info about cut bank and browning (Havre: schools, college, living in)

[kandice33]

I was hoping I might be able to get some information about Cut Bank and Browning. I will be graduating from nursing school in December and plan to work at the Blackfeet hospital. I was thinking about living in Cut Bank and thought I'd ask if anyone had helpful information about either areas. I would appreciate feedback. Thanks!!

[bigtrees]

Well, one of my good friends from collge lived in Cut Bank and I bought a car once there....

First of all, do you have any prior experience working with Native Americans? It's honorable to work at the Blackfeet hospital, but hopefully you have some exposure to the culture so you know what your getting into.

Browning is not a shining example of a progressive town. A lot of people get nervous when in Browning, but I've never had anything bad happen there.

Cut Bank is the town where most of the non-Native American people live. There is some friction with the town and Indian Reservation, and especially with the (corrupt) Native American police department.

See this thread for more info http://www.city-data.com/forum/monta...-browning.html

[JetMech72]

What school are you attending, Candice? Just curious if it is MSU-Northern, here in Havre, which has one of the better Nursing Schools in the state.

Anyway, I just drove through both Browning and Cut Bank on a return trip from the Bitterroot and up to Glacier. This was the first time I'd been through there in about 10 years....and guess what? Those two towns haven't changed in those 10 years. Browning is within view of the Rocky Mountain Front, but Cut Bank has more services. If I were to choose,,,out of convienance,,,,I'd choose Cut Bank, but also keep in mind that Cut Bank usually records the lowest temperatures in Montana.

[kandice33]

I am actually attending school in Florida and one of my professors mentioned the opportunity. I visited the reservation in April so I understand the concerns. I was thinking that it would be safer/wiser to live in Cut Bank and work in Browning instead of staying in Browning under their law enforcement. Do you think that makes sense?

[kandice33]

Would you be able to clarify this friction between the town and the reservation? I have been to Browning, but not Cut Bank. I have also heard about the reservation law enforcement which is why I'm think about living in Cut Bank instead of the reservation.

[GEORGIAINMT]

Personally, I wouldn't want to do either! I wouldn't want to live in Browning as it is isolated without many services and if you are concerned about anything re: living on the reservation then it wouldn't be for you. I would not want to live in Cutbank and drive to Browning, either, as some of the worst roads I've driven in winter were up in that area. I drove all over Montana for 3 years, 5-6 days a week, taking school pictures. This included many, many trips to the Browning/Cut Bank/Havre/highline area. When winter really hits there it is coldddddd and when it snows it BLOWS.....literally!!! Lots of drifting snow and miserable conditions out on the roads. This is just my opinion. Nothing at all against the population on a reservation, etc., just the conditions around that area!

[rickers]

My wife and I were stranded last winter 4 miles east of Browning when our air filter iced up. It was kind of scary but we weren't stranded long. It could have been a lot worse.

[JetMech72]

Heres a link to Findlaw about a case between Tribal and Non-tribal parties on the Blackfeet Reservation. It points to different State codes and such. I know it is a lot of reading which will lead to a lot of research outside of this single source, but it is a starting point into which you can get a better feel for how the laws will affect you on the Reservation.

FindLaw | Cases and Codes

[seven of nine]

Originally Posted by kandice33

I am actually attending school in Florida and one of my professors mentioned the opportunity. I visited the reservation in April so I understand the concerns. I was thinking that it would be safer/wiser to live in Cut Bank and work in Browning instead of staying in Browning under their law enforcement. Do you think that makes sense?

Just curious about your choice, there are many rural areas that could use your skills where you might have a little easier time of it since you are fresh out of school.

[bigtrees]

I think something that I should be really clear about is the Native Americans are a people of pride and also a people who still harbor a lot of tough feelings towards people of Anglo-Saxon decent. They're not outwardly mean or grumpy with white people but it is very hard for them (still, to this day) to see how white people have become so sucessful and the native american people have not become sucessful. It's hard for them to deal with the alcohol problem that all Native American tribes suffer from. None of them like the fact that many Native Americans are alcoholics but it is very difficult for them to deal with it. It is difficult for them to deal with the fact that they frequently are mixed blood (Native American/white or a mixture of several tribes). The tribes don't necessarily get along with one another (holdover from before white people) so it is really hard when your a 50/50 mixture of two tribes that don't like each other. This is what Native Americans tell me, it's not me judging them.

What I'm saying is that the Native American culture is very challenging and above all, they harbor a lot of feelings that may make it not much fun at all to work in. Go for it if you must but I'd also encourage you to make a personal committment to do something else if it doesn't work out right. Your only a a fresh out of college grad once and I would spend my early twenties doing something fun rather than trying to suceed in a a difficult environment.