Fairbanks Alaska is one of the most beautiful cities I have been too when its all covered in snow. Even though it is small there is plenty to do around here. One of the more interesting things I've done during my stay is learn how the people of Fairbanks thrive in a city with such harsh weather during the winter time. Here are a few interesting facts I have learned about the city of Fairbanks.

1. Sunrise and sunset are pretty much the same thing.

Here in Fairbanks during the winter time the sun is only out for about four to five hours in a day. This mean that the sun rising and sun setting are pretty much the same thing. This really threw me off when I first got here since I am an early riser. The sun doesn't start to rise until about 10:00 am so I would wake up in the morning and it would still be dark! Then we would go about our activities for the day and I would look out at the sun and think it's still rising when it was actually already setting. The people who live here don't seem to mind it though but that's probably because during the summer they have sun 24/7.

2. The lines on the roads are for sissies.

In Fairbanks, there is a lot of snow and the snow is not like Oregon snow where its wet and sticks together well. The snow in Fairbanks is dry and icy. This means that everything gets covered in a layer of ice, especially the roads. By the time the snow is done falling and sticks, you can't see the lines on the road. You can't even see the parking spots in the parking lots! This doesn't stop the people of Fairbanks though. Even though there are literally no lines on the road there are still plenty of people out and about driving with no worries. This was slightly terrifying to me but after seeing people driving in action I realized there wasn't anything to worry about.

3. Santa is very much a real person.

Ladies and gentlemen the North Pole does exist and so does Santa! The North Pole is actually a little town about thirty minutes from Fairbanks, and it's awesome. You can find Santa's house on st. Nicolas drive and its a beautiful white building with red trim, just like it should be. Inside Santa's house you can find a plethora of decorations and knick-knacs to be bought in memorabilia of your visit. The coolest thing I found inside the house was a wall covered in all the letters that were sent to Santa this year. Some were very legible while others just had cute pictures of the kids with Santa Clause. My favorite letter was a picture of Santa as a pig and the letter said the kid really liked piggies. When we finally got to see Santa, he was very jolly and very kind. It was the coolest Santa Clause experience I have ever had and I can't wait to go back!

4. Giving back to the community is important.

The community of Fairbanks is a very giving community. Almost every business I've been to has asked me if I would like to donate to a local charity which is awesome! One of the things I got the opportunity to do that I very much enjoyed was making bags for the homeless. I can tell from only staying here for a few days that the Walter family is very much about giving back to people less fortunate then them. After dinner we took the supplies that was graciously donated to us by the local Fred Meyers and filled gallon Ziploc bags with and assortment of hygiene products, food, hand warmers, socks and gloves. It was a lot of fun to sit around the dinning room table together and make the bags. Unfortunately I won't be here when they are going to distribute them on Christmas eve but it makes me feel good knowing I was able to help someone in need during the holidays.

5. Going to the local hockey game is a must.

If you are not a fan of the local college hockey team the UAF Nanooks, then you are not a true citizen of Fairbanks. I was fortunate enough to go to a game and it was awesome! The opening presentation was well done and I liked the giant blow up Nanook the players came out of at the beginning of the game. There was a fairly large crowed at the game and there were many fans that really got into the game. One fan next to us was completely decked out in Nanook gear and would pound on the glass whenever the Nanooks got a point. Our seats were right on the glass next to the Nanooks bench so we got to see plenty of action. Luke even got one of the game pucks that flew out of the rink. Another cool thing about the Nanooks was whenever they got a goal, a very loud fog horn would sound which brought the crowd to their feet. Although the Nanooks lost I still had a really good time and plan on going to a game the next time I visit Fairbanks.

I have very much enjoyed my time here in Fairbanks. In the few days I have spent here I have made many great memories that will last me a lifetime. The people are wonderful, and the town is enchanting. Even though its freezing outside you can't help but want to wander out into the winter wonderland. I cannot wait for my next adventure here in Fairbanks Alaska.