First Impressions of Alaska

I made it!  I got myself to Anchorage, took a tour, did the pre-employment steps that can be done, and left Anchorage in about 40 hours, which included about 20 hours of blissful sleep in that glorious Arctic dark..  Here's a synopsis of what I learned, or at least what I think I learned based on fleeting observations.

1.  There really are more beards in Alaska.  I noted a much higher ratio of grizzled faces on the Seattle to Anchorage flight than I have ever noted on any other flight to anywhere I have ever been on.  Say...a solid 40%.  Still not the majority, but noticeable.

2.  Alaskans are friendly.  Super friendly.  Not a striving to be polite kind of friendly, but an open and thorough exchange of information in pretty much every exchange.  In less than 48 hours, I feel I could drop by my new home restaurant Club Paris, the original location of Kaladi Brothers coffee, the Verizon cell phone booth, the drug screening outlet, the social security office, the bank, the extended stay America check in desk, and a few other places and just say "hey, it's me again, wanna grab a coffee or something?" and pick up where we left off in the conversation.  Going into this I knew 2 people in Anchorage and they immediately offered me a place to stay (for months if need be), rides, and any assistance needed.  I think, and hope, it's an Alaska thing because it's a good thing!  And I really need to thank Stan, Donna, Jett, and Butler for opening their home to me -- and Sharon and Dave for also offering their home to me.  Stan acted as chauffeur, tour guide, and ambassador while finishing up work and getting ready to leave on his own vacation that same evening.  Thanks!



my new friend Butler

3  Alaskans become Californian in cars.  On icy windy roads, I was constantly surprised by the vehicles rapidly speeding by, often using the shoulder or meridian to pass an offensively speed limit compliant vehicle, and cutting into the not-really-that-busy traffic with only inches to spare between vehicles.  It seems all laws of personal space are obliterated when driving.  I think it is going to take some time to get used to driving there.

4.  Alaskans are honest.  People talk to you and really talk to you.  Every conversation I have is one that refreshingly offers a flow of personal information with business, etc.   I think my banker will be really worried he did something wrong if I don't stop by for address updates, etc.  Seriously.

5.  Customer service is amazing.  First name basis with people everywhere I ate, staff walking with you to the door and holding it open at the bank, everyone is super helpful.

6.  Alaskans love coffee.  I was told there it has the highest per capita ratio of coffee huts.  I say huts, not shops, because they are sorta like meat wagons.  Build a shed, put it on wheels, park it somewhere near drive by traffic, and you have a coffee hut.  My friend Stan drinks more coffee than me.  Seriously.

7.  Alaska airlines is awesome.  They have engineered the cabin so all the economy seats have more legroom than some of the other airlines.  Their rates are good.  And need I say the crew are laid back and happy and open (captain announced a friend of his was on board, who was also a pilot, was sitting in seat 18D, and once won a bird call competition in Seattle for his impersonation of the yellow bellied warbler, and invited us to all go ask about it).  Oh yeah, and flights from Calgary are super cheap.

8.  It's not really that cold in Anchorage.  I had to take off my jacket a few times, and my feet were warm in my winter boots.  The worst bit was about -15C, which is cold but not as cold as some Saskatchewan days this winter.  There was not much snow in town, although it has been a mild winter they say.  And it isn't that dark.  The sun is a little slow in rising, I can live with that, but Anchorage is getting around 9 hours of daylight right now.  Not so different from Edmonton.

9.  It is dry.  I am not a chapstick person.  I never use chapstick.  But the moisture was sucked out of my body via the lips within a couple of hours in Anchorage.  My skin got flaky, and I swear I dessicated a bit.  If you are coming to Alaska, bring chapstick.

Here is a little experience that seems representative of my Alaska experience.  I walked up to a cell phone kiosk in the mall and said I was new to Alaska and would like to get a phone.  I would need calling to Canada, and good roam within Canada rates.  The two guys in the kiosk did not hesitate to say "yeah, you should go to the competitor booth around they corner, they will have a better deal for you."  I was a little shocked.  I kinda wanted to be sold a plan by this company.  So I thought I would ask about unlocked phones, and they explained they don't really do that, it's not a big thing in the US, that's more of a thing for people who travel internationally a lot.  Then they told me about their friend, in a band, who plays in Canada, and what works for him for a phone plan.  They asked how long I had been in Alaska, and when I replied "first day!" they said "that's sic!"  So after following the Alaska exchange protocol I was now catching on to, I explained my path to getting there, found out about their hometowns and when they moved up, and asked "So am I going to like it here?"  "Yeah, it's great, but you're here at the worst time of the year.  It's the light I miss...I mean (glancing at the fluorescent light above him in the booth), I live in this artificial environment.  I'm a hamster."  By now I am grinning ear to ear.  "The one thing I would change," he continued, "is I would gladly pay a little tax if they would just put some salt on the roads.  I come from the lower 48, where we believe in SALT, so you aren't sliding around all the time.  Just a little salt.  That's all I ask."  His coworker piped up "You know why they don't use salt on the roads don't you?  It's because of the moose.  They like to lick the salt, so it draws them into the road.  Wouldn't you rather slide around a little more than you'd like to hit a moose every day?"  "I didn't know that, well, that's cool as long as there's a reason."  Still grinning, armed with the knowledge of their histories, children's ages, and moose stats, I left with no clue what a phone plan would cost.  But I think I'm gonna like it here.