I can't believe we have been here for 10 months already. It seems that yesterday we were sitting on the deck, basking in the sun, and planning a trip to the beach. The Atlantic seems so far away.....more than the miles, it is the weather, the darkness of winter, and the different culture that we live in. Yes, things are relaxed here in Alaska. We joke about "village time" which seems to start after noon and is usually about a half an hour later. (If they say 10 am they really mean 11 am.) Folks here don't worry so much about the latest fashion, hairstyles, makeup, nails, and designer shoes. The worry is centered on getting oil or wood for heat and, as of late, how close the wolves are to the village.
Priorities are not the same as in the lower 48 and sometimes I find myself not even caring about what is going on in the world outside of our circle of life. The news becomes an afterthought. Facebook is more for entertainment and games. Movies become a big part of how you spend your evenings. More than any of that, I have found that I have changed quite a bit with this experience. I struggle sometimes with the lack of anywhere to go and that I cannot walk around barefoot everywhere. I miss the warm sun and I miss humid breezes. I miss always having something to do and somewhere to be. The focal point of life here becomes (for us) what happens in our 8 walls: the store and at home. I am not complaining, it is really just a fact of where we are, it changes you. It makes you see the world differently. On the other side of this coin I have become more outgoing, happier with who I am, have found the ability to make friends quickly, and I have strength for change that I never knew I had. The positives far outweigh the negatives in this situation. I like being out here. I like how the air smells. I like the people I have become close to and others that I just see everyday. I love watching the NAC freighter take off after a delivery, and I love the fact that a lot of people here just seem to think we belong.
It is not postcard Alaska with grand mountains and glaciers. It is the tundra with scrub trees and small mountains. But for us, it is our postcard and we want to stay. We have found a place where we are comfortable and feels like home.
I can't believe we have been here for 10 months already. It seems that yesterday we were sitting on the deck, basking in the sun, and planning a trip to the beach. The Atlantic seems so far away.....more than the miles, it is the weather, the darkness of winter, and the different culture that we live in. Yes, things are relaxed here in Alaska. We joke about "village time" which seems to start after noon and is usually about a half an hour later. (If they say 10 am they really mean 11 am.) Folks here don't worry so much about the latest fashion, hairstyles, makeup, nails, and designer shoes. The worry is centered on getting oil or wood for heat and, as of late, how close the wolves are to the village. 
