Why Do People Go to Antarctica?

We all have our reasons. The common saying goes: "1st year you come for the experience. 2nd year, you come for the money. 3rd year, you come because you don't fit in anywhere else." True to an extent, but there is more to it. Kiell's blog post sums it up nicely.

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A Day in the Life of Science!

This wonderful video was made after I left Antarctica, but shows much about the daily goings on. Check it out!

Bravo 308, McMurdo Station Antarctica 2010 from sandwichgirl on Vimeo.

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Farewell, my frozen sanctuary...

It has been a truly wonderful experience to be down here at the bottom of the world, working alongside some of the most interesting people I've ever met. Despite the crankiness that accompanies isolation and long hours, we all feel so lucky to be part of this community. It is so hard to leave my job here after the hours spent perfecting the process and streamlining all the processes that make up my days in Antarctica.

Funny to think that 3 years ago, my boss called me to see if I was sure I thought I could handle this job. Warning me that I would not be popular, and that daily conflict was certain. After all, no one has ever returned for more than one season in the position I was accepting. I will admit, it has not been easy being 'the housing girl'...the person who has to say 'no' more than 'yes'. There were days I dreaded going into the cafeteria, and wished for a secret hole to crawl into in order to hide from the chaos that was inevitable with every new flight. Nothing is perfect, and the housing options in Antarctica are nowhere close. Juggling the demands of the NSF, the station manager, and the expectations of each resident is no easy task. However, I feel that over the years, my boss and I were able to gain the trust of many residents and co-workers and created a pleasant environment with a sense of consistency over the last 3 years. I leave feeling that this great adventure was also a big success.

The time has come (strangely) to settle down a bit. We have chosen to return to Alaska for this, but not before a much needed tropical adventure! Next up on the list: Tonga & Samoa.

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A Hiking Celebration

So for those of you who don't know our story here's the short and nasty:

For 3 years, Eric and I have been trying to do a winter here in Antarctica. Never has it worked out. Including this year....sort of. Eric got a contract but I didn't. So for the past month or so, we've been agonizing over whether one of us stays, or we both leave, and the money we could make by staying versus the happiness we would get by leaving.

Today, the decision was made.

Eric turned down the offer and we decided to get the heck out of here!!!

So, it being the perfect day for a hike, we went up Observation Hill. The photos follow...

The girl afraid of heights was scerrrd...but she made it to the top!

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Ice Stock & The Chili Cookoff

Every year for New Years, we have Ice Stock...the biggest party at the bottom of the world. Bands play all day, Chili abounds from the opening of millvans, and all are merry. This is where the freaks come out to play. The weather usually sucks, but we stay out all day regardless. This year was no different. It snowed for most of the time, but hey, we like snow....we wouldn't be here if we didn't.

We mingled.....

We showed off....

I played with Mike's beard yet again...

And there were ROBOTS, I tell you!!

Yes, this is New Years in Antarctica

Happy 2008!!!

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To go with Christmas? A party

The town party was held this weekend also. Usually its a bit lame, so we figured we'd go late...spending the early part of the evening having drinks in Mike's room. It was a great time, and Eric read aloud from a book called 'Woman: an intimate geography'. After a few too many experimental shots (SoCo, whiskey, & baileys), this book provided hoots of laughter - and much discussion. The neighbors were lured into the room from the hallway as they heard us discussing the true size of a woman's clitoris shaft.

And always a great topic of discussion - what Mike is going to do with his beard - when he'll shave it, or if his girlfriend is really going to dump him for how ridiculous he looks!

We did eventually get to the Christmas party, but I'd say we were all a bit intoxicated! I forgot to bring my glasses....so lucky me got to wear my sunglasses for the entire evening just to see. In my state of mind, I guess I didn't care so much. There was dancing, sausages, wine, and a lot of pole dancing on a candy cane. I'm not embarrassed. I owned it.

Afterwards, we were graced with the best burritos we'd ever tasted (funny how you always think that when you're drunk) and some pretty funny conversation (like when Mike demonstrated how we should move the Christmas tree to the OTHER side of the pole so that the pictures would come out better). All very philosophical.

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Xmas morning

Christmas morning in Antarctica is always great. We don't have our families, our pets, or the familiarity of our home, but we do have each other, and we've created wonderful traditions down here. Eric and I sleep in, drink coffee, and sit around the room opening our presents and playing just like little kids.

To start with, we opened the box his mom had sent us - and found cute little pajama sets. Of course we had to put them on for all our Christmas morning pictures.

This year, Christmas had a 'Feet' theme. I got him the ninja-toe socks that fit his strangley separated big toe. In return, he gifted me some funky gel 'Yoga Toes'. The goal of these little contraptions are to slowly train your toes to spread apart. The idea behind them is that we as a society are always cramming our feet into shoes (especially the insane women who have fallen in love with pointy toed heels) that go against every natural anatomical position for our feet. So Yoga Toes helps to undo the learned positions our toes have grown into. Its hilarious to feel! My feet had shooting tingling sensations, and I found that my little pinky toes had developed a parasitic relationship with the toe next to them...hahaha, but with some practice, maybe they'll

get better :)

Also on the gift list was a gorilla pod - a hardcore tripod for the camera I got Eric for his birthday. This is the ultimate travelling tripod and can be wrapped around trees, fence posts, etc to always get the shot. We tested it out with Eric's head.

He got me some great new clothes, my favorite being my brand new cammo pants. Yes, this girl has always wanted cammo pants. Not to blend into the background, not to be in the military....just because some good ol' cammo pants make you want to go get DIRTY. I got my wish! I also got some new yoga CDs and a powerball - If you don't ever get to play with one of these in your life, you're missing out.

From my family I got some cool stuff - attachments for my heart rate monitor to measure running and biking info, some meditation CDs, and a great neclace and earring set.

We had a blast opening and playing with all our new stuff - and then we went to brunch to pig out and brag to our friends!

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Christmas Dinner

Piggy Pig Pigs. It was our last chance for the idea of good food until we got off the ice in February. We piled up our plates, took pictures, and enjoyed every moment.

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