It's amazing how one word can mean so many things, yet it all means the same, really. Survival. In Antarctica, that means learning techniques to help a human being physically survive in harsh, unpredictable, and intense weather. It's simple, right? Hydrate. Keep moving. Eat for energy. Stay dry. Super easy, anyone can do that. When it's that simple, everyone becomes a professional extreme climate mountaineer survivor. I bet you're contemplating your own checklist right now. Easy as that... I spent the past two days living in Antarctica's wilderness, learning how to survive. I [View Full Entry]

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A few weeks ago, my Academic Advisor, Paula, asked if I'd be willing to do an interview for University of Denver (DU - where I attend graduate school) about my experience working and going to school in Antarctica. I agreed and was contacted by the Director of News and Public Affairs, Kim, who wrote a very nice article published in "DU Today" about me! Thank you Paula and Kim! Here is the link: http://www.du.edu/today/stories/2009/11/2009-11-16antarctica.html I just finished my first online class of my life, Global Environmental Law, via unreliable internet connection. It wasn't nearl [View Full Entry]

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In 24 days, I will be packing up my stuff, throwing it onto a C-17, and flying away to New Zealand where I'll finally see my Nate - and the whole Antarctica experience will be in the past. When a little blurb in a chapter of life ends, I'm left wondering what will happen next. What's next? When will I get a chance to feel that anxious/excited/nervous of the unknown feeling again? I think that when you're in the middle of an experience, a little reality is lost because you're so wrapped up in what is happening in front of your [View Full Entry]

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On Monday, I went to Sea Ice survival school. It was an eight hour long survival course taking place mostly on the sea ice. I realized about half way through that I should have taken this course within a week of arriving here. Things make a whole lot more sense when you understand the continent you're living on and the "ground" you're standing on. Did you know that 98% of the Antarctic continent is covered by a sheet of ice? Some of the ice is more than a mile thick and some sea ice (a sheet of ice covering open sea [View Full Entry]

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Isn't it amazing when something happens to you that you've been hoping for? It's like being a kid again, opening a Christmas present that you've been longing for since you first saw it. Such simplicity and reward. We all need that sometimes. Today was better than opening a Christmas present. Today was something of pure luck, something that I want to believe only my Mom made happen. She made so many things happen for me when she was alive, I owe so much to her and her only; but this was a gift I've been waiting for for since I set [View Full Entry]

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This IS a harsh continent, I've come to agree. Have I mentioned how cold it is?!? Actually, "cold" is an understatement. Sometimes I wonder if the people who designed my winter jacket have ever been anywhere "cold" before. Or do they know what "windy" means?!? I'm going to give some free advice if you ever come to Antarctica (why you would want to, I don't know!)... 1.) Buy a parka/coat/jacket from someone you know has been to Antarctica. 2.) Buy a good gator, because you'll be sorry if you don't. 3.) Order those expensive "weatherproof" contacts for your eyes if you [View Full Entry]

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What a week! But still, no penguins. I've made it really, really clear to everyone that seeing penguins is my secondary purpose for being on this freezing cold continent. I'm looking for my Mom, and I'm convinced she's with the penguins ;) I know, I know, that sounds ridiculous. But I've been surprised more than once in my life, so just let me be hopeful please! Two things I want to share in this post and both happened on Sunday, my only day off... On Sunday morning, I decided to eat a good brunch (they serve specialty cheese with brunch on [View Full Entry]

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Breathe, exhale. Breathe, exhale. WOW. This place is like nowhere else. Yes, it's cold, frigid, harsh, and sometimes completely unbearable. Sometimes my first impulsive response is to burst into tears. I've never felt anything like it, in fact, I'm not sure there is a place to feel anything like this. The air is clean and crisp everyday. But now when I walk outside, the bite isn't as shocking as it was a week ago. It's amazing what a week of adjustment can do to your mind and well-being. My amazing support group, both here and at home sent amazing words of [View Full Entry]

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Just for a couple minutes, please imagine yourself at your age waking up at 5:30am (mind you, it has been daylight all night long) in your dorm room. Ohhh, just wait...I've only just begun! After reminding yourself where you are, you undress, wrap a towel around you, put flip flops on (because you have no idea when the floor was cleaned last, if ever) and "lightly step" (because there are signs EVERYWHERE reminding you of this) down the dark dorm hall. To the community bathroom. You're probably thinking, "Geez, Sarah, you forgot your toiletries". Sure didn't, they are stored in my [View Full Entry]

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Hello from Antarctica! I'm here! I'm so disoriented and feeling crazy, so I'll do my best to recap this whole unforgettable experience. On Tuesday, a shuttle picked us up at our hotel at 5:15am in New Zealand. I wasn't convinced at this point that we were even going anywhere. But we went to the CDC, put on our ECW gear, weighed in (I weighed 174 pounds with all my gear), checked-in our luggage, drank some coffee, and before I knew it I was boarding a USAF C-17 military plane. Just like that. Before we left Christchurch, we were "briefed" about how [View Full Entry]

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