Alex is still working as hard as ever in the kitchen. The town population has decreased significantly but the number of dishwashers has as well.
Alex saw an Emperor penguin two days ago. I think it helped make this place feel more like Antarctica and little less like a giant kitchen full of dirty dishes.
I've finished couting things and now spend my working day entering the data into several different reports. I had the worst headache yesterday after staring at a computer screen for 10 hours.
We are both doing well and can count the number of days we have left on one hand. (We fly north on the 18th).
The temperature outside is 9F with heavy winds (-8F windchill). Looking forward to some sunny, humid days in New Zealand next week.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Monday
I've finished with the 12-hour shifts. The supply vessel is scheduled to leave sometime today and all of the Navy boys who flew down to unload the vessel were on the plane outta here this afternoon. For the next two weeks, we will be seeing planes flying folks home every other day until the last flight on February 23.
I have today and tomorrow off. I slept for about 20 hours today. Not sure what I'll do tomorrow, as the weather isn't so favorable for out-of-doors activities. The weather website isn't working, but I bet it's -10F at least.
I have today and tomorrow off. I slept for about 20 hours today. Not sure what I'll do tomorrow, as the weather isn't so favorable for out-of-doors activities. The weather website isn't working, but I bet it's -10F at least.
Friday, February 6, 2009
It's the final countdown!
Hello everyone! There is a HUGE snow storm outside right now. My head hurt all day which usually means there is some sort of barometric pressure change.
So much is going on right now!
Lucas and I mailed out our Peace Corps medical packet a few days ago which means that we are done with the application process except for my polio booster that I will get in New Zealand. Once we send proof of vaccination in, we'll have to wait six to eight weeks and we'll know where we are going! Lucas and I hope it's Vanuatu, but we keep hearing that anything can happen-- for all we know we may be spending the next 27 months in Uzbekistan! Anyways, I'm excited to have work that is meaningful again.
Our time in Antarctica is coming to an end and I am having lots of mixed feelings. In so many ways I am really ready to get off this dead volcanic rock and ice block. I am tired of waking up at five in the morning six days a week and working ten hour days. I am tired of the sun always shining and having dry skin all the time.
Yet, the mountains in the far-off distance are so beautiful; i see them everyday on my way to work. I love walking to hut point after dinner and seeing seals and looking for whales and penguins with Lucas. Sometimes, I really like washing dishes and pots-- it's a great way to think and pray.
I've learned a lot about myself doing this type of work... It's been nice to laugh at myself--there are some things that are so very "me". I walk around the galley with the same cup of coffee all day and I raise my hand during stretch break to point out ways that our systems could run smoother even if I really don't want to care at all. I bring a backpack to work full of everything you can think of and I walk slow. My lunch lady friends can very easily believe that I drive a car slow too.
I've enjoyed my co-workers. Most of them are way younger than I am and it's kind of fun to be the old married lady that goes to bed at 8 p.m. Today I almost cried looking at their sweet faces--it will never be the same... not like this... ever again. Every ending always evokes every other ending for me... so bittersweet... I am so grateful for such a wonderful life.
Sometimes it's hard for me to be around all the different kinds of energy here. There are people who are lost and running from something either internally or externally; there are people who are bravely taking their lives into their own hands and having a big, wonderful adventure to the farthest corner of the world; there are people who are older tradespeople and journeymen making a living; there are orphans who no longer have families that they are attached to, and there is everybody in between. It's a like a bunch of peter pans and lost boys(girls) decided to come to Antarctica to see what it would be like . Every person here is transitory and outside of their every day lives... Lucas loves this-weird-antarctic-energy. He loves this community. Loves it. He likes that there are all these random people in such an isolated place...
It's the weirdest commune on the planet hands down.
I, on the other hand, don't love it. I don't love the culture--there's too much drinking and debauchery for my tastes... and I've met lots of people that I think are amazing and enjoy seeing everyday. There are so many of these contradictions that it makes my head hurt in the pot room.
I'm sad that Lucas and I probably won't come back. With all of it and everything, I would come back again. The amount of money we can save is fantastic and there is something special about this place... maybe because it is all about contradictions and hard edges... I don't quite know.
I'm so excited to see children and dogs. I can't wait to feel humidity and see trees and strangers. I can't wait for someone else to wash my dishes and to eat fresh food (most everything we eat expired in 2004)... and I might even miss this place... maybe a little. My love to everyone..Alex
So much is going on right now!
Lucas and I mailed out our Peace Corps medical packet a few days ago which means that we are done with the application process except for my polio booster that I will get in New Zealand. Once we send proof of vaccination in, we'll have to wait six to eight weeks and we'll know where we are going! Lucas and I hope it's Vanuatu, but we keep hearing that anything can happen-- for all we know we may be spending the next 27 months in Uzbekistan! Anyways, I'm excited to have work that is meaningful again.
Our time in Antarctica is coming to an end and I am having lots of mixed feelings. In so many ways I am really ready to get off this dead volcanic rock and ice block. I am tired of waking up at five in the morning six days a week and working ten hour days. I am tired of the sun always shining and having dry skin all the time.
Yet, the mountains in the far-off distance are so beautiful; i see them everyday on my way to work. I love walking to hut point after dinner and seeing seals and looking for whales and penguins with Lucas. Sometimes, I really like washing dishes and pots-- it's a great way to think and pray.
I've learned a lot about myself doing this type of work... It's been nice to laugh at myself--there are some things that are so very "me". I walk around the galley with the same cup of coffee all day and I raise my hand during stretch break to point out ways that our systems could run smoother even if I really don't want to care at all. I bring a backpack to work full of everything you can think of and I walk slow. My lunch lady friends can very easily believe that I drive a car slow too.
I've enjoyed my co-workers. Most of them are way younger than I am and it's kind of fun to be the old married lady that goes to bed at 8 p.m. Today I almost cried looking at their sweet faces--it will never be the same... not like this... ever again. Every ending always evokes every other ending for me... so bittersweet... I am so grateful for such a wonderful life.
Sometimes it's hard for me to be around all the different kinds of energy here. There are people who are lost and running from something either internally or externally; there are people who are bravely taking their lives into their own hands and having a big, wonderful adventure to the farthest corner of the world; there are people who are older tradespeople and journeymen making a living; there are orphans who no longer have families that they are attached to, and there is everybody in between. It's a like a bunch of peter pans and lost boys(girls) decided to come to Antarctica to see what it would be like . Every person here is transitory and outside of their every day lives... Lucas loves this-weird-antarctic-energy. He loves this community. Loves it. He likes that there are all these random people in such an isolated place...
It's the weirdest commune on the planet hands down.
I, on the other hand, don't love it. I don't love the culture--there's too much drinking and debauchery for my tastes... and I've met lots of people that I think are amazing and enjoy seeing everyday. There are so many of these contradictions that it makes my head hurt in the pot room.
I'm sad that Lucas and I probably won't come back. With all of it and everything, I would come back again. The amount of money we can save is fantastic and there is something special about this place... maybe because it is all about contradictions and hard edges... I don't quite know.
I'm so excited to see children and dogs. I can't wait to feel humidity and see trees and strangers. I can't wait for someone else to wash my dishes and to eat fresh food (most everything we eat expired in 2004)... and I might even miss this place... maybe a little. My love to everyone..Alex
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Vessel Offload
The supply vessel offload seems to be going slow. Mostly (as I understand) because one of the cranes is having some difficulties and all of the milvans (the big metal boxes they put everything in and load on the ship) froze together when vessel went through some nasty storms on the way here from New Zealand. I (like many) am working 12-hour days until the offload is finished, so it's sad.
Alex and I are sleeping a lot lately. It seems we are always tired when we wake up in the morning, no matter how much sleep we get. We slept 11 hours last night. We are looking forward to some serious sleeping-in in New Zealand. 1 before 1.
Alex and I are sleeping a lot lately. It seems we are always tired when we wake up in the morning, no matter how much sleep we get. We slept 11 hours last night. We are looking forward to some serious sleeping-in in New Zealand. 1 before 1.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Supply Vessel
The supply vessel was scheduled to arrive about 4 hours ago. I haven't been out to see if it arrived, but it should be here. The supply ship is the final task that must happen before the season ends. Folks will start leaving in greater numbers pretty quickly after the supply vessel departs.
Campus has a bit of a different feel during offload, and this different feeling is a constant reminder that the end is near. There are lots and lots of folks (over 100) from the US Navy that were flown down here a couple of days ago to help unload the boat and a handful (~40) folks from the New Zealand Defense Forces. Many of the jobs on campus (including mine) require working longer hours help facilitate vessel offload. The bars on campus are closed down during offload and the store is only open for two hours each day.
With the constant reminder, I think it is nearly impossible not to start getting excited about returning to the land of trees, children and stars. Alex and I have started talking about what we want to eat when we arrive in New Zealand. I want to eat Avocados and expensive apples and ice cream that was made with milk, cream and sugar.
Gotta get to work.
Campus has a bit of a different feel during offload, and this different feeling is a constant reminder that the end is near. There are lots and lots of folks (over 100) from the US Navy that were flown down here a couple of days ago to help unload the boat and a handful (~40) folks from the New Zealand Defense Forces. Many of the jobs on campus (including mine) require working longer hours help facilitate vessel offload. The bars on campus are closed down during offload and the store is only open for two hours each day.
With the constant reminder, I think it is nearly impossible not to start getting excited about returning to the land of trees, children and stars. Alex and I have started talking about what we want to eat when we arrive in New Zealand. I want to eat Avocados and expensive apples and ice cream that was made with milk, cream and sugar.
Gotta get to work.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thursday in Antarctica
It's Thursday morning, almost 6:30am. I start work at 7:00am. I am dressed in my insulated overalls, insulated work boots and long johns. I am sitting in the computer lounge in building 155. The dining hall is in this building so it's by far the busiest building on campus. It's still pretty quiet. There are plenty of folks in the hallway that appear to have just gotten out of bed; but plenty of night shift workers too, who have been up all night and their working day is now coming to an end. Folks in the computer lounge are mostly checking emails or facebook, keeping in touch with the rest of the world. Some are searching the internet for after-ice travel plans.
There are lots of new faces in town: folks who have been in field camps/South Pole station all season and are just in town for a few days on their way home, folks who just arrived to help unload the supply vessel, and the first of the "winter-over-ers" that will be staying all winter.
The post office has advised us to tell friends and family to not mail us anything else, as it may not arrive before we leave. We have just less than three weeks until we are outta here.
There are lots of new faces in town: folks who have been in field camps/South Pole station all season and are just in town for a few days on their way home, folks who just arrived to help unload the supply vessel, and the first of the "winter-over-ers" that will be staying all winter.
The post office has advised us to tell friends and family to not mail us anything else, as it may not arrive before we leave. We have just less than three weeks until we are outta here.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Friday mornings
It's Friday morning, about 6:30am, Alex and I just ate breakfast. Alex started working immediately after breakfast and I start in about an hour. I will mostly be counting pipes and cross-referencing numbers today. Alex was in charge of making sure the food didn't run out on the serving line.
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