So...Alaska?

[Aelwydd]

My company has a number of positions opening up in Anchorage, Juneau, and some other smaller towns. I've read that the state's educational laws are exceptionally friendly to home schooling.

 

Anybody here have some advice or information about living in these areas? How do you like it? What kinds of educational resources are available? How's the cost-of-living? What kinds of foods/restaurants, culture, entertainment are available in the bigger cities?

 

Also, are you really able to see Russia from your houses? ;)

 

TIA!

[sparrow]

I don't live there, but I have close family that have been there for 25 years. I know that the cost of living and housing is very high.

[Aelwydd]

That's important to know. Thanks!

[RainbowSprinkles]

We lived in Anchorage. Be prepared for a lot of snow. It can be around 7-9 months. Summers are beautiful. 24 hours of daylight. Invest in blackout curtains.

 

In Anchorage there's lots to do. I recommend the book "Anchorage with Kids".

 

There's two bigger malls, one smaller. Costco, Sam's Club, Target, Wal-Mart. Restaurant options are pretty good. We love Bear's Tooth which is locally owned and you have the option of watching a movie while you eat. Also Moose's Tooth.

 

Very homeschooling friendly. You have the option to enroll in a charter school which will give you curriculum, books, pay for classes, etc. in exhange for keeping grades and standardized testing every 3 years starting in 3rd.

 

I gotta eat lunch now, but I hope this helps a little.

[Aelwydd]

Yes, it helps! Thanks for the info. :)

[AK_Mom4]

I can't see Russia, but there's a Russian lady down the street and I can see her house - does that count?

 

Homeschool laws are extremely friendly and there are plenty of homeschoolers here. We see plenty of kids if we go out during the daytime - we're in Anchorage - and DD has quite a few homeschooled friends. It's fairly well accepted here. Where we are, the climate is pretty moderate. Lots of snow, lots of sun, sometimes we get a rainy year, but the temps really don't get too high or too low. If you go to Juneau, you get much more rain and Fairbanks gets much colder (ha!). There aren't a lot of people here - Anchorage is only about 300K population, with Fairbanks less than a third of that and Juneau only about 30K, so the odds of running into someone you know at Costco on Saturday are virtually 100%.

 

Downside - the daylight extremes. In the summer, it's great because it's light until 2am. This time of year, sunrise is at 9am and sunset is at 6:30pm. You get used to doing things in the dark - we ski on lighted trails all winter. You can get used to the cold in the winter and dress warmer, but I was born here and I don't think anyone ever gets used to the dark. In summer, you can grow an amazing garden (unless you have a black thumb like me) or buy good stuff from the farmers market, but fresh produce in the winter gets flown in ($$$).

 

Cost of living - costs are higher here (added transporation costs), but so are the paychecks. We lived in Denver for years before moving back here and I still have family there. Cost of living between the two is really about a wash.

 

Here in Anchorage, we have pizza delivery, Olive Garden, McDonalds, fine restaurants and everything in betwee. We have movies, outdoor activities, sports, theatre, and our neighbors/political folks for entertainment.

[Tammi K]

I agree with everything AK_Mom4 said. We've been here for two years and absolutely love it. The climate is a challenge for some. My husband is grousing because it has been in the 15-29F range the past few mornings as he drives into work. But the rest of us are still outside in sweatshirts.

 

Cost of living:

We moved here from Hawaii where our 1,700sq foot house on a postage stamp lot was $650K. Here we have 2,700 sq feet for about half that on an acre. (For comparison our house in Pa was 3,500 sq feet for about the same cast as here.) Eagle River, where we live, is right outside Anchorage and housing is lower than the city.

This is the third (or 4th) state we've lived in in the last 6 years (Pa/ Md (Dh lived in Md during the week and came home on weekends, Hawaii, Alaska) and except for housing and gas, I don't find it that much more expensive than anywhere else. Shipping if higher - which is stupid because USPS flat rate goes anywhere...but I digress.

 

Recreation :

You can't beat it. Some combination of us have gone hiking, skiing, snowboarding, swimming, camping, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, figure skating, and hockey. If you have access to the military base, there is a kid's ski team - $100/family for 12 weeks of 3hour instruction! plus cheap lift tickets for the slopes.

 

The people:

Alaskans are, next to the Australian who hands down take first place, some of the nicest people I've EVER met. This is just one of those places that feels like home as soon as you get here. Walkers wave when you drive past them on the street. People stop and ask if you need help if you look like you're in trouble.

 

Homeschool:

There are several options from doing it on your own - pretty much no rules- to using a public or charter school option that gives you approx $2000 for curriculum in exchange for some oversight. That varies by program. I've been with IDEA for two years and this is the first year I actually laid eyes on our contact teacher. To say she is hands off is an understatement. Really, the only requirements are submit work samples every four quarters, report cards twice a year and show up for standardized testing every spring. I can do that!

 

The down side:

Bet you thought their wasn't one. Unfortunately, because it's light until 2am during the summer, fireworks on the 4th of July suck! :tongue_smilie: Sorry, it's tough but that's reality.

 

If you have specific questions feel free to pm. I've been here for 2 years so I have a good knowledge base but can still remember what it's like to be a newcomer.

 

ETA: Two biggies I forgot - No state income tax and no sales tax in Anchorage/Eagle River although you will find it in Wasilla and some other places. And, after establishing residency you are eligible for the PFD, a dividend paid to residents based on oil revenue, which was almost $900 per person this year (and this was a bad year.) Together, these two factors really help balance the whole 'cost of living is too high' complaint.

Edited October 21, 2012 by Tammi K

[Alyeska]

,

Edited July 8, 2013 by Alyeska

[MistyMountain]

I live in Anchorage. We do not have winter for 9 months of the year it is more like 6 months a year from mid October to Mid April or so is wintery weather give or take a few weeks on either end. Anchorage is a lot like any mid size city in terms of amenities and chains but we do have some cool local restaurants.

 

The job and housing market is one of the few areas of the country that is showing growth. We have a really low foreclosure rate and there was job growth.

 

The cost of living is pretty high. The housing cost is pretty high but there are areas of the country that are higher but the heating costs and especially the food and cost of everything else make up for it and make it a pretty expensive place. Jobs do pay pretty good here but it isn't easy in certain industries that don't pay that well with the high cost of living and I don't know that the higher pay always makes up for the higher cost of living at least in our case.

 

This area has a great homeschooling community. There are a lot of resources out there for homeschoolers and it isn't heavily regulated. You can join a oversight group or homeschooling charter and they will give you up to 2200 towards your school costs. There isn't a lot required of you and you aren't chained to any method by using one. You just meet with a teacher and go over your plans with them and the kids need to get tested. If you switch methods or decide to stop using the oversight group or sign the kids up for school you need to give back your non consumables but you keep them if you complete the year. You can use the money towards classes like art classes, swimming for gym etc

 

We also have a lot of great charter school options for people who use the school system. The charters score well and have a lot of parental involvement. There are many charter options like language immersion, open optional which is child directed, waldorf, montessori, back to basics which is kind of like the classical method.

 

One thing that is cool about Anchorage is all the outdoor opportunities. There is the Chugach range right in town and many trails that go through town. You get moose right at your door and bears are in town too. You don't have to drive far to see glaciers and mountains. There are so many different outdoor things to do in the summer and winter. The landscape is beautiful and unbeatable and the wildlife you see is amazing too. If you hunt or fish the salmon is abundant and sustainable and there is plenty of hunting too.

 

One thing that is tough for me is that it is hard to get out of here. My family is on the east coast and it is a long plane ride to see them. You can't really take long car trips to other states. It is days of driving to get back to the lower 48. The isolation from the rest of the country is the thing that I like the least about Alaska. I miss my family and being able to drive to other states. Although I do really like it here despite the cold weather and I would miss it if we leave.

 

I can't see Russia but I did see the northern lights last week and there is a Russian Immersion school and we used to be owned by Russia ;)

Edited October 22, 2012 by MistyMountain

[Juniper]

Can I fit in your suitcase? ;)

 

Dh and I keep our eyes out for positions up there.

[Starr]

The problem for many people is that Alaska is very far away. You really have to decide if you want to move completely away from family and friends. Travel is expensive. I prefer Juneau to Anchorage but we were up there this summer and boy is it gray in Juneau. I've gotten used to the sunshine. I think it's also helpful to really like outdoor activities.

[Denisemomof4]

I want to move to Alaska!!!

[jenL]

I want to move to Alaska!!!

 

:iagree: I would love to live there at some point!

[Bensmom]

My in-laws lived in Juneau many years and moved to Anchorage about a year ago. They have been visiting at our home the past few days and my MIL has gone on and on about how she loves Anchorage better than Juneau. I think that because you have to take the ferry or a plane in/out of Juneau, after a few years she began to feel isolated and cut off from the rest of the world. (Didn't help that she had to fly to Seattle for her heart specialist...very expensive and inconvenient) According to MIL, Anchorage has the charms of Alaska (wildlife, beautiful landscape), but with more "class" and shopping options:001_smile: Shopping is very important to MIL ;) And yes it is very expensive...my poor FIL :tongue_smilie:

 

Hope you enjoy your new Alaskan home wherever you may settle.

[Aelwydd]

Thanks everyone for the information and advice! I shared this thread with dh and he's mulling it over. He'd like to move to Canada, but if we went to Alaska, I could transfer rather than have to find a new company to work for. Plus, moving expenses would be covered. I think I'd probably prefer Juneau for its climate and charm, but Anchorage is more likely to be where we'd end up. ;)