Cities are like people to me. In high school, on my mission, in college, and now in Alaska I have always loved road-tripping to a new place and getting acquainted with it like I would a new friend. Every city has such a distinct personality and feel to it. Be it Beavercreek, New York City, Mesa, Taichung, Provo, Los Alamitos, Cardston, Fengyuan, Anchroage, St. George, Zhubei, or Cincinnati, I love going in and figuring the place out.
I love trying to understand what it’s like to live in that city, to be FROM there. To understand what they do for fun, for work, for relaxation. Inevitably there are certain pieces of history, landmarks, or trademarks that each city’s citizens are proud of. After meeting so many people in so many places it’s easy to see that for the most part humans are all very similar. But each place gives a distinct seasoning to its people and makes them so much more appetizing and unique.
It’s been a fun week exploring the little town of Fairbanks, Alaska. The people are tough but kind and relieved for the summer to be here, the teenagers seem like they’ve got something to prove, and everyone seems content with the remote place in the world that they’ve chosen to live. I went to the neighboring town of North Pole to visit Santa, looked around Fairbanks’ bird observatory and their pioneer park, spent hours in their public library, and drove all around town working in various houses doing my job. The sun sets even later than Anchorage (last night at 1 am everything outside was still easily visible) and the people here are quietly enjoying their lives.
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