Life on Base
Life on this base is quite nice. For me the work is not physically challenging because I'm in an office, but for many support people here it is tough (there are nine support personnel to one scientist). My days are long and I get no days off until I'm back in New Zealand, but for all of us it is rewarding, and we are here because we want to be here. We play hard in what little free time we have (hiking and biking and skiing (downhill on the volcano Erebus and cross-country on the sea ice) and yoga and bars but I haven't had time to do most of that yet). The food is surprisingly good for a 1000 person cafeteria. I need to find whoever is in charge of desserts and give them a hug. The bedroom shades are thick enough and I'm tired each night so I sleep well even though it is light out.
A few days ago I heard a beeper go off, and it sounded really strange. Partially because beepers are very 1990-ish, but mostly because there are no cell phones down here. I have not heard a cell phone ring in about 10 days. There are TVs in the dorm lounges and I watch a movie sometimes, but there are no commercials. There are no ads, billboards, posters, magazines, for-sale signs. There is nothing commercial, on anything, anywhere on base.
I wish I could be down here through the north-American Christmas holiday season. Oh well. I'll just hide out in the woods for a few weeks when I get home. Although I plan on swinging by Times Square as soon as possible after landing at JFK, just to cover the spectrum and shock the system a bit.
