I'm 23 and live on a remote island off the coast of Alaska. There are more conveniences than people expect.
Last year, I moved to a remote island in Alaska, and it's been more convenient than I anticipated.I may be in the middle of nowhere, but I still have reliable internet and see familiar faces daily.Additionally, I never have to travel far for an outdoor adventure, since nature is my backyard.When I first moved to a remote island off the coast of Alaska, I expected everyday life to be full of inconveniences.Although my island is one of the largest in the US, it's mostly untouched wilderness and accessible only by plane or boat. The community I live in is also quite small, with just over 5,000 people.Before I arrived, I pictured having incredibly limited access to basic necessities, struggling to order anything online, and constantly having to leave the island whenever I needed to buy groceries or run errands.Fortunately, since arriving here a year ago, I've been able to do everything I need to do more easily than expected — though I've had to adjust how I plan and execute certain tasks.Most of all, I've learned that convenience doesn't necessarily mean having endless options right outside my door.We can still get online orders, despite being in what feels like the middle of nowhere.Even though there are more options on the island than I expected, including coffee shops, fresh seafood stands, and grocery stores, there are still things I can't easily find locally, like certain clothing brands, specific car parts, or specialty household items.Luckily, when I need something that isn't available here, I can still order it online despite not being in a major city.Amazon and other big online retailers are still part of my life, and can deliver packages to me — it just takes a couple of weeks instead of a few days, and shipping can sometimes cost extra.Living on an island didn't mean sacrificing reliable internet.Despite being on a more remote island, my internet connection has never been an issue.In fact, I've been able to maintain a career that depends on an internet connection.
Reported by 1 outlet — Business Insider. See all sources ↓
Last year, I moved to a remote island in Alaska, and it's been more convenient than I anticipated.I may be in the middle of nowhere, but I still have reliable internet and see familiar faces daily.Additionally, I never have to travel far for an outdoor adventure, since nature is my backyard.When I first moved to a remote island off the coast of Alaska, I expected everyday life to be full of inconveniences.Although my island is one of the largest in the US, it's mostly untouched wilderness and accessible only by plane or boat. The community I live in is also quite small, with just over 5,000 people.Before I arrived, I pictured having incredibly limited access to basic necessities, struggling to order anything online, and constantly having to leave the island whenever I needed to buy groceries or run errands.Fortunately, since arriving here a year ago, I've been able to do everything I need to do more easily than expected — though I've had to adjust how I plan and execute certain tasks.Most of all, I've learned that convenience doesn't necessarily mean having endless options right outside my door.We can still get online orders, despite being in what feels like the middle of nowhere.Even though there are more options on the island than I expected, including coffee shops, fresh seafood stands, and grocery stores, there are still things I can't easily find locally, like certain clothing brands, specific car parts, or specialty household items.Luckily, when I need something that isn't available here, I can still order it online despite not being in a major city.Amazon and other big online retailers are still part of my life, and can deliver packages to me — it just takes a couple of weeks instead of a few days, and shipping can sometimes cost extra.Living on an island didn't mean sacrificing reliable internet.Despite being on a more remote island, my internet connection has never been an issue.In fact, I've been able to maintain a career that depends on an internet connection. I work as a full-time content creator, which means I spend a lot of time filming, editing, communicating, and uploading content.Fortunately, reliable internet has made it possible for me to complete all my work on the island rather than move to a more populated area.Travel does require more planning, but it's easier than I expected.Travel is one area where living remotely requires more planning, but it's not as difficult as I anticipated.There are regular flights to and from the island — with the nearest one to Anchorage being about 250 air miles away —but I still have to account for the weather and the possibility that plans may change.A typical trip off the island can take most of a day once I factor in connecting flights and time getting to and from the airport. Sometimes, when poor weather or flight delays come into play, I've spent more than 24 hours trying to reach a destination.As long as I plan accordingly for long travel days, including closely monitoring the climate conditions, they don't always turn into the tedious adventure most people assume.Even though I have fewer places to eat and shop, I've enjoyed relying on the local businesses.Because my community is pretty small — a town of about 5,200 people with surrounding villages bringing the total population to around 12,400 residents — I often recognize people when I'm in town.A lot of these familiar faces run local businesses, and supporting them has become a natural part of my routine, whether I'm grabbing coffee, buying essentials, or going out to eat.Although I have limited options for dining and shopping, I've come to appreciate having a handful of reliable places where I know the staff and exactly what to expect.There's something meaningful about regularly recognizing familiar faces and feeling so connected to local small businesses — things I don't think I would have if I lived in a bigger city.Because nature is my backyard, I never have to go far for outdoor adventures.Before moving here, I enjoyed spending time outside, but living in this environment has encouraged me to make outdoor activities a much bigger part of my routine.I hike, trail run, paddleboard, and explore areas around the island.
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Why it matters
A world story we're tracking; its significance and source trust firm up as more outlets confirm it.
- What's the story?
- Last year, I moved to a remote island in Alaska, and it's been more convenient than I anticipated.I may be in the middle of nowhere, but I still have reliable internet and see familiar faces daily.Additionally, I never have to travel far for an outdoor adventure, since nature is my backyard.When I first moved to a remote island off the coast of Alaska, I expected everyday life to be full of inconveniences.Although my island is one of the largest in the US, it's mostly untouched wilderness and accessible only by plane or boat. The community I live in is also quite small, with just over 5,000 people.Before I arrived, I pictured having incredibly limited access to basic necessities, struggling to order anything online, and constantly having to leave the island whenever I needed to buy groceries or run errands.Fortunately, since arriving here a year ago, I've been able to do everything I need to do more easily than expected — though I've had to adjust how I plan and execute certain tasks.Most of all, I've learned that convenience doesn't necessarily mean having endless options right outside my door.We can still get online orders, despite being in what feels like the middle of nowhere.Even though there are more options on the island than I expected, including coffee shops, fresh seafood stands, and grocery stores, there are still things I can't easily find locally, like certain clothing brands, specific car parts, or specialty household items.Luckily, when I need something that isn't available here, I can still order it online despite not being in a major city.Amazon and other big online retailers are still part of my life, and can deliver packages to me — it just takes a couple of weeks instead of a few days, and shipping can sometimes cost extra.Living on an island didn't mean sacrificing reliable internet.Despite being on a more remote island, my internet connection has never been an issue.In fact, I've been able to maintain a career that depends on an internet connection.
- How widely is it covered?
- 1 outlet, average source rating 6.0/10.
- When was it last updated?
- 3m ago.
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I'm 23 and live on a remote island off the coast of Alaska. There are more conveniences than people expect.
Sources1TypeCoverageBusiness Insider