Alaska Part 3 - Where to now?

Maire DeCioccio
Nov 1, 2025
5 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

December 2025:

December went by really fast! Christmas and then the New Years! Chased a few fireworks on New Years just to make it feel more like home. In December I have learned to slow down, not by choice. But it has made me realize that I don't always have to be doing something. The weather was mainly in the negatives forced Charlotte and I to have very limited time outside. December also has taught me to go slow in figuring out what I want, not just out of life. It's not a race and nothing is set in stone. The more you plan, the more likely things are going to go wrong. Go with the flow of life and really experience what is in front of you. Alaska has taught me to appreciate what surrounds me and really take notice.

December I:

Watched moose eat pumpkins
Skated Ohmer Lake (even had a nighttime skate!)
Slowly watched the beach turn into giant blocks of ice
Experienced weeks of temperatures in the negatives (-20 being the lowest)
Skated Browns Lake
Skated Cooper Lake on Christmas
Was given more salmon
Started knitting a hat
Made another sourdough loaf
Made my way down to Homer, to a cabin on the bluff
Experienced beautiful sunsets on the beach

November 2025, part II:

The rest of November flew by! Moving down to Soldotna has been the best choice. It has really opened many doors to activities and some really great people. I have been shown such a wonderful kindness and have felt a sense of belonging in a place so far from home. Prior to this move, I felt lonely. Living in a home where I had to fight hard for attention and to be heard. Now, people have welcomed me to join their friend circles, spend time doing the things that they love with them, and allowing me to really experience Alaska. All of that WITHOUT asking for it. I am really fortunate for this experience and I can't wait to see what else is in store here! The festivities are only beginning!

First time sledding

November I:

Faced more snow and icy roads
Saw a sun halo
Went sledding!
Was given the opportunity to witness soft sunrises and sunsets
Baked another loaf of sourdough bread
Baked more biscuits
Played more pickleball
Was gifted fresh salmon
Crossed two frozen lakes to stay at dry cabins
Felt a 6.0 magnitude earthquake from 79 miles away

November 2025:

November has been very busy so far and we're only halfway through!

I am just amazed by everything here in Alaska. I could honestly go without the snow and ice on the roads, but otherwise, I can't complain!

I was able to wild ice skate for the first time. Let me tell you, as beautiful as it is out there and having some of the proper safety gear, it is still a sport where you have to have heightened awareness. There is always the possibility of falling in!

Lady Aurora. I was worried that being so far south in the state that I wouldn't be able to see her. I had multiple nights in a row where I was lucky enough to see the magic. The green wasn't as green as the pictures make it out to be, but the red was red to the naked eye. Locals here say that it's extremely rare to see her red. It was just after sundown when she appeared. I could've stayed up all night watching, but with the cold temperatures nature wasn't going to allow that.

I have been shown such kindness since I moved down here. It is pretty amazing how people have such a love for this life and they just want to share it. They find such joy in spreading the happiness and ask for nothing in return. The universe has placed me in an awesome spot, despite these last few months of difficulty.

Let's see what else this month has in store!

November I:

Saw Lady Aurora at least six different times (every time she was different and YES, visibly red!)
Baked two sourdough loaves
Watched a hockey game
Went for a run along the coast with views of belugas in the distance
Drove in snow for the first time!
Saw caribou 3 different times
Got to see my first sunrise here in Alaska
Went wild ice skating!
Met some awesome people (two of which gifted me fresh salmon)
Played pickleball for the first time
Watched a momma moose and her baby eat the pumpkins we carved for Halloween

October 2025:

October, so many good things happened.

I wanted to start with the biggest change: ending a relationship that wasn't physically abusive because MY needs weren't being met. I didn't leave because he hurt me, I left because I noticed my cups for my wants and needs weren't being filled even when I gave a detailed roadmap on how to get them met. I went from feeling very confused and sad to feeling free, a bit more confident, and definitely UNCOMFORTABLE. Change can be very scary. It took me months to come to the decision to leave and I fought myself hard on it, gave him extra time to adjust and make changes but ultimately I had to come to terms with what was really happening.

I moved 8.5 hours south to a town called Soldotna. It's closer to the beach and I have already made some friends being here for about 3 weeks now. I have downsized in living space, but that's alright! I hope that winters down here will be less harsh than in Delta Junction, but time will tell. No snow so far and that could be good OR bad.

The other highlight was my sister and I taking mom to her very first concert, and it was Paul McCartney. Incredible show! He performed really well and you can just feel his love for the other members of the band.

This month brought a lot of learning, a lot of firsts, and room for more soul searching. This soul searching is different than before though, I finally recognize what my wants and needs are in a relationship AND I know that bare minimum from my partner is not an acceptable place to stop. The next guy will have to really put in effort, no more fooling me!

Cheers to recognizing what I deserve