Work and Travel - Memories of Joanna - Alaska 2010

Me and my friend Ewelina, were in fishing factory Snopac Product in Dillingham. It was really colorfull time, great for us even if work wasn't really easy. We fall in love with this state of America. After first time we told: ok lets go once again - last one. Actually we become addicted to Alaska and we HAVE to go one more time. There is so much place to visit - Fairbanks, Sitka, Denali – really worth to see.

Maybe I will start with the reason why I went there first time. I have always wanted to travel to USA. For us- polish students is not that easy and cheap. Then I found out that work and travel program exists. I was amazed that I can go to all that places which I known just from television. One person told me about places where we can go: Florida, Maryland, California, Texas and so on, also later I found out that there is possibility to go to Alaska.

At first I thought: Alaska? What I will do right there? There is nothing. I was thinking about this a lot. I was even wondering why people are going over there. I remember one night talking to my familly when I decided that I will change my decision about place where I was going to. Someone important to me told me: but think like this, if you did not choose Alaska right now, you would never go there. This is just one occasion you can go. Why you would come later? You can earn money there and then see rest of the country for that money. What is more, You will see Alaska, which is so unusual, is such a beautiful place, so fantastic part of the earth. It is different than other states. Is nothing more then nature, freedom, adrenaline.

Yes, I did it, I decided to go there, and I did not regret any time.

We went in the middle of june. Our flight was really long, summing up it were 5 different planes, but it was reeeealy funny. We had to sleep one night in Amsterdam airport and in Anchorage second one.

When we got to Dillingham, we were terrified at first, there was nothing around, just small village and strange people. In factory, even we were working 16 hours per day, we were enjoying this. When is 200 new people in your age, from all around the world it cannot be boring. I felt like in a school. I met so great people from US, Serbia, Ukraine, Poland, Mexico, Columbia and so on! This is really big pros to go to work and travel! I advice! Sometimes it was hard and everybody were exhousted but we knew that our travel part is waiting for us.

I was really impresed by the countryside and lack of „normal social live” but in positive way. People live there slowly, enjoying every moment, not sitting next to their computeres.

Its all about fishing – is theirs motto. Lovin' it.

Alaska is soooo beatiful! Mountains are amazing, with snow or ice in the top even in summer time. What I find the best thing over there (even if my friends call me crazy), is the adrenaline during normal walk in Alaska state. You never know what will happen, you are always scared about bears but on the other hand, you are waiting to see them even one time in your life.

Sometimes, after work we were going to the bar, which looks like old, country bar from western movie. I have never expected that I can see something like that. It is so different that bars in Europe. When we were going back to the plant, it was no road actually, just something like pathway around us and nothing more but forest. What a survival! Of course, it was no taxi.. so we had to go 5 miles on foot but we were happy and terrified in same moment. GO adventure, GO

In order to say to bears or mooses „go away” we used bells and also we were singing all way long. Then, I was scared, but right now I cannot wait to feeling this way again.

After my contract finished I went to another factory, but conditions were different. It was transfer so we worked not so many hours, but it was good for us. I went there with my friends from Ukraine and Poland. When we had days off – we were travelling by hitchhiking. We did it three or four times and eveytime was different. Normally, Americans don't take people – they told me that if American is going somewhere on foot it means that he is drunk. So they stop just when they are sure that people who are waiting in a road with a hand and finger up, are international.

One day four of us decided to do something, so lets try autostop! We seperated in two groups of two people. Me and my friend stop a guy who told us, that he is going in the same direction but just 10 miles. We agreed, is better 10 than nothing. We started to talk with him in the car and he decided to pick us to our goal which was Homer (150 miles from place were we started), because he liked the conversation. We suppose to meet with the second group in Homer but it was late so we decided to go back and also it was quite easy, just with one car. Our friends had more problems to get to the point. They got home 5 hours later than we, they changed cars 5 times and they were walking in the middle of the forrest when it was dark already, met mooses two times.

I would die if I were one of them!

What I owe to Alaska? Firstly, my love to country music – our cook brought it to the kitchen. Secondly, I learned to eat seafood. Thirthly, I met such a great people from all over the world. Two of them got married two months ago, and they also met in Alaska.

What is more, you can earn a lot of money to use them later as a cash for travelling! After last summer in my head is just Alaska and new start for adventure one more time. I find travelling like this crazy although is not easy to be back later to normal life. I was starting this normal life when I went back from Alaska but afterwards, in my head was new, but always the same idea: just one more time.