by Peter Twitchell
When I first started working for KYUK public radio station in 1971 a year after I started working I began attending radio conferences in the lower 48. One year in the West Coast, one year in the Midwest, another year in an Eastern state.
It was as though the conference planners were trying to expose all broadcaster to a different environment each year in the early 70s through the 80s.
One of those early years I attended someone approached me, a young radio broadcaster who actually asked me directly, “Do you really have igloos in Alaska?”
I explained the best I could that an igloo was made to shelter from the extreme cold by hunters who were out hunting away from their homes.
The radio seminars and conference throughout the years were well attended by managers and their employees. The city dwellers were curious and interested in our lifestyle in Alaska. I repeated the story countless times but attendees never stopped asking me about igloos.
I was getting professional answering questions for the curious minds.
Someone else would ask me the same questions the following year. I told them in Alaska that we had four seasons just like anywhere in the United States. Since the question of the igloos came up constantly I decided to make my answer a little more interesting each time.
One year I added another story to my answer. I told the individual that now we have two and three story igloos. Really?!? The next time I added dye to the water before it froze so that we had different colored igloos! Hahaha!
Wow, I had to chuckle at their enthusiasm. I always had the full attention of those around the pool or inside the pool leisurely having their refreshments.
One year I decided to expand the answer to the question of the igloos. I had a personal business card made which had my name on there, my phone number, and my service title of Igloo Window Installer, hahaha! I handed out my business card. I’m sure a bystander was scratching his head, hahaha!
I remember one young lady asking me to send her pictures of our igloos, hahaha, and I’m sure some bystander who overheard me knew I was pulling their leg. In my radio job I will have to say there was never a dull moment.
