Merry Christmas from Antarctica

 If you could have guessed from all my previous emails I love to go on adventures and do active things.  This time of year when the weather gets "warmer" (above freezing) many opportunities are available to explore Antarctica. 

One highlight was participating in a recreation event called "Room with a View".  Once your snowmobile training is complete you are eligible for the event.  In small groups a trip leader will lead a gaggle of snowmobiles an hour away from the station to the base of Mount Erebus-the southernmost active volcano in the world.  It was surreal to be motoring along on the flat white taking in the mountains with barely a cloud in the sky.  The whole time I kept on pinching myself not believing that I could be snowmobiling in Antarctica after a day's work.  It was unbelievable. 

One common thread that is woven in my life right now is running.  If you told me 10 years ago I would enjoy running I would not have believed you.  I look forward to my group runs every week.  They are especially amazing down here due the views and having the company of my spectacular friends.  I am training for the marathon that will be happening in January 2021 (my first one).  Leading up to January there are a couple other races put on for the community. We had a Turkey Trot which was a 5km.  It is tradition to dress up in fun costumes for that race.  I was able to borrow a donut costume from the gear issue-truth be told I love donuts.  Then the next week we had a 10 km run and this coming weekend we have a race to the top of a hill that is situated beside the station.

Another fun community event that happened last week was the "Skirt Party."  It is an event hosted by the New Zealand Base.  It is an evening where all the guys dress up as girls and compete for "Miss Ross Island Beauty Pageant."  (McMurdo Station is located on Ross Island) Furthermore the girls dress up as guys.  A couple hours before the event a bunch of us gathered in a lounge to get ready. It was like getting ready for prom.  All the girls were helping the boys with their transformation either doing make up, nails, hair or assisting with costumes.  I was thoroughly impressed with how some of the men of McMurdo were very enthusiastic with their metamorphosis-lots of planning and scourging the base for high heels, wigs and dresses.  One of my guys friends was shocked with how long it took to get ready and now has greater empathy for the female race in their efforts.  Once the transformation was complete we headed off to the Kiwi base and witnessed the competition.  All the guys had to strut their stuff down a runway and answer a few questions.  It was hilarious and all the contestants looked amazing! 

If you talk to anyone down here you will hear over and over again that the people who work at McMurdo are amazing.  I agree with that statement 100%.  They are a generous and inclusive bunch.  One of my friends, K, found a medium-sized Christmas Tree under his bed (fake, of course) one day and decided to bless our friend, S with it.  He got S's friends to each make ornaments for the Christmas Tree and then one day while S was at work K snuck into S's room, put it up and decorated it.  Needless to say when S got home that day he was flabbergasted and speechless.  It was fun to see what a group of 8 people can do to bless another by doing a random act of kindness.     

Like anything in life you get out what you put in.  Hope you enjoy the stories of seizing the day! 

Merry Christmas, Gillian