I have heard this many times in various forms, mostly from people who don't live here and mostly in sort of a "Alaska is crazy-pants, but at least there's perks,"kind of tone. I've also heard people get paid for having children. I've often wondered what the real story is. Now that we live here, I think I have a fair idea:
Every year, every qualified Alaskan (read: anyone who has lived here more than a year and has filled out the necessary paperwork), receives a check or direct deposit from the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD). What is this mystical PFD? From what I understand, the state of Alaska, just like many other states, requires licenses to use their natural resources (like oil and whatnot). Corporations and other organizations pay for these licenses and that money goes into a big 'ol investment portfolio. The profits from that investment fund then gets doled out every year to AK residents. The amount of the check depends on a few things: how much money is paid in licensing, how well those investments are paying off and probably a bunch of other things that I haven't taken the time learn or care about.
(if you care, here is a convenient website).
The bottom line is: yes, you kinda get paid to live here. And you kinda get paid....a lot. This year every one got $878. Per person. Even if that person is under 18 and not really in a position to know what to do with that kind of money. This may be where the whole "You get paid to have kids," thing came from. This is also considered a "low" number....PFD has been as high as 2 grand some years.
The checks started hitting direct deposit accounts last week and arriving by mail this week. The sudden influx of money has caused quite a stir around here....it's been a challenging week with the students.
Mike and I aren't cool enough to join the PFD party yet, but if we stick around up here we'll certainly try and get in on it. Free oil money sounds great to me :)
As some of you savvy FB friends may have heard, after our crazy PFD-influenced week, we were rewarded on Friday night with some spectacular Northern Lights. The Aurora Borealis is something we've both always wanted to see and though we caught a smaller one a couple weeks ago, Friday's show was full-sky mystical awesomeness. We attempted to take pictures, but it was way too cold to keep your hands out of gloves for any amount of time and I don't own a cool enough tripod to get any spectacular shots.
Instead, here is a video of the same night over in Olnes pond near Fairbanks.
Our view was not quite as bright (there is a surprising amount of light pollution in the village), and it is in time-lapse, so it's moving way faster than in real time. That is what surprised me the most about seeing the Aurora...whenever you see it on videos, the lights seem like they're dancing like crazy. In reality, most of them move and change almost imperceptibly, like clouds. Actually, they are a lot like really awesome light-clouds. Except that clouds don't move in snaky waves or blink and shimmer, which auroras totally do. When it got too cold outside, Mike and I moved indoors. Luckily, we could still see enough sky from our kitchen window to keep enjoying the show. That's definitely one of the perks that makes it all worth it up here. We may have to deal with all the unique challenges that come with living off the road system in a native village, but at least we can watch the aurora from our kitchen.
UPDATE (11/10/12) Pictures!!!!! Blurry, but recognizable:
UPDATE (11/10/12) Pictures!!!!! Blurry, but recognizable:
In other news, it started snowing with a little more attitude today. We've been getting little piddly morning sprinkles occasionally for a few weeks, but none of it has survived past noon. Today we got enough to survive all day and build up about an inch. No big deal up here, but enough to paralyze Seattle for a day if it happened there :)
All in all, we're doing just fine up here. There is enough excitement to keep us entertained and busy, but not too much to handle. I've gotten my work week down to around 60hrs/wk, which I feel is a pretty rockin' accomplishment for a first year. I'm still not getting enough done, but I'm not in crazy stress land, so all is well.
How are you all? I miss you.
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