Just accepted travel assignment to Nome

[Hollyrobyn]

Hi,

Just accepted my first travel assignment to Nome, Alaska any advice what to pack, what to ship will be helpful.

Thanks,

Hollyrobyn

[TopazLover, BSN, RN]

Cabela's and look for the best you can buy. Boots, Parka with REAL fur ruff, bib ski pants, and especially snowmobile gloves, no thermo-lite. Sunglasses are essential. Ski goggles. Prepare to dress in layers. Long underwear.The wind can be fierce there due to the ocean. Don't buy too much if you can't get what you need. You will be able to buy anything you need up there. Take a camera and make sure you keep it warm or you will find the battery freezes.

There used to be many no call- no shows that were tolerated. Be prepared to work long hours. You may see a lot of hypothermia so study up.

You will have the natives selling you native art. It is great. Much of the money is used for alcohol. Alcoholism rates are sky high. Every winter dead bodies are found outside bars. People do not drink the way you are used to. You don't want to go to bars alone.

Take personal items that mean something to you. A few pictures, etc.

Beware of bad weather. Whiteouts are deadly. Don't stray alone.

Will you be there for the Iditarod? If so, be prepared for an invasion of people areound March 10.

It will be a great experience. I loved the arctic. The people are wonderful, giving and willing to share their culture if you are open to learning. Enjoy yourself and don't let my list scare you.

pm me if you want.

[Canadian Girl]

Hi there. I worked in the Canadian Arctic for a couple of years. The winters were -40 and below, down to minus 100celcius with the windchill. When I went outside, I would put on long underwear/undershirt. Then I would wear thick good quality polar fleece from head to toe. Then gortex pants. I would wear a thick down vest. Over top I would wear a Snow Goose Parka. The parka really needs to come down to your knees, so you don't freeze. On the colder windy days I would wear a bellaclava to cover my face. Bring some good moisturizer, as the arctic tends to be very dry. Oh and buy some good mitts: they're much warmer than gloves and you can layer some polar fleece gloves under the mitts to keep warmer (and when you break out your camera, you can take the mitts off and your fingers will still be somewhat protected by the inner layer gloves). I bought a pair of mitts by Outdoor Research (OR). Expensive but worth it. They are heavy duty arctic explorer type mitts. Boots: the thicker the soles, the warmer. Invest in some really good arctic boots, b/c even if you wear thick wool socks, you're feet will still freeze if you have ordinary snow boots, depending on how cold it gets there (I've never been to Nome).

Where I worked, I couldn't buy any decent food, so I brought my own wheat flour to make bread, and I brought tons of food, including spices and oil that I couldn't get up there.

The arctic is so beautiful and I'd love to go back. The native reserves are quite dysfunctional, at least where I was, with alcohol and drug use, suicide, STD's running rampant, teenage girls proud to be getting pregnant. However, the inuit people are also warm and the stories you can hear from the elders are something else...

I hope your travel company is paying to ship up all your belonging/food etc.....It costs an arm and a leg to travel to the arctic, depending where you're going.

Have fun!

[AlaskanRunner]

I am curious, how did the assignment go/is the assignment going? How did you like the hospital there? And would you do it again?

[MentalRn]

Pack warm clothing. Also bring any kinds of foods you may want that are dried or canned. Be prepared for detox patients like you have never seen before. I am currently in Alaska and it is an awesome experience, just be prepared for the change.

[MauraRN]

I spent a year in Homer, AK in the mid 1970's. Alaska is the most beautiful place on earth. Been around the world and Alaska is on a very short list of places that I would like to get back to in my lifetime.