Sunday, September 24, 2006

Commonly Heard Sayings at McMurdo

Drink Water.
Antarctica is the driest continent on Earth. I live in a desert full of snow and ice. Very strange but true. So everyone reminds you to drink water. We're issued Nalgene water bottles along with all of our cold weather gear. Staying hydrated is extremely relevant to staying healthy here on the Ice.

It’s a harsh continent.
Whenever someone even remotely complains about the weather or the cold or the food or the management or the ceramics room hours... someone will say, "It's a harsh continent." It's similar to when, as a kid, you would say "That's not fair" to your mom, who in return would answer: "Life's not fair." Get used to it.

Where’s your storage unit?
This one is my favorite because it's so true. I've found myself asking people where they're from and when some of them look at me with a blank stare, I'll change the question to "Where's your storage unit?" This seems to be easier for most people to answer.

The first time you come down, it’s for the adventure. The second time is for the money. The third time is because you don’t fit in anywhere else.
Of all the people I've met so far, this saying is mostly true. There are a few people who return their third year for the money only, but a lot of people that have come down for three or more seasons are now in a lifestyle. A lifestyle that's hard to give up... six months of work and six months of play and 400 other close friends who can relate to you.

Safety is no accident. Or anything else safety-related.
Safety, safety, safety. Every single day you will hear the word safety mentioned. Without fail. There is a big sign "Safety is No Accident" hanging above the Galley, where everyone eats. When we first arrived, someone had taped a smaller banner on the bottom of the sign that said, "Resistance is futile."

Posted by Katie from the Ice @ 11:22 PM