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Photos

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Alaska

Ever since I first came to Alaska in September of 2000 it captured my heart. Its beauty is stunning and at the same time you never get tired of or get used to it.

Being a grad student is stressful at times. Being a grad student in a foreign country, literally on the other side of the Earth from your family is stressful most of the time. Once I was walking home at 2am after studying all day with the whole week ahead and I kept thinking about how I'm going to make it through. Then I looked up in the sky and saw amazing green and purple aurora slicing the sky in two halfs and dissappearing behind pointy tops of spruces, and I realized that I was absolutely ... happy.

Whether it's winter or summer, day or night, -40F or +80F this place will make you forget your worries. It's just perfect.

• Our trip from Fairbanks to Whittier

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