Daily Life in Antarctica

I figured it was high time to give a glimpse into what daily life is down here. I've been living here for about 4 months, and while I'm used to the place I'm not sure it will ever feel exactly like home. There are things that make living here difficult but there's some pretty awesome sweet perks too.

I'll also admit that a glimpse into my daily life isn't necessarily representative of what other people experience. We all have our own "Antarctica", and this is how I've chosen to live mine. Also, I live at McMurdo station, which has housed around 800 people all summer long. By far it's the largest concentration of humans on the entire continent. In my opinion, McMurdo is a very distinct entity from "Antarctica." One has to get out of town to truly experience Antarctica as distinct from McMurdo. Both McMurdo and Antarctica as a whole are unique, incredible, and surprising places, unlike anywhere else in the world.

This is probably what I'd count one of the harder aspects of living in Antarctica: the living situation. Our housing is adequate but if this photo of my dorm at the beginning of the year gives you any clue, the space is limited. I happen to be in a dorm that can have up to four people per room, so that's a lot of people stacked on top of each other. However, I've had periods of time over the summer where I've had a "quad" to myself- part of the benefits of being a female in Antarctica, the 1-5 ratio women to men can be pretty awesome sometimes. My current set up is sharing a quad with two other really cool girls, and our room happens to have a window which makes a huge difference in my opinion.

And sometimes signs like this pop up. Is one expected to laugh or cry?

Every morning except for my one day off, my alarm goes off at 4:30am. By the time my clothes are on, teeth brushed, and hair pinned up, My eyes are usually fully open. I start work at 5am, and my coworkers and I spend our shift putting together lunch.

I spend most of my waking hours, it seems, at work. Putting together thrilling items like "Country Style Gravy Mix." One always wonders if Pioneer hasn't updated packaging since the late 80s or if the package has just been sitting here for thirty years, waiting to be made into gravy....

Sporting my sleepy morning face, laughing at my coworker, and trying to pull off cute heart pancakes for brunch-goers on a Sunday morning. Also take note my fashion-forward attire that I assure you makes the most of my figure.

One of the biggest perks of living in Antarctica is the free coffee. FREE! Almost every morning my coworker and I go down to get coffee at the coffee house and get free espresso drinks. We tip our barista, and it's always a pleasure chatting  up Joe every morning and hanging out with the regulars at the coffee house. The beans aren't the best quality but I'm not complaining about free espresso and it may have spoiled me for Portland's $4.50 lattes.

Another great perk of living in Antarctica: a sauna! We finally have a functional sauna after a whole season of waiting. It's a great way to unwind after a full day of frying shrimp and putting together a saucy meat dish without half the listed ingredients in stock. Note the supply vessel in the background. This small vessel carries in supplies that will keep us going for the next year.

Another post-work activity that was especially nice last month when it was warmer was going on a "tea-walk." This is when I'd brew tea in my travel mug and go on a hike. Imagine seeing adelie penguins, sleeping seals, and getting attacked by ferocious skua birds on a simple post-work walk. We're pretty lucky.

I can't believe that when I was getting ready to come down here, I thought I'd spend the entire summer sitting in my room knitting and listening to podcasts. There is so much to do in one's off time that it's actually overwhelming! We have two bars and a coffee house that are open every evening except Mondays, fitness classes, open mics, karaoke nights, trivia nights, dance classes, pick up sports, not to mention the parties throughout the year, most of which are sponsored by various departments around the base (the galley's party is coming up in two weeks - a prom night). I usually have to keep saying no to all the options of what I could do after dinner because it's exhausting and I also have to always wake up at 4:30 every morning....

Yes, we have a library! Such a cozy space complete with fake plants and trees to make the space feel homey.

I'd say living at McMurdo can feel like a cross between summer camp, first semester at college, and a mining camp. McMurdo isn't the place to run away from people, as you'll find yourself more on top of other people than you ever have been in your life.

One gets very sensory-deprived in Antarctica. Smells are rare, and good smells even more rare. A few bottles of essential oil is a huge luxury. Watching a movie that pictures lush scenery can be breathtaking. Novelty seems overwhelmingly fantastic - to be able to choose one's groceries, surroundings, or listen to music other than what you and your coworkers happened to bring down is a prospect I have difficulty imagining anymore. There's not a lot of novelty down here unless you bring it down or make it yourself. We live in a very institutional-feeling, bleak town if we're being honest.

Things that have gotten me through this summer have been great coworkers, a sense of humor, the sauna, the hikes and special outings, and being able to talk so easily with my partner back home. We've been able to text every day, call about every other day, and skype once a week - much better than we were expecting.

I'm glad I came down. It's been a fun experience, a crazy time, and I've learned a lot about myself while I've been down here. I've seen things I'll never see anywhere else in the world, and have made memories I'll treasure the rest of my life. And I can't wait to squeeze my Josh in a few weeks. Over all, I'd say my life is a win.