I Spent My Life Savings On Food

Opening Day of the Bering Strait Welcome Wagon! Of course, I was the problem child before the Wagon even started. My brand new camera completely died yesterday and after a trip to Best Buy yesterday, I knew it needed to be replaced ASAP. You can’t just leave it behind for repairs in Anchorage when you are moving out to the bush for the first time….at least I couldn’t. I exchanged it this morning for a new camera (same model) after much more hassle than it should have been and was late for the Welcome Wagon start-up. Eventually I connected up with the BSSD crew and finally got to meet in person all of the awesome people I’ve talked with online for close to a year.

Today was Grocery Shopping Day (capital letters intended). I spent my life savings on food. Here’s how we do it.

Buying Groceries for the Bush:
1. Go to Fred Meyer (preferably the one on Muldoon if you’re in Anchorage). Take a friend.
2. Buy everything you might need, use, or want for the next 4-5 months.
3. Have your friend go get a second cart.
4. Have your friend push the original (and heavier) cart while you fill the new empty one.
5. Wheel your baskets to the register, and say specifically that it is a bush order. 10% handling fee is paid at the register.
6. Wheel your baskets to customer service, and fill out Bush Order Forms. Leave a credit card number so they can charge for shipping later once it has been weighed. Understand that there is no telling what that charge amount is going to be, and come to terms with it. You have to have food; that’s non-negotiable.
7. Leave your baskets in the store looking lonely and forgotten, and walk away.


My Fred Meyer Order (See that really long strip of paper in the closest basket? That's the RECEIPT.)


BSSD took us on this trip, and so the whole process went incredibly smooth. It was almost too easy, spending hundreds of dollars. All said and done, I’d say I spent 3 hours or so shopping for food. It helped to have that second person pushing a cart around the store for me (thanks, Kyle!). I know other new teachers would also agree that the advice from all three guides leading my group on recommended types and quantities of food necessary for bush life was invaluable. Some new teachers decided not to take the advice, but at least it was offered, right? You’d be hard-pressed to find better people or a more quality program than BSSD has offered us.

So, now I won’t starve. However, people keep saying it gets really cold up there so tomorrow we’re going shopping for winter gear. I even have a haircut scheduled tomorrow at JCPenney, and I don’t have to catch a cab! So far, so good with BSSD. Our guides have been so supportive and flexible that the whole experience has been quite manageable.

One day at a time.

-Megan