More Pics...

A reproduction of a Maori carving in Auckland, NZ

A view from the pier in New Breighton, NZ

At the Terminal

The C-17 that flew us there.  The Airforce guys are AWESOME!

Building 155, the main building.  This is where the gallery is.

The Coffee House, a wine and coffee bar... and where I am at the moment.

Southern Exposure.

Hi All!

I am sorry for the huge delay in posting, I have found that the Internet and Internet speed in general is not nearly as important to the Kiwi's or to folks on Antarctica as it is to me.  It is very hard to find an open ethernet cord here.  YES, you just read that right... ethernet.  There is no wireless Internet on the ice unfortunately.   It takes about a half an hour to upload a photo so bear with me.

I am living in Antarctica.  That sentence keeps moseying through my brain.   It is still a shock to me.   I kind of feel like I am living and working at a remote ski resort or in Alaska, but then I walk to work, or in today's case the local bar/coffee/movie screening hangout called The Coffee House, and see a view of Mount Erebus from town and it hits me.   It feels very surreal.   I feel like I am in the show Northern Exposure (oooo, can someone find that for me?!  Katie??  I would love to watch that).  I keep expecting a moose or in this case penguin to stroll through town.

I came down thinking I would have at least three other roommates (woof)  but thank god I only have one!  They put me with my friend Tom, who I met through Rocco when I was in Denver (thanks Co!!).  So I am VERY lucky.  This could have gone really wrong.   My roommate in the hotels in New Zealand snored like a banshee scream at night, I didn't sleep a wink.  Tom doesn't snore, is clean!, and is super chill.   All things I wanted in a roommate.  We were put in building 206, which used to be the dorms for the 109th division.  They were on their own for cleaning it unlike the rest of the town so the whole building kind of smells (double woof).  I have gotten used to it for the most part though (NOTE TO MOM:  send glade plug ins, totally forgot to tell you, something naturey like fresh cut grass, nothing floral).

My job has been pretty great so far.  I finally learned exactly what my job would entail when I got down here.   I basically switch off days being a DA (dining hall attendent) or a Jano (janitor).  I love my work as a DA, it basically is like working in any restaurant so I jumped right in and before I knew it, it was the end of my shift.   The work as a Jano, however has yet to grow on me.  The rest of the Janos are really nice and so helpful.  But I have come to the conclusion that there are people who have the personality it takes to change a urinal filter and people who don't.  I don't.  The rest of the job isn't bad though, I actually find windexing relaxing.  And I got to Zamboni machine the floors!!!  Either way this is going to be a crazy, fun, exciting experience and I am here for the landscape more than the job.    And surprisingly, changing urinals beats the office environment from my last job.   I will say, it is really nice to come to work and have happy, helpful, non catty people around you.  It makes all the difference in the world and even when you are doing unpleasant things it makes coming to work a pleasure.   

Well that is it for now.  Now that I have settled in I will update more.  The last picture is from my ice flight.  I will update with more pictures from the plane and some from New Zealand.      I will check in again soon with more pictures and stories!  Until then, I miss you all!

xo

S

P.S.  I must be getting used to the cold because today I woke up and crossed town to get to breakfast and thought to myself, "Wow, it is warm today."  When I got inside I checked the weather and it was -5 degrees -21 with wind chill.   Crazy.

Traveling and Christchurch.

After over 24 hours of traveling, 3 layovers, 4 flights, more airplane meals than ever should be served to someone in that short of time, a regrettable decision to watch The Lucky One for my choice of inflight entertainment,  a job offer for a job in sales in Brisbane, and very little sleep (Dad, I needed the anti anxiety pill... lesson learned.   The Benedryl/whiskey combo did not work “just as well”)  I have finally arrived in Christchurch New Zealand!!!   A town, I am told, that used to be very nice and picturesque.   However, unfortunately there was a devastating earthquake last year that destroyed the town and wiped out much of the shops, restaurants and bars.  So at my break in orientation today I crossed the street and had my lunch at the new hotspot in town... the airport.  It was actually quite good.  They have a very classy airport here in Christchurch.  (Pat, they have silver twinkie trucks with espresso and coffee outside!!  I should have snapped a picture.  They were everything I want our food truck to be.)

I am lying low tonight.  Apparently a nasty flu epidemic has hit New Zealand and Australia and a few people have already come down with it from the program.  And as all of you know, I get sick at the drop of a hat.   So no partying for me tonight.  However, after only a day with my fellow colleagues I have learned that drinking is the basis for all bonding/jokes/and basically everything at McMurdo Station.  So much so that the new contract has very strict guidelines on what is and is not appropriate concerning alcohol and there is a new zero tolerance policy for all alcohol related incidents.  

When I asked what incidents prompted this new revision I received an appalling answer involving a mysterious person last year, drinking, and pooping all around the station.   I literally could not drag my jaw off the floor I was so shocked.  Over half the group is over 50 and most everyone else is in their late 20’s 30’s and 40’s.   Over the years I have known some hard partiers, but never have they had the urge to hide fecal matter like a scavenger hunt. 

So I have to balance the line between staying calm and not being a total antisocial pariah.   When I told a few of my new friends I planned on not drinking too much down there and “getting healthy”  they all laughed.  And then proceeded to ask if I also plan on writing the great american novel, learning a new language and losing weight... All of which I was planning on doing.  

All that being said, I am sticking to my guns to make this a healthy trip.  Everyone has said this experience is what you bring to it.   If you have a good attitude it is the best experience you can ever have.   If you have a negative one it is the worst.   So I do plan on joining the festivities and having fun, just not too much.  And hopefully writing that novel/sceenplay, losing weight and brushing up on my French in the meantime... but we will keep that on the DL.

The flight before us going down to “the ice,” was “boomeranged” which basically means that they flew down to Antarctica, but because of severe weather conditions they couldn’t land and turned around.   Because of this and the help of 2 conventions in town, all the hotel rooms are full.  So we have had to double, or in my case triple, up on roommates in the hotels.  If the first group’s flight gets cancelled again tomorrow then they will be moving us to a ski resort an hour out of town so we have more room.    Which means I will not be flying down to Antarctica tomorrow but will instead leave Thursday,  Friday or later.  The perk to this is I get to explore New Zealand.  

Tomorrow I will go early in the morning to the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center) and receive my government issued clothing, AKA Big Red, and our boomerang bag to pack in case we get delayed (I will be sure to take pictures in my getup.)  After that a few friends suggested we rent a car and go to Kaikoura, a beachside town and explore that for the day.    

I don’t have any fun pictures yet, since we are not in the most picturesque part of town, however Pat and Jen, I did snap one for you both.  It is a reproduction of a Maori carving in the Auckland airport.  I will post it later, because the internet is really bad and expensive here and it would take forever to upload.    

Anyway, future posts won’t be as dry, I promise.   Just wanted you all to know, I am here, I am safe, and I am excited!

Into the Wild.

Hi All!

So, I have never been much of a blogger.  I have set up a few over the years but never did more than two posts and certainly never sent it to anyone.  However, I figured when one is about to embark on something as crazy I am, a blog is necessary.

Two weeks ago I quit my job as the Director of Modern and Contemporary Art at a fine art auction house in Chicago and traded it in for 6 months as a Steward (basically food prep and light janitorial duties... I know - INSANE!) in Antarctica working for the National Science Foundation at McMurdo Station*.  

I bet all of you who know me are thinking,  "She is not much of a granola (except for that slight phase in high school, but that was more about Phish than anything else) or much of an outdoorsman."   I'm not.  Other than my stint as an Indian Princess (go Tribe Gucci!)  I have no outdoorsman skills.    But I am excited to learn.  And hey, who knows, maybe they will be in dire need of a hand sewn indian leather vests with decorative marker coloring, or training on how to order a port-a-potty to a remote campsite**, in which case  - I got us covered.  

The truth is I was ready for something new in my career and in life but wasn't sure what.  I figured this would be the perfect 6 month break to figure out what I want to do.   The adventure is just a bonus.  The blog will help me document my journey (plus it cuts down on the amount of time I will need to spend emailing everyone).

So there you have it.   I will be updating as much as I can and hopefully posting tons of pictures and videos of penguins! (for you Jenny!***), as well as pictures of my ridiculous outfits (that's where Big Red comes in, its the name they have for the government issued Parka), the station, and basically day to day life in Antarctica.   On the 19th of August I deploy (their word, not mine) to Christchurch, New Zealand.  I will spend a few days there for orientation and then on the 23rd I will take a military cargo flight to Antarctica.  

I am going for the very end of the winter through their summer and then leave at the beginning of the fall (in February).   It will be light most of the day while I am there, however I am hoping at the beginning it will still be dark so I can see a night like this:

I am so excited for the adventure!  And maybe a tad bit nervous after seeing this:

I hope you all follow me here through my journey.  If there is anything you want me to picture or shoot video of, or write about let me know.  Wish me luck!

xo

S

Footnotes:
* If any of you all want to send me care packages, letters, etc, let me know and I will email you the address.  It is actually cheap to ship because it is considered military mail.   But it will take a few weeks to get there, so keep that in mind.  Oh, and Pawela, don't send me booze.  Already checked.  It's against the law.

** True story.   Happened.  What can I say?  We were brats.

*** Whit, I am grouping you in that.  You too Chris.