Well that whole transport at 10 pm scenario worked out and I am back down South. The flight actually went pretty okay but it was definitely less appealing to do a night flight then I thought. Hardly got any sleep and was a little more packed in then I’m used to but whatever, the point is I made it…though if I ever find the person on the flight who decided flash photography would be a good idea at 2am I can’t be responsible for my actions.
Weight of checked bags: 72lbs.
Last meal in the outside world: Steak and salad
Temperature when I arrived: I honestly didn’t pay attention.
Things are definitely different this year. Usually when I get to the Pegasus runway it blows me away, the second I stepped off that plane I would see everything I needed to see that would tell me I was in the right place, that I belong here….this year I got off the plane and felt nothing, not even a sense of nostalgia. What did make me choke up a bit was seeing my winter-over friends. I saw Meghan at the CDC when I was suiting up for the flight, she was on the other end of things, coming out of a long winter and dropping her gear before skipping off to the real world, I gave her a big hug hello and goodbye before I headed to check-in and she headed to her shuttle. Then I saw Dave as I got off the plane at Pegasus, I almost didn’t
recognize him at first because he had shaved off his beard, and unfortunately (for me, not him) he was getting on the plane I was getting off…so again, I did the whole hello/goodbye thing before heading to the first available Delta that would take me into town. Seeing these guys totally got to me because I realized they had been here the whole time, my whole season last year and long after I left, they were like this living reminder that last season was real…and that it was gone. Me and Salava went out for steak at Vic and the Whale the night before we left (he was on the flight after me but it still left the same day cause they were stacking them at that point) and were talking about how so many of our friends weren’t going to be with us this season and how weird that was going to be, and that though last season was probably some of the best 6 months of our lives and how we’d had so much fun neither of us necessarily wanted to do it over. And from what I hear I’m not the only part of the equation that’s different this year, according to all who were here, this winlfy or springfly or whatever, was nothing like in the past. Apparently it was quiet, a little too quiet, and there were half the people carrying twice the work…not a good start.
As for my start, I have finally graduated to the upper ranks of McMurdo housing and live in 211, the neighborhood I have wanted to live in since I did dorm openings as a first year janitor. Chelsea and I had tried to get a two person room in 155 (the main building I have always lived in) but they were all taken by the time we got here, which could be for the best since I should experience living in a different building and she should get to do the whole new person thing to it’s fullest and live in a four person room, cause you’re only new once. So I am living with Jean, who is the head of, and due to budget cuts, the only member of, the rec department. We have bonded over a mutual love of Andy Bauer, granted hers is romantic while mine is plutonic, but he was one of my closest friends last year so even if he did ditch us for a life in the outside world at least I get to live with his girlfriend. I think it will be a good setup, I will post pics of the room as soon as we put it together…it’s going to be great!
In the work department I am fairing even better, I freakin’ love being a wastie (solid waste technician), it is such a great department. I had a really nice first day, Quinn (who has been here since winfly) and Amanda (one of the seasoned techs
As for my start, I have finally graduated to the upper ranks of McMurdo housing and live in 211, the neighborhood I have wanted to live in since I did dorm openings as a first year janitor. Chelsea and I had tried to get a two person room in 155 (the main building I have always lived in) but they were all taken by the time we got here, which could be for the best since I should experience living in a different building and she should get to do the whole new person thing to it’s fullest and live in a four person room, cause you’re only new once. So I am living with Jean, who is the head of, and due to budget cuts, the only member of, the rec department. We have bonded over a mutual love of Andy Bauer, granted hers is romantic while mine is plutonic, but he was one of my closest friends last year so even if he did ditch us for a life in the outside world at least I get to live with his girlfriend. I think it will be a good setup, I will post pics of the room as soon as we put it together…it’s going to be great!
In the work department I am fairing even better, I freakin’ love being a wastie (solid waste technician), it is such a great department. I had a really nice first day, Quinn (who has been here since winfly) and Amanda (one of the seasoned techs
who is headed to pole when it opens) showed me and the other new wasties how to do the basic things like sort glass and band up tri-walls; there is a lot of new info but things shouldn’t be too busy until the waste starts coming in from pole so I am looking forward to having the time to learn it all. I am a little nervous about the whole forklift driving part but I am sure after a couple weeks I’ll get the hang of it. It’s funny getting used to carrying a radio, and a pager, and wearing insulated Carharts to wok everyday, but I really couldn’t be happier about the job and the crew. I think work this year is going to be amazing.
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