We here in the frozen tundra of Nome Alaska are currently at 4 hours and 20 minutes every day of daylight. That number will continue to dwindle throughout the winter. It's got me to thinking. Much of the world thrives and works during the light hours. We do not! The differences in life and how life is lived is as different and vast as the miles that seperate us from the lower 48...
We dress different, most times giving little thought to our appearance as long as we are warm. The way we spend money is different as well. We purchase snow machines and 4wheelers not for entertainment but to survive and get from one place to the other. (I have not recieved one yet!) We buy more than the 15$ shovel from Wal Mart. Ours is a 70$ oversided snow pusher. While it cuts the work in half we have 5 times the amount of snow to move.
We buy less food at two to three times the price. We put more appreciation on warmth and hand crafted items and gifts. Fellowship is not only a fun time but a way of life. Drug addiction and alcoholism is worse and you can bet statistically we have more depression and suicide than most anywhere in the world.
People take Vitamen D to help with the depression that is supposedly caused from the lack of sunlight. We think word travels fast in the lower 48! Try living in a village! village gossip is faster than the internet or phone service. I call it VDS (Village Digital Service).
Even with our differenses there is much to be learned that can only be learned by living here and experiencing the lifestyle and culture. Once you are here and give it a chance, you can bet you will find it hard to leave!
Merry Christmas
Mike III, AKA Big Daddy
No comments:
Post a Comment