Any nurses from Barrow

liljsmom02 · Aug 30, 2007

Or anywhere in Alaska???? Anyone???

Northstar Angel · Sep 4, 2007

Hi!

I'm not a nurse yet...hoping for my acceptance letter this week, in fact!!! But I am a lifelong Alaskan. I have never been to Barrow though I've seen pictures.

Good luck getting the answers you seek

Angelica

duggram · Sep 4, 2007

Barrow? Think expensive to travel to. Think expensive for any thing. I've met people that took jobs in Barrow and couldn't afford the housing, so they slept on the floor of the office they worked in. They were public defenders.

You also want to consider that things are a little different when you start working for the natives. They have the right to fire you for being non-native.

I worked for 4 years at the native hospital in Anchorge and finally left because I couldn't take the constant reminder that I could be replaced at any moment because I was white.

I don't like to sound so negative, but I've been here most of my life and learned a few things.

However, don't forget there are those that thrive in an isolated and hostile environment of extremes.

Good luck,

Doug

liljsmom02 · Sep 5, 2007

WOW Thanks Doug....that's disappointing to hear. I am white to and from New England so I am very far from being a native. I never realized it was so expensive to live there either. Good to know.

JMBM · Sep 13, 2007

Wow, Barrow? from the East Coast? I worked in Barrow for awhile, albeit quite a few years ago. Barrow is a predominately native town in the Arctic. There is quite a bit of money in Barrow, resulting from the local native corporation's royalty payments on oil. There is also quite a bit of poverty there. Think of a small town on an absolutely flat plain over 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle, surrounded by marsh on two sides and the Arctic Ocean on the other two. Think of a place where -40 degrees is not unusual and the sun disappears for over 2 months a year. It costs more than $600 and takes over an hour to fly to Barrow from Anchorage, the only town in Alaska with over 100,000 people. Think what is costs to buy a quart of milk there. On the other hand, there are deep and fascinating native roots in the town, including an active whale hunt. They even have a new high school football field, although their nearest opponent is over 500 miles away. In short, Barrow is nothing like anything most people have experienced. I'd strongly suggest that you visit before committing to work/live there. You might love it ..... or maybe not.