a summer job with Alaska Airlines and turned it into 6 years of fulltime, year round work. I'd still be doing it but humping bags and fish boxes all day is a young persons job..... Good luck.

lyoness · 09-19-2008, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dusty Rhodes

and Lyoness...... you spelled "rotten" correctly! - D

LOL, I so hate not being able to use spell check!

Rance · 09-19-2008, 11:40 PM

Try to double what you have saved and come up in the spring. You'll be in much better shape. You'll burn 2/3'ds of that driving up on fuel food and hotels, and thats if you have no car troubles etc. Once you get here you'll most likely have to pay first and last months rent in advance if not some sort of deposit, then utilities come into play. I highly recommend pioneering your way up here...but you need to understand prices here are going to be near double for anything you pay for down there. It's going to go fast while you look for work. Serously consider a springtime move. Will be many more job opportunities for a person your age.