I am moving to Alaska

One of the wonder women at Financial Aid mentioned I should write a blog about my adventure in Alaska. She said it would be a good way for everyone to see how I am.  The idea stuck and now here it is!

For those that don't know I am working at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks Alaska as a Lead Teacher in the Child Development Center on base.  I will be flying to Anchorage on Dec 31 and then flying to Fairbanks on Jan 1 with my mom and dad.  They will coming back to Iowa a week later.  My sister wanted to come but she is taking J-term classes.

Right now I am apartment hunting.  This has been a long process for me.  In Ames, you sign a lease at least nine months in advance.  In Fairbanks, landlords don't want to talk to you until three weeks before you want to move in.  I have been checking out craigslist daily and I have also been checking out the AHRN website that helps military members and civilians find housing.  

There is some cheaper housing in Fairbanks, they are called cabins.  Cabins come in two different styles dry and semi dry.  A semi-dry cabin has running water but no sewage.  This means there is an outhouse right out side to use.  A dry cabin has no water and no sewage.  I am going to avoid these apartments.

For the most part it looks like landlords pay for heat and water while the tenant pays for electricity.  Heating in Alaska isn't gas or electric, it's oil.  My understanding is natural gas is harder to come by and oil isn't.