Living and working in Alaska is ideal for caregivers who crave outdoor adventure and Instagram-worthy scenery, but there may be some surprises in store. Here are a few things our caregivers who’ve relocated from the “lower 48” say surprised them most about their new life up north.

Community comes first, and you’ll be part of it from day one

If you’re coming from a colder climate, you probably already have your gear ready to go and won’t be fazed when the flakes start to fall. But what you may not be ready for is the extremely warm welcome you’ll receive.

Certified OT Assistant Jennifer, who lived in Colorado before joining Providence in Seward, says relocating caregivers should be fully willing to become integrated into the community. “Really consider Alaska instead of just seeing it as a bucket list item—really want to live here, be part of the community, be invested in the community.”

That’s what Jennifer did, and she says, “I couldn’t imagine raising my kids anywhere else, honestly. Seward is a collaboration of people who have relocated from a lot of other places, and a lot of those people don’t have extended family here. We create our own family. We truly have a village of families raising our children together.”

Supervisor for Education Services Naomi, who relocated to Anchorage from Manitoba, Canada, says that the community-first mindset is prevalent even in Alaska’s largest city. She encourages newcomers to take advantage of offers to connect. “Take invites as they come,” Naomi advises. “If a coworker invites you for dinner, go for dinner. They might be the person to help get you more invested in the community.”

Charge Nurse Vicky, who works with us on Kodiak Island, agrees. “Meeting friends has been super easy because everybody kind of knows everybody. When they see a new face, they’re like, ‘Hey, we don’t know you. How are you? My name’s so-and-so. Nice to meet you. Where’d you come from? What do you do here?’ These people I’ll have with me for the rest of my life.”

Alaska is bigger than you think

Most people know Alaska is large, but they may not know it’s enormous. With a total land area of 570,641 square miles—more than double the size of Texas—Alaska is easily the largest of the United States. But, while it’s first in terms of land area, Alaska is third least populated, with 740,133 residents.

Pharmacy Director Andre explains, “If you overlay Alaska on the United States to scale, from the tip of the Aleutian Chain all the way to the Southeast Panhandle, and then then the body of Alaska, we stretch from Florida to Baja, California. No matter what Alaskan city you might choose to live in, you’re always on the edge of wilderness.” But Andre adds that Alaska is not just for outdoor enthusiasts. “If you have an interest, I don’t think there’s a place in Alaska where you couldn’t find someone who shares that interest with you.”

The mountains are more…mountainous

Caregivers who grew up in the Rockies or Olympics still say they find Alaska’s peaks uniquely beautiful. “I love to trail run, hike, and do the Mount Marathon race—but these aren’t just your ordinary lower 48 mountains,” Jennifer says. “They’re grand, rugged mountains that you don’t see anywhere else.”

Alaska makes it easy for everyone—no matter their ability—to enjoy the majestic scenery. Naomi adds, “Even if you’re not in the best of shape, there are trails and places you can go that don’t require being as able-bodied to climb a mountainside. We have trains that’ll take you to kind of a back country hangout to enjoy the scenery. That’s just one example; there are lots of opportunities.”

Vacation destinations change

One thing you might find surprising is that getting out of the state takes more effort. Naomi explains, “You can’t just drive to the next state.” She shares that while state ferries can be an option if there’s enough time allotted, a bright spot is that destinations like Hawaii are a closer plane ride. “Flying to Hawaii takes almost the same time as flying to Seattle. It’s a very popular place for Alaskans to go on vacation.”

The midnight sun makes for summer fun

You may have heard about Alaska’s long summer days, but it still feels surreal at first. Naomi laughs and says, “You could probably read a paper outside at 2:00 a.m. during the peak of summer.” Called “midnight sun,” “endless summer,” or “civil twilight,” the phenomenon means sunlight, even in the middle of the night. Most people install room-darkening shades or sleep with eye masks, but most Providence caregivers use it as an opportunity to live it up in their time off the clock.

As Alaska.org puts it, “Many Alaskans embrace the season—launching a hike or adventure after dinner, gardening until midnight, or fishing all night. If you want to stay up, just do it! It’s regular life during the Far North summer.”

Explore new possibilities in Alaska

If you’re ready to embrace the unexpected and relocate to Alaska for the next phase in your healthcare career, check out open jobs in nursing, behavioral health, therapy or diagnostic imaging—or view all roles. Many roles offer relocation!