Some people have asked me what its like up here in North Dakota. I guess they are curious as to the appeal this place has that made me want to come up here to seek work to begin with.
The truth is, its not a very appealing place.
I apologize to any North Dakota natives, but I'm just being honest. If there wasn't work up here, I would probably not be here. Its not that its completely inhospitable. Its just not... pleasant.
I will say this, the scenery can be very beautiful. In the nearly 3 months I've been up here, I've seen amazing, picturesque displays. I've seen crystal clear days from the top of a Badland hill, where the landscape stretches on until its drops off the horizon. I've watched a microburst cell race across the plains to the south from the top of a hill, all while staying in direct sunlight the whole time.
That being said, there are some things that anyone coming up here should be ready for. The weather is one of them. I used to think that Illinois weather was about as temperamental as is got. Then I came here. It can go from 80 and sunny, to 60 and rainy in no time, and for no apparent reason. One day it can be 50 and cloudy, the next day its 100 and humid. There is one constant, however, and that is the WIND. Its is constantly windy here.
Something else I've noticed about this place is just how spread out it is. Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting sprawling metropolis, but I can say that my perspective on a 2 hour road trip has changed dramatically. I'm used to the nearest town worth mentioning being about 30 minutes at most. Out here the nearest town/city worth mentioning is Bismark, which is about 90 minutes. The next closest is Williston, and that is just over 2 hours on a good day.
The people, for the most part, are nice up here. I've met a few angry old codgers up here, but they aren't as common. They tend to avoid the established cities (i.e. Dickinson, Williston, Minot). Most people greet you with a smile and wish you a good day, which is a far cry from anything I've experienced in both Illinois and Las Vegas.
The culture is different. Not different as in bad or foreign. People just aren't caught up on stupid things like the Octomom or Porn Star Kim Kardashian. People tend to concern themselves with things that actually matter, like family, each others well being, and the community. It can be kind of tough being an outsider and not having a vested interest or knowledge of what most people are talking about, but its a minute detail, really.
Being that this is the middle of an Oil Boom, there are Men. LOTS of Men from out of town. It can lead to some very tense atmospheres in some places. Dickinson isn't bad right now, but Williston constantly feels like something bad is lurking around the corner. I'm not saying you're going to get mugged at every stop light, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep your wits about you if you're planning on going there.
Housing. Where do I even start? If whatever job you get doesn't provide for some kind of housing solution, its probably not worth taking the job. By the time you actually find a vacant place to stay, and pay for it, you'll be coming out just about even. One bedroom apartments in Dickinson go from between 1800 and 2200 a month, from what I'm hearing. I don't have a reference to back me up on that, but that's what co-workers told me they were paying. By the time you consider a security deposit, first and last month's rent, and utilities, you are not going to be making much. Sure, you can live out of your car, but once the temperature drops, that isn't going to be feasible. I'm not exaggerating when I say that on the colder days of the Winter, sleeping in your car can very well kill you. Temps of 40 below zero aren't anything to mess with.
For the most part, North Dakota has been what I expected it to be. I can honestly say I wasn't expecting it to be as spread out as it is, and the amount of wind caught me off guard. I had also heard that the locals didn't care for the out of town people so much, but it hasn't been anything remotely hostile in my experience. I hope this shed a light on what to expect when you come up here.
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