Alaska Cheechaka
About me
Cheechako: “a newcomer to Alaska, ignorant of the terrain, the weather, the animals, the culture, the necessary driving skills in the winter, etc. Opposite of a sourdough” (according to Urban Dictionary).
While I take slight offense to that definition, overall it's probably fair. A cheechaka is the feminine version (and sounds less harsh). That's me because I recently moved to Fairbanks from Boulder, where I got an MA in environmental journalism from the University of Colorado. I came to Alaska to launch my career and to soak up the raw beauty and weirdness of the Last Frontier.
This site will record my impressions of life in Alaska, ranging from midnight sun to bears on the porch to one-of-a-kind locals to ice fog, a phenomenon of 40-below temps. The idea originated during my first week, when I encountered a moose while trail running and realized I needed a special space to document these encounters. Because I know if I live here long enough, the shock value of these things will fade.
While I take slight offense to that definition, overall it's probably fair. A cheechaka is the feminine version (and sounds less harsh). That's me because I recently moved to Fairbanks from Boulder, where I got an MA in environmental journalism from the University of Colorado. I came to Alaska to launch my career and to soak up the raw beauty and weirdness of the Last Frontier.
This site will record my impressions of life in Alaska, ranging from midnight sun to bears on the porch to one-of-a-kind locals to ice fog, a phenomenon of 40-below temps. The idea originated during my first week, when I encountered a moose while trail running and realized I needed a special space to document these encounters. Because I know if I live here long enough, the shock value of these things will fade.
