Looking to Move to Alaska? Just DON'T (Anchorage, Fairbanks: schools, living in)

[Metlakatla]

I've been to Florida and didn't care for it either. It was easy to see why vacations are so cheap there. Not to mention it being a hotspot for fraud and identity theft.

Florida leads the nation in fraud and ID theft - Sun Sentinel

Florida — long known for flimflam, bogus swamp sales and Medicare fraud — was home to seven of the top 20 metro areas for consumer fraud complaints last year. The state is the third most populous with 19.9 million but has the highest fraud rate by far.

[Metlakatla]

I'm not sure that a road to Juneau would accomplish much. It could only go to Skagway, maintaining it would be a major expense, and it would be unusable much of the year.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

I'm not labeling Floridians. My brother lives there. He moved down there after graduating from high school 30 years ago. I just didn't like it. Same way I don't like other crowded places.

I don't view myself as a Floridian, I was born and raised in Alaska and lived in Seattle, San Francisco, Australia, a couple cities in Florida. I've spent more years in California than Florida and spent the most years in Alaska. It's perfectly fine to not like the lifestyle in an area, but when someone generalizes an entire state with a deragatory remark it shows they are quite misguided (not talking about you, but the other member).

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I've been to Florida and didn't care for it either. It was easy to see why vacations are so cheap there. Not to mention it being a hotspot for fraud and identity theft.

Florida leads the nation in fraud and ID theft - Sun Sentinel

See bringing up a statistic like this when discussing tourism etc proves you are blinded by your own ignorance.

It'd be like me saying,"well Alaska doesn't receive as many tourists because it has the most rapes per capita in the entire country, jeepers I don't want to be raped" ...while that is true... it doesn't sum up the appeal of Alaska.

[6.7traveler]

Regarding the Original post and why people shouldn't move to Alaska:

While I would tend to agree and I'd selfishly enjoy if half of the people moved away and no one else ever moved in, I think that part of what makes Alaska great is all the different one of a kind people who've moved up here from all over the world seeking whatever it is. You really do meet the craziest/ most unique people up here, there's no comparison. Sure, some of the people wanting to move up are starry eyed dreamers who will probably fail, but just as many will make it and carve themselves out a decent life up here.

I don't ever try to discourage anyone with a reasonable plan (either money or solid employment or in demand skills) from coming up here. If you're expecting high paying jobs being handed out, lots of services, infrastructure and climbing the corporate ladder, than yeah Alaska probably isn't for you. If you're looking for an adventure and are willing to do what it takes, than what better place? I've tried the other places and once some people have experienced Alaska, no place else really suffices.

Yeah, the economy is tanking, oil prices are down, the state is bankrupt, and everyone who is highly leveraged on an overpriced mortgage living paycheck to paycheck will lose their s***, we know this. But after it's all done, Alaska will still be here, with unique opportunities, an abudance of natural resources and opportunities for motivated and skilled people who want to move and live here.

With all that said, I've heard Montana, Maine, Wyoming, Idaho and maybe Calirado, are all much better places than Alaska to move to if you're are seeking outdoorsy stuff. You should move there. Alaska really does suck and is a complete illusion, it's really just like anyplace else except colder and darker with s***ier people. Also Hawaii is nice and has much better weather. Oh and don't ever come to the Alaska relocation forum seeking relocation advice!

[Re3iRtH]

Originally Posted by phlinak

Well stated.

I've lived here for well over a decade and I have to say you absolutely hit the nail on the head.

I have observed the same consistent cluelessness in "born and bred" Alaskans.

They accept mediocre, substandard, or non-existent infrastructure because they never lived anywhere else so they have no concept of acceptable expectations of civilization in modern cities and states.

For example, why does the main island of Oahu (in the state of Hawaii) have an interstate highway system but the state of Alaska does not?

Or, why doesn't Alaska have it's own medical school, dental school, or law school?

Or, why, in 2016, is there still only one road connecting Anchorage and The Valley and no road connecting Juneau to the rest of the state?

I understand the current budget woes but these are just a few items that should have be funded and built decades ago when the state was flush with money.

I see where you are going with your other points. But the highway infrastructure on Oahu sucks. Probably the worse traffic by a mile for how few people live there (only 1.1M on Oahu). Cities 5-10x the size of Honolulu have less traffic. Also, the highest speed limit on Oahu is effectively 55 mph (while the road from Fairbanks to Fox has the same 55mph and zero traffic).

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

See bringing up a statistic like this when discussing tourism etc proves you are blinded by your own ignorance.

It'd be like me saying,"well Alaska doesn't receive as many tourists because it has the most rapes per capita in the entire country, jeepers I don't want to be raped" ...while that is true... it doesn't sum up the appeal of Alaska.

Fail. Many of these criminal types work in the tourism industry. Can't say the same for rapists. Other countries have actually issued travel warnings concerning Florida because of the large criminal element in your state. You really should stop trying to be someone at my expense.

The arrests of Stephens and Bennifield led to Chrystie Hall, a 12-year Preferred Guest Resorts employee spearheading the crime spree by stealing customer information and selling the information to other alleged criminals, Orlando police announced Monday.

That's just one example. ^^^

Hopefully, it won't be much longer before the entire mess sinks into the ocean.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by Re3iRtH

I see where you are going with your other points. But the highway infrastructure on Oahu sucks. Probably the worse traffic by a mile for how few people live there (only 1.1M on Oahu). Cities 5-10x the size of Honolulu have less traffic. Also, the highest speed limit on Oahu is effectively 55 mph (while the road from Fairbanks to Fox has the same 55mph and zero traffic).

Oahu also had about 50% more population than our whole state.
You can't compare traffic on Oahu to anything here. Just can't.

[GiGi603]

Originally Posted by Alaskamo

I've seen it, having been here for two decades and watching many come and go, burned out in the process.
.

Why in the world have you spent two decades in a place you do not like?? If you want to stay in America there are 49 other states that might fit your personality and needs better.
So your point is Alaska is not for you--move.

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by phlinak

Well stated.

I've lived here for well over a decade and I have to say you absolutely hit the nail on the head.

I have observed the same consistent cluelessness in "born and bred" Alaskans.

They accept mediocre, substandard, or non-existent infrastructure because they never lived anywhere else so they have no concept of acceptable expectations of civilization in modern cities and states.

For example, why does the main island of Oahu (in the state of Hawaii) have an interstate highway system but the state of Alaska does not?

Or, why doesn't Alaska have it's own medical school, dental school, or law school?

Or, why, in 2016, is there still only one road connecting Anchorage and The Valley and no road connecting Juneau to the rest of the state?

I understand the current budget woes but these are just a few items that should have be funded and built decades ago when the state was flush with money.

The road problems can be attributed to eco fascists and NIMBYs.