Working in Antarctica


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  • #193
    PrairieDog
    Member

    Well I spent two hours at Raytheon Polar Services this morning being interviewed.
    I felt very comfortable and thought we had a really good conversation.
    Now I should know within a week or so if I get the job (Electrician, probably at Pole).
    It was a strange feeling walking past the USAP sign after seeing it so many times on the net.  It felt like a heightened state of awareness where even the colors in the office seemed more vivid. It was a bit like working in New York city for the first time.
    I bet I would feel the same on arrival on the Ice. (I’m sure it wears off rapidly as reality sets in…..:-)
     
    Best wishes to all,
     
    Prairie Dog

    #1651
    thepooles98
    Keymaster

    I think I can speak for most people that stepping of the airplane for the first time down here goes down as one of those defining moments of your life. This is my fourth year in a row down here and and it’s still as beautiful and awe inspiring as the first.
    mike

    #1652
    PrairieDog
    Member

    Well I’m glad you understood what I was saying about my feelings when I walked into RPS.
    It felt like one step towards the Ice…..
     
     


    Original Message


    From: Antarctic memories
    Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2003 3:46 PM
    To: Antarctic memories
    Subject: Re: Working in Antarctica
     

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    [font=Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif:sss7v624]Working in Antarctica[/font:sss7v624]

    Antarcticmemories@groups.msn.com?subject=Re%3A%20Working%20in%20Antarctica
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    [font=Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif:sss7v624]From: [/font:sss7v624][font=Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif:sss7v624]mike+lorie[/font:sss7v624]
    I think I can speak for most people that stepping of the airplane for the first time down here goes down as one of those defining moments of your life. This is my fourth year in a row down here and and it’s still as beautiful and awe inspiring as the first.
    mike

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    #1653
    PrairieDog
    Member

    Looks like I’m going to be spending a year at the South Pole……
    I got the good news today.
    I was offered the job of electrician for the summer and foreman for the winter over.
    I feel over the moon right now. I have a ton of work to do here before I go (like finishing my earthship house).
    I know the months are going to fly by here in Colorado as I prepare for this journey.
    I just hope there are no problems with pqing (there shouldnt be but you never know I guess).
    I hope everyone at McMurdo is well and enjoying life.
    Best wishes,
    Prairie Dog (soon to be an Icy dog)

    #1654
    PrairieDog
    Member

    Well I havent even started yet and allready Ive been demoted 🙂
    Now Im the alternate winterover foreman .
    By the time I get down there I’ll probably be the the guy that scrapes the ice off the outside of the windows….
    No matter though I’m going there and that’s all that matters.

    #1655
    thepooles98
    Keymaster

    Well you are in the system now. Good luck and don’t be surprised if you don’t get the winterover job after all. You might ask to be put on a McMurdo alternate list as well. They ran short of electricians at the last moment here and had to go to New Zealand with a week to go before station close to fill the positions.
    mike

    #1656
    PrairieDog
    Member

    I will still be a winter over at Pole as an electrician (just not as foreman)
    McMurdo sounds pretty good as a winterover station though .
    I’m really looking forward to the journey.
    The outward bound course and the fire training will be fun and I live right here in Colorado so I won’t have far to go for that.
    I have a ton of work to do before then like finishing my house, building loafing sheds for our llamas, a goathouse for the goats, A lot of fence to repair, a years worth of hay to haul, I’ll be glad to get to Pole to rest up .
     


    Original Message


    From: Antarcticmemories@groups.msn.com
    To: Antarcticmemories@groups.msn.com
    Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2003 12:28 PM
    Subject: Re: Working in Antarctica

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    [font=Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif:v91rano3]From: [/font:v91rano3][font=Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif:v91rano3]mike+lorie[/font:v91rano3]
    Well you are in the system now. Good luck and don’t be surprised if you don’t get the winterover job after all. You might ask to be put on a McMurdo alternate list as well. They ran short of electricians at the last moment here and had to go to New Zealand with a week to go before station close to fill the positions.
    mike

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    #1657
    will
    Keymaster

    well done dog……
    i envy you and your future adventure….  need any one to watch your place for the year you are gonna be gone….   sounds like the house i wanted to build…  ahhhhh sweet dreams….
    i wish you the best, you will have to keep us up to date on you wonderfull time on the ice…
    regards
    satindoll

    #1658
    PrairieDog
    Member

    SatinDoll,
    My long suffering wife has to stay and mind our earthship, llamas, goats and four great danes.
    At least she doesn’t have to worry about intruders with 700 lbs of dog to protect her.
    Of course we have bears, rattlesnakes and mountain lions.
    The bears and the dogs have an agreement, the bears don’t come right up to the house and the dogs don’t try to chase the bears.
    We had a bear a year or two ago who was 100 feet from the house crossing the meadow. I was outside with one dog watching the bear and two of our dogs were in a fenced in area behind the house. They were jumping at the gate and barking like they were going to tear that bear apart. To their surprise the gate opened. They stopped barking and looked at the gate in shock.
    Then they ran over to me and we all watched the bear stroll across the meadow
    He stopped for a moment and looked at us contemptuously (I thought) and then strolled away.
    I love our wildlife here but they can cause problems for domestic pets and livestock. Well ok we cause the problems by moving onto their land…..
    Luckily We have some great neighbors who are there for us when we need them (and vice versa). My wife will have help and she is very self sufficient.
    I am looking forward to the ice and grateful to get this rare opportunity to go to such an awesome place.
    I hope you are also able to follow your dreams wherever they may take you.
    Growing up I would not have imagined the experiences I have already had or the ones that lie ahead.
    Life is good
     
    Best wishes,
    Last of the Prairie Dog men

    #1659
    thepooles98
    Keymaster

    I see a comprimise going on here. Prairie Dog, you need to see it they can’t find a GA or galley job for your wife. Satin Doll leaves florida and watches your house for a year and takes care of the animals. You and your wife stay together for the year, Satin doll gets a dreamhouse you get to teach about earthships to her and everyone here. HEY WHAT A PLAN
    mike in mcmurdo
     

    #1660
    PrairieDog
    Member

    Good Plan, but my wife (Mrs Prairie Dog or Elena for short) wont go for it.
    She say’s next year its my turn to stay home and mind the animals while she goes to Tahiti for a year. Thers just no figuring out some people……..

    #1661
    will
    Keymaster

         HEY MIKE        WHAT A PLAN……    I LOVE IT……   THEN I CAN GO NEXT….. 
    SATINDOLL HERE, PACKING AND SENDING IN MY CHANGE OF ADDRESS FORM…
    HEHEHEHEHHE

    #1662
    PrairieDog
    Member

    Just make sure that you bring someone that you can outrun… we had a bear here twice last weekend 🙂
    Tuesday will be my day of reckoning.
    I have the physical scheduled for the morning and the psych test scheduled for the afternoon.
    I already did the labwork and chest xray so I hope they can tell me right away if everything is kosher.
    Does anyone know if they give you the results on the day of your exams or do they make you wait?
    Prairie dog.

    #1663
    thepooles98
    Keymaster

    If they find anything on the day of the physical, I’m sure the doctor will tell you, however most of the things they find are in the blood tests. I think you can have the results sent to your doctor as well so he/she can explain them to you. As I said before I’ve flunked a couple of times the first time around. Things like if your “botuwhatsit” levels are supposed to be between   517part per million and 627 parts per million and yours are 628 ppm you could get flagged for a retest. The whole process can take weeks or months which is why you want to take everything as early as you can. Good luck
    mike

    #1664
    cold feet
    Member

    Bear? sorry i have not been touch but hello down there…. now its summer here and all the green has me in a spin….. happy… so whats this thing about Bears…. what kind?  best wishes and cheers to you-all down there.. went to New Orleans …Nawlins ey?… and had a lot of fun…. so for now.. bye from.. OH Canada

    cc


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