Who loves and who hates Alaska? (Anchorage, Fairbanks: health insurance, buy, school districts)

[Northrick]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

I moved to Alaska with the military back in the '70s, and the first thing that took some time to get used to was a feeling isolation from the rest of the US. When living in the lower-48 I could travel North, South, West, West...all across the US. I could visit friends and family members living a few miles away in neighboring towns or cities, and so on. Once I was over that "feeling of isolation," things fell back into place.

I often forget that most people can just drive to another state. Whereas here, 99% of the time if you are going to another state you are getting on an airplane.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Northrick

Whereas here, 99% of the time if you are going to another state you are getting on an airplane.

One of the BIG ones, as opposed to a local air taxi where you can trade snacks and gossip over the back of the seat with the pilot!

[Metlakatla]

I don't "hate" Alaska; life isn't that black and white, but there did come a time when I had to face the fact that living there year-round was no longer something I wanted to do.

Maybe it's aging. I was in the cafe out in Eureka (can't recall the name, sort of a truck stop type of place) in late autumn of 2006 (I only remember the time of year because Chuck and Sally Heath were there picking up their daughter's campaign signs), and an older man there was talking about how he'd be moving to Idaho soon and was glad to be leaving Alaska. He didn't seem to "hate" Alaska; he said that it is a "young person's country" and that he was looking forward to reconnecting with family and having more general options for retirement. I'd guess he was about 65. At the time, I couldn't imagine feeling the way he did. I get it now, even though I'm not as old as he was.

But then, Alaska is a huge state, and if my home would have been in Ketchikan or Juneau, I might still be there; both of those communities have nice little arts scenes and passable restaurants. Out on the island, though...there's really nothing but bars and churches, and neither are of interest to me. Also, I imprinted on the half-agricultural and half-wild lands of the foothills of Oregon's Cascade and Coastal Mountain Ranges at a very early age, and if I had to make a gun-to-my-head decision about which state to live in, it would be Oregon. But I don't have to decide.

I'm closer to my family in Alaska than to my family in Oregon, and Californians have ruined my particular community in Oregon to a ridiculous extent, so it's tempting to move back full time, but I don't think that's in the cards. I'm not retired and won't be for some time, but there are too many things I want to do that can't happen at my home in Alaska.

Also, mini-Met is grown up and doing an excellent job carrying on with the daily operations of the family salmon tradition, and if I spend most of my time skulking down in Oregon, I won't be stuck babysitting any grandchildren that may happen along.

[Digger 68]

I bet those oil checks residents got have shrunk quite a bit.

Beautiful, remote, and expensive, with a high col. I think that's how most of us outsiders would view Alaska. At least this one.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Digger 68

I bet those oil checks residents got have shrunk quite a bit.

Beautiful, remote, and expensive, with a high col. I think that's how most of us outsiders would view Alaska. At least this one.

The checks aren't really important unless one is in debt or one is very poor. One check is enough to fill the tank at the back of the house with heating fuel, and that helps, but it won't get you very far since the cost of living is so high.

[Moreau36]

Originally Posted by Digger 68

I bet those oil checks residents got have shrunk quite a bit.

Beautiful, remote, and expensive, with a high col. I think that's how most of us outsiders would view Alaska. At least this one.

It shows where one's priorities are. If a person moves here just for "free money", they're going to be extremely miserable.

Anchorage, compared to most of Alaska, is not terribly expensive.

[pnwguy2]

Love/Hate relationship for me. I lived there for two years in the late 90's. I loved the closeness to wilderness, the beautiful scenery, even the cool summers in Anchorage. I hated the long dark winters. I did not like the isolation, though Alaska Air could get you to Seattle in three hours. But I guess what I found most disconcerting was the split between residents who lived there because they wanted to, and those who lived there because that was where their work was. The dichotomy presented a strange mix of population. I guess I was caught somewhere in between with this. Anchorage and Alaska are a special place, but certainly not for everyone. I would expect you either love it or hate it, but I weirdly felt somewhere in between.

Anyone aware of this current peculiar song?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ar6W-D-o6k

[Digger 68]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

The checks aren't really important unless one is in debt or one is very poor. One check is enough to fill the tank at the back of the house with heating fuel, and that helps, but it won't get you very far since the cost of living is so high.

[Digger 68]

Originally Posted by Moreau36

It shows where one's priorities are. If a person moves here just for "free money", they're going to be extremely miserable.

Anchorage, compared to most of Alaska, is not terribly expensive.

And the education system is lacking?

[alaskaflyer]

^It can be. Like most states, that is dependent on district and location. Of course, funding shrank and is shrinking. Some of the small rural schools were award winning back when money flowed more freely, Healy for example. Chatham School District for another.