Move to Alaska or Vacation? From Kansas! (living in, bus)

[roadfamily6now]

welcome! You'll love it here!

Ps. Dont move to Anchorage.

[Manmountain]

Looks like college isnt on your mind. College is a waste of money for 70% of grads.

I would advise you DO NOT HESITATE, at your age?-- get your AZZ up there asap.

You Oakley said quote "" : On the other hand I don't wanna move out there and something go bad and then I am homeless.""" --- end.

You got to be kidding!, who you been talking to? Be a man tell the world to go to hell and be a Man! Buy a van and live in it will keep you from being homeless.

Hell it can go bad in kansas . Still livin with mom and dad?

Just dont go live in the woods or a bus type aproach. Get in the industrial job market-- roomate with a college kid.

By a canoe and explore on weekends. Go to fairbanks not anchorage.. The bush is closer .

[lazyboy]

You can probably pick up some farm work around Palmer/Wasilla for the summer. If your a hard worker you'll do fine. Check on craigslist for a room mate situation when you get close to the time you plan to leave. In the meantime Save! Save! Save! Good luck and be safe!

[quakinator]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Uh oh.

Stiff and quakinator are absolutely right, lots of seasonal opportunities that will give you a good chance to see part of the state and look around for year round work. You can apply at Princess and a lot of other places online, look here:

CoolWorks.com - Summer Jobs and Seasonal Jobs in Great Places

Most of these places provide employee housing. And if you get a job with Princess or another corporation, let them pay for your plane ticket because they get corporate rates. They'll still take it out of your check but it will cost you less than if you bought the ticket yourself.

Going to school as another poster suggested is a great idea but keep in mind that out of state tuition is prohibitive. A lot of young people your age work in Alaska to help pay for college in their home states, though.

Haha, Stiff, quake and Met all agree on something? I came up here on a whim when I was in college. Princess recruited on my campus and I said why the heck not, pay for a bit of school, experience something new. I came up, found a place to live through a friend (I paid $200/month but that's cause I had a friend connection, your rent will probably be more in the 4-500/month). I flew my GF at the time up, we hiked around a week during the summer and I proposed to her up Hatcher Pass and the rest is history. I fell in love with the state and with a woman up here, and now 7 years later we moved back here after school, with our 2 kids and we're loving it. You never know what life will bring you, but you can sure decide what you're going to do with your life. Like manmountain said, you can always find a way to make it, it may not be pretty, you may have to let go of your pride if things go bad, but if you have it in your heart and mind, you can make it happen. Reading these boards will prepare you immensely for what it's going to take to make it work, keep reading! Being prepared is of utmost importance, almost anyone can survive a summer up here (I almost said anyone, but then I thought of my sister-in-law), it's the winters that can and will punish you if not prepared. Good luck.

[SLCPUNK]

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

Kid, save up your money, come up this summer and get a seasonal job at one of the touristy places. Work hard, apply for any permanent year round job you can find and it will all work out.

I agree totally.

I'm all for you going, just do it right and have your ducks in order before you go. Don't rush, if you have to wait a little longer to have more money then just be patient.

I moved out west to the Rockies when I was 20 from Florida, on a Greyhound bus. Man was it worth it.

[stiffnecked]

Originally Posted by quakinator

Haha, Stiff, quake and Met all agree on something? .

There are probably many things we agree on. I enjoy posting about helping people that are thinking of or are in the process of relocating to Alaska.

The tourism business is a good place to seek initial employment if you don't have something lined up. However, for the upcoming 2010 season I would start applying and getting my applications in now!! With the decline in tourism numbers, declines in spending and a crappy economy there is going to be lots of competition for those jobs this coming summer. Especially the ones where the employers provide housing.

[warptman]

Ever notice that the OP's never return?

[stiffnecked]

Originally Posted by warptman

Ever notice that the OP's never return?

That's okay. We usually scare them off pretty quickly. Reality is tough.

[fungun101]

hey dude,
I lived in Alaska, and it was plain awesome! If you go to live there though, you should think about getting an R.V.- it is really useful! You like, NEED to move there! I reccomend Fairbanks or Anchorage!
fungun!

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by LAAngels

Actually It would be better to read the book "Into the Wild". Much more informative and less glorified than the movie. Yeah that guy died from eating berries but he sure did well for awhile. Anyway that's a whole different discussion. Read Into the Wild, and Alaska by James Michener while you are waiting to turn 18.

I just moved from Kansas myself Wichita is depressing I can see why you want to leave. Definitely not a hiker or camper paradise.

I think the berries was a twist for the movie plot, the kid was starving long before that because he didn't know what he was doing. He was at the stage of starvation he was probably eating trees and shoe leather...

I flew over the bus when he was there a number of times, and he was trying to hide, didn't want anyone to know he was there or in trouble.