I only have one more week left in this town, so I couldn’t help but reflect on some of the interesting things I’ve grown to live with and enjoy in Kotzebue, AK. At first, these things may have been strange, but after five months I guess I just got used to it! I’m amazed that the summer went by so quickly, and leaving this community above the Arctic Circle will be bittersweet. I’m so eager to see the friends and family I’ve missed for months, but I’ve also fallen in love with the plants, animals, people, and weather here.
My Next-Door-Neighbors are Planes
I’m serious. I live right next to the airport. Every day I see and hear planes of all shapes and sizes getting ready to land or take off. On my morning commute to work I bike past a fence separating me from planes belonging to commercial airlines and individuals. Because Alaska is so remote, planes are still so essential to access all of it. Boating in the summer and snow machining in the winter connects things a little better, but planes will always be the quickest. Alaska Airlines stops in Kotzebue, so often many who are continuing on to villages in the area stop here first. Most mail also comes with airplanes, although larger shipments can be barged in when the ocean isn’t frozen.
Is it Day or Night?
The sun started setting again a few weeks ago, but for the majority of my time here I’ve lived with constant sunlight. Because of the brightness, I would often stay up way too late, without even realizing it! Throughout the day I would just be buzzing with energy. Why go to bed when the sun is inviting you to get outside and explore? I have blackout curtains on my bedroom window, but more often than not, curiosity would keep me awake. Staying up late rewards you with special moments that you would probably miss during the normal hours. Colorful clouds, Alaskan rainbows, seals peeking their heads out of the Arctic Ocean, the faint full moon, a silent snowy owl, snowshoe hares darting between the willows; all of this and more I’ve seen way past my usual bedtime.
Kids Without Bedtimes
Speaking of bedtimes, many kids in the Arctic don’t really have one in the summertime. They were probably buzzing with the same energy that I felt. In such a small community, kids roam almost completely independently. At first it seems like kids of all ages are completely without supervision, but their family (along with almost every other adult in town) keeps a close eye on their well-being. I was inspired by the youth’s enthusiasm to get outside to play and learn.
Kids often recognize me as one of the Park Rangers at the local museum, so they liked to follow me for a little while, asking about Raven the Alaska Pup and if they can have more Ranger Dollars. A kid once knocked on my door at around 9:30pm. When I opened the door, she said nothing, just pointed enthusiastically at the inflating balloon in her mouth. She stopped by to show that she finally figured out how to blow up her balloon (I had given her some tips earlier that day). I will always treasure memories like those.
Don’t Bother with the Weather Forecast
I thought Michigan weather was unpredictable—try Arctic weather! One minute it’s sunny, the next it’s cloudy with 15mph winds, then in an hour the clouds part and it’s sunny again. I learned very quickly that any plans or the outdoors involved bringing gear for every type of weather. The weather forecast is only really useful about a half hour at a time—it’s more of a “rough estimate.”
Dogs Everywhere
Many people here maintain dog teams, or at least keep their dogs outside for the summer. When one group starts to howl, usually the rest follow. One of the larger teams seems to always howl and bark when I notice the handlers are feeding them. There are occasionally ambulance/fire department sirens, but I’ve really appreciated that most of those loud, “citywide” sounds have been dogs. These unified dog songs will be something that I’ll greatly miss.
Area Codes Aren’t a Thing
I’m guessing this might be true for the rest of Alaska. The area code across the whole state is (907). Where I come from, you can drive a little while and suddenly pass through several different area codes. Here, those first three digits are completely redundant. If you ever list a phone number and start with (907), you’ll be met with strange looks!
Colorful Connexes
These shipping containers are scattered throughout Kotz, each a different color, brand, and age. From the sky, these colors especially stand out!
Tundra, as Far as the Eye Can See
Michigan has tons of forests, so spending the summer in a landscape where you can see almost everything was interesting. In the past five months, I saw forests only three times. There’s probably three spruce and two aspen here in Kotz, and those who planted them have taken serious care to keep them growing. Thicker forests are found along the Noatak and Kobuk rivers (and the smaller rivers and streams that braid off of them). So for most of my summer, I could climb the little hills outside of town and see the Arctic Ocean, mountains in the distance, and rolling hills of tundra. It’s been especially useful here, because I could go pick berries and hike around with ease. It’s pretty difficult for a bear to sneak up when you can see him from five miles away. I wonder how I’ll feel when I’m back home and surrounded by trees again?
Dramatic Seasonal Change
This was definitely my favorite part of living here. Since I moved to the Arctic, I’ve experienced late spring, all of summer, and early fall. I watched the ice on the Arctic Ocean break up and drift away. The days rapidly became longer and longer, until they became endless. Then, they got shorter and shorter just as fast. I saw the plants turn from brown, to green, to scarlet. The flowers budded, bloomed, and seeded in a matter of weeks. The berries ripened to as sweet as can be. It’s been a wonderful five months above the Arctic Circle.
If I were able to stay just a little bit longer, I’d also get to see winter—the season of twilight. I don’t know how I would fare in the bitter thirty below winds, but I think I would love to spend some time gazing at the Aurora that dances directly overhead.