When meeting people in Nome, one of the first questions exchanged is:
“How long are you in town for?”
Maybe it’s a common question no matter where you live–this being my first post-grad home, I’m not quite sure– but in Nome, it seems especially prevalent. When did you get here? And when are you leaving?
Despite being off the road system, Nome is still a hub and a haven for those just “passing through.” It could be just a few days on their way to or from a village, or a couple years as they fulfill a contract.
This town is built from different degrees of transiency. Talk to anyone who considers themselves from here, and you will come to understand the expectations they have for people leaving. From doctors to teachers to KNOM volunteers, turnover rates are high. What does that mean for a community? At what point is the ongoing shuffle more of a burden than a benefit? As someone who is part of that shuffle, I’ve reflected on this quite a bit. Some may call it over-thinking, but I’ve found those uncomfortable questions some of the most important ones to ask. Answers? Haven’t got them quite yet.
The fact that I am just another person passing through, however, hasn’t stopped this community from being warm and welcoming. And that’s the beauty of Nome, I think. Most will open their hearts and doors and make you feel at home no matter how long you intend to stay. Pure generosity.
And this tenet of hospitality has begun to rub off on the volunteers. As a house, we welcome those who are just stopping in town for a bit. Whether it’s a musher and handler, our teacher-friends from Wales or a visiting filmmaker, we are quick to let them spend a night or two. The transient hosting the even more transient. It’s a beautiful thing.
When you are sitting around a kitchen table with a bunch of strangers, you become strangely aware of all of the twists and turns that brought you all to that one brief moment. People don’t have the time to be anyone but who they really are. Existence becomes just a series of timely crossroads, a reminder that we’re all just really passing through.
