Boonies of Alaska

I thought I’d share a little bit with ya regarding this part of the world…Bethel, AK! It’s kinda funny to me that I seem to enjoy the “not so cool” places in the world …well, by some people’s standards. In China, it was Hunchun…the small city in the boonies of the northeastern part of the country. Loved it. Then in Oregon, so many people wondered why in the world I would pick La Grande of all places. Turns out, I loved that too! Nothing different when it comes to Bethel, Alaska. Those in Oregon that knew of Bethel had a sound of dread you all that indeed, I like it here! If there is something to do outdoors and the pace is a little more laid back then it’s a pretty sure bet I’m going to be happy. So, let me tell you some interesting things about this place.

Bethel sits in the Yukon Delta – the southwestern part of the State – and is only accessible by plane in the winter. Once the river breaks in the “spring”, it is accessible by boat. About 6,000 people live in Bethel but its hospital serves the entire delta which includes 52 small villages. People in those villages who need care are either brought in by snow machine (snowmobile) or by small plane. There are health aids that serve in the villages, but anything beyond basic care is done in Bethel. And if you need an MRI or any kind of surgery beyond “basic” you are sent to Anchorage. Orthopedic surgeons come in every few months for consults. There is so much about all of this that reminds me of being overseas. I think that is part of the draw for me.

The population in Bethel is over 60% native but it seems more than that because everyone coming in from the villages is native. The Eskimo culture is similar, in a way, to the Native Indian culture. They are very connected to the Earth, the Spirits, their ancestors, etc. One thing I really enjoy seeing is the continuation of their culture in the younger generations. The children often speak Yupik (the main language in the Yukon) with their family members but everyone can speak English – with the exception of some of the elders. And the elders are very respected. I love that and wish we had more of that mindset in our modern American culture.

Okay, now for some fun facts…when I first arrived it was -25. That is not with a wind chill, by the way. Holy coldness. At those temps, people have to plug in their cars (everyone uses a block heater) to prevent the antifreeze from freezing . You go to work and in the parking lot there are big outlets and extension cords running everywhere to all of the cars. I think there are more snow machines than cars here. No doubt for those in the villages. The rivers are frozen over and become ice roads. It’s warmed up lately and has gotten into the 20s and a few days into the lower 30s. It was a heat wave!! I could be outside in a t-shirt! We’re back to “normal” temps…it’s 0 right now.

Bethel is out on the tundra and therefore all of the buildings are on stilts. You can’t build directly onto the ground because of how much it shifts. Kinda weird, eh? Some parts of the town have constant running water but for most of us (my little house on stilts included) our water is brought in once a week. There are huge plastic containers in the arctic entryway (the front room) that hold our water and those are filled once a week. Now, when you turn on the faucet it runs like normal. You just have to be mindful of how much you are using. And our waste is hauled off once a week as well. Just another thing that makes me feel like I’m overseas sometimes.

Grocery prices…at first I didn’t want to buy hardly anything because of how expensive everything was. But, then you realize you need to eat and so you just dive in. And you buy things on sale when they hit…like eggs and dairy and biscuits that are close to expiration. ½ gallon of milk: $7. Box of cereal $6-$8 (but I got a bulk size of Grape-Nuts for $12…score!) 3 sweet potatoes: $7. But ya know what, as long as I stay under my weekly stipend I’m a-ok in my mind. I’ve done it so far! I’ve just gotten used to eating a little bit less than normal.

A few things I’ve done for fun out here: well, you certainly can’t stay inside just because it’s cold. Well, some of the transplant folks (what I call those of us who are here less than a year) take on that approach but I would go crazy! I’ve played broomball out on a frozen pond. You wear these funny, springy shoes so that you have traction on the ice and then play a game kinda similar to hockey. You have a stick, there’s a ball and a goal. You really get to sweating and the guys beards and my hair was turning pure white with ice crystals! I watched a small dog sled race start yesterday morning. It’s so cool! The dogs get so amped up to run. They are just whining and barking and trying to pull while they wait for the start. Pretty cool energy! And the most adventurous – Jesse and I went out on a 3+ hour snow machine ride one night after work. (it doesn’t get dark until 10). Well, in the first mile we had quite the rush. It was pretty hard to distinguish the ground from the sky because everything was white. We were going about 50 mph and all of the sudden Jesse completely pulls off the gas and then guns it again. I can’t see because his hood is flapping me in the face but the next thing I know my rear nor my feet are touching anything. It seemed to last forever and everything was in slow motion. We land beautifully and I realize my heart has taken pause. I’m a little disoriented at first. Jesse can’t believe what just happened. We came upon an ice road…about 15’ wide and 4’deep…before he could really see it AND we jumped it! With both of us on a snow machine built for one. Oh my word! It was insane. Don’t worry mom – I’m alive :)

So…that’s a little about life up here. I wish I could be up here when everything thaws out. The outdoor possibilities are endless. It truly is the last frontier with miles and miles of open land. Thoughts of river trips and camping for days with nothing but nature and a couple of good friends…ya’ll must know I’m drooling right now just thinking about it. :)