Job Offers in Fairbanks and Ketchikan (Metlakatla, Hope: cost of living, authority, eat)

[Southerner29]

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

At -30 degrees I forgot to plug my in one night in Fairbanks. When I went out to start it the next morning all the fan belts snapped when I tried to get it going. Never had that problem in Ketchikan.

Yikes. I would definately need to winterize my vehicle. Would it be better to do it down here or in AK?

[6.7traveler]

Fairbanks is definitely not homophobic at all and I wouldn't let that comment play a factor in your decision. There's UAF, which is Alaska's flagship university and brings in all sorts of people and cultural activities. There's also Fort Wainwright and it brings in all sorts of kinds of different people as well.

Alaska is very let and let live, including Fairbanks. No one cares if your gay, bi, straight etc.

Both are so different weather wise, I'd take that into serious consideration. Just because Fairbanks gets much colder at times, dont discount the amount and rain and grey southeast Alaska can get.

Fairbanks also has sweet $500ish a month dry cabin rentals. What other city can you rent a place basically right in town for that price ?

[riceme]

I really don't think Fairbanks is any more homophobic than anywhere else in the states. Definitely less so than some places I have lived. It's a great place to live if you like to get out during the long winter months and you're into the northern lights. The summers are... amazing.

[Frostnip]

I mean, Fairbanks has its fundy crazies, but also this just happened:
Fairbanks City Council approves equal rights ordinance | Local News | newsminer.com

After 2.5 months, nearly nine hours of work sessions, almost eight hours of public comment and many hundreds more correspondences, the Fairbanks City Council on Monday night adopted Ordinance 6093 with a 4-2 vote.

The ordinance creates eight sections of Fairbanks General Code that extend equal rights protections to a number of demographics, most notable the LGBTQ community.

Included are protections for employment, housing and public accommodations, as well as a means for potential victims to challenge discriminatory practices in court.

[Southerner29]

Originally Posted by Frostnip

I mean, Fairbanks has its fundy crazies, but also this just happened:
Fairbanks City Council approves equal rights ordinance | Local News | newsminer.com

Thanks for that Frostnip. I really appreciate it!

[Southerner29]

Originally Posted by 6.7traveler

Fairbanks is definitely not homophobic at all and I wouldn't let that comment play a factor in your decision. There's UAF, which is Alaska's flagship university and brings in all sorts of people and cultural activities. There's also Fort Wainwright and it brings in all sorts of kinds of different people as well.

Alaska is very let and let live, including Fairbanks. No one cares if your gay, bi, straight etc.

Both are so different weather wise, I'd take that into serious consideration. Just because Fairbanks gets much colder at times, dont discount the amount and rain and grey southeast Alaska can get.

Fairbanks also has sweet $500ish a month dry cabin rentals. What other city can you rent a place basically right in town for that price ?

Thanks! You guys have really eased my mind! A cabin in town sounds pretty cool. They are providing housing as part of my compensation though.

[Southerner29]

Originally Posted by riceme

I really don't think Fairbanks is any more homophobic than anywhere else in the states. Definitely less so than some places I have lived. It's a great place to live if you like to get out during the long winter months and you're into the northern lights. The summers are... amazing.

Thanks! I would really enjoy watching the Aurora borealis on a regular basis. I'm into amateur astronomy and it seems Fairbanks has some opportunities for such! I've lived in the Dakotas, and while I realize winter is different in Fairbanks, I actually enjoy colder weather. What's the mosquito situation in summer? I've heard it's awful.

[6.7traveler]

The mosquitoes aren't that bad in my opinion most of the time, especially in town. They are worse by lakes and boggy wet areas. I find the black flies to be worse.

If you're really interested in a cabin, see if you can negotiate a housing stipend instead of company provided housing. Some jobs in Alaska sometimes pay obscenely high housing stipends. If you could get a $1500+ a month housing stipend and only spend $500 a month on rent, it would be like adding $12k plus a year to your salary.

Extra salary and wages gets eaten up fast in all parts of Alaska.

[riceme]

The mosquitoes don't pester me a whole bunch - never have. They are pretty bad sometimes, but that's why we have DEET and Mosquito Authority. Ha

6.7 might be onto something with the stipend. I'd be interested to see what sort of a place they'd be including in your deal and in what area it's located. Is heating fuel included? Electricity? Is internet service available in the area? Do not assume that you can get internet here - you often cannot.

If the wind blew where you were living in the Dakotas, our winters might not be too objectionable to you. They are just long. Very long.

[Frostnip]

The mosquitos are only bad if you're in a boggy area, IMO. Other than that they're not worse than the Midwest. Plus they don't carry disease here.