With all of my overseas work and travel assignments we always look forward to coming home. People always ask me me why would you want to live in a place of nothingness? For me and my family Alaska is about certain core values that my family and I hold dear.
1. We don't consider the environment and obstacle and try to live within that environment.
2. Economic commerce within Alaska is much more broad than others places in the USA or the world. We still trade or exchange items in items of interest. So money is not always cash, but can also be labour.
3. Our politics is very local centric and allot of people do not support politically parties. So a large chunk of the population is truly and independent voter.
4. We don't trust government period
5. The people, villages, and small towns help each other.
6. We enjoy a higher quality of life in many ways that others don't understand.
7. We have embraced technology that fits into our culture. For example our largest school district is an homeschool based system that uses the internet to bring education to all of our people; up the university level of instruction.
Now we do have hardships, and sometimes you can feel isolated. The wonderful beauty of the landscape, and the open heartiness of the different cultures that make up it's culture always draws us back home.
The transportation system to include the Alaska Railroad, Alaska Marine Highway, numerous pitots, and a great highway system; allows us to adventure to areas of new discovery each time we travel here.
The local population is diverse, and with this diversity we enjoy a decent amount of food from around the region, and the world.
So the next time you consider traveling around maybe you should pay us a visit, and enjoy our hospitality.
Happy Travels,
John Gentry
