I Lived in Whittier, Alaska: A Town Under One Roof | INDIE ALASKA
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Published 2021-09-15
Erika Fitzgerald jumped at the opportunity to teach in Alaska after graduate school. She didn't expect she'd be living and working in Whittier, a town where nearly all residents live in the same building, and the only way in and out is through a tunnel that closes each night.
Erika's story was first featured on this channel in 2013 and INDIE ALASKA decided to check back in with her to see what she's doing today and hear how that experience in Whittier changed her life. #whittier #onebuildingtown #alaska
Story by Valerie Kern and Shiri Segal
Video by Matt Faubion, Travis Gilmour, and Slavik Boyechko
Music by Universal Production Music
INDIE ALASKA is an original video series produced by Alaska Public Media in partnership with PBS Digital Studios. The videos capture the diverse and colorful lifestyles of everyday Alaskans at work and at play. Together, these stories present a fresh and authentic look at living in Alaska.
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All Comments (21)
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Watch Erika's original Indie Alaska episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naPguX84Amg&t=0s
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I lived there from 78-82 and went to that same school! Actually it wasn’t built yet when I started Kindergarten, so we met in classrooms on the first floor of Begich Towers. My dad actually was part of the crew that built the school!
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I am in awe of how the people get along together. While in some places where people homes are 100 feet or more from their neighbors don’t get along. Neither is their a since of community. The word community is just a word for them.
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Must be hard to call in sick to your job if you live in this building!
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It’s a small town people are different in small towns. You need each other people help each other more. People borrow things from each other…I miss living in a small town.
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I have so many questions. It's so interesting.
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thats me in white ts with Jericho on the grey tundra truck and both shoreside workers Jason and Big Ben
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I want to travel to Whittier! Greetings from Siberia. 👍
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That's awesome
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It’s been 27 years since I lived in Alaska and I’m now in a wheelchair, we’re the building’s wheelchair accessible?
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Hi is there a place to live on Fitzgeral Island.. Thinking of moving there. Am Fitzgerald.
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Sounds like my kind of place
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How’s the plumbing
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I wonder where the residents do their grocery shopping? I know there is a very small store located in the towers but what about for other needs such as fresh produce and meat? Also where do all the residents park their vehicles?
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Why does the tunnel close? Why can't it stay open?
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Can people visit/stay
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what if theres another person moving there and theres no enough room in the building what do you guys do expand the building more?just asking thanks if you'd answer! :)
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I am from winter Alaska
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Is it easy for ppl to get a job there? Does this pandemic have less influence on people living there?
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Why does the tunnel close?
