Two Weeks in...

 

Aloha Friends and Family, 

I have arrived safe and sound back in Antartica.  Not a phrase you hear every day.  I have been back for over two weeks and finally I feel like I am getting the hang of things.  

This season I am working for a new department which is called Fuels.  Our job is simply put:  moving fuel around all of station.  I have learned that plenty of things use fuel here.  Almost every building on site has a generator or heater that uses fuel.  We also get to fuel up the airplanes.  Furthermore our department helps out field camps with their fueling needs.  In a couple of weeks I will be heading to the field to spend two weeks at a Helicopter refueling station.  Apparently where I am going is very beautiful and there are places to hike.  In comparison to last year, this job is a lot more physical and I spend a lot more time outside.  I was apprehensive about spending that much time in below freezing temperatures but I can confirm the phrase- there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.  With enough layers and hand warmers you can do anything here.  Getting to spend more time outside this year has been very energizing.  

While the work is good the best part about being down here is the “after party-what happens after work.”  I have been able to go on some hikes, restart the running club and play soccer again.  This season recreation was able to put the Observation Tube back in the ice.  This is a tube you get to climb down about 10 feet into a glass walled cylinder where you rest below the sea ice suspended in the sea water.  It is beautiful looking up at the sea ice covering the ocean above you and seeing the ice crawl down the coast line towards the ocean floor.  To celebrate Halloween my floor is having a trick or treating event where a certain hour the odd numbered rooms will be open to visitors and then the next hour the even numbered rooms take a turn hosting.  Just a fun way to see people’s rooms and reconnect with people after a busy two weeks getting situated.  

Even though this year quite a few of my close friends from last year have moved onto different things I still have been able to rekindle friendships from last year and start making some new ones.  It was fun at the beginning to see people’s eyes light up when they recognized my face.  I was also thankful that my brain still remembered their name.  

I am glad to be back and excited to see what this season brings.