The food is pretty good. In McMurdo we eat a lot of fresh vegetables that are flown in from New Zealand. There is also a greenhouse that supplies a few "freshies". In field camps we eat a lot of food that gets shipped to Antarctica from the US. Because the ship takes a while to get there, the food can be old. But when you're hungry enough you'll eat just about anything. I eat about twice as much as I do back home. Lots of frozen veggies and meats, dehydrated foods, pastas and plenty of chocolate. In bigger camps there is often a cook who is often an amazing baker. Lots of cookies and rolls. Mostly, I crave ice cream (believe it or not) and salad. 

 
We are all issued ECW (Extreme Cold Weather) gear when we land in Christchurch, New Zealand.  The gear consists of 2 pairs of inner layer long underwear, fleece pants and a jacket, waterproof/windproof pants and a jacket, a down parka, 7 pairs of wool socks, 2 hats, goggles, a neck gaiter, 3 pairs of gloves/mittens and a pair of bunny boots (white insulated, water-proof boots).  Most of the stuff is nice but the long underwear left a lot to be desired....all of the clothing is designed for men (tall, skinny men) and so it doesn't fit all that great.  By the way, there is a whole different language spoken in McMurdo, based almost entirely on acronyms.  To check out a slang dictionary click here.

In the summer, there are 24 hours of sunlight. The sun makes a slow arcing circle around you.
 
 

Actually, imagine the coldest winter that you've ever experienced and that's about as bad as it gets.  Remember that there is 24 hour sunshine and that we wear all of the proper clothing for cold temperatures which really makes a difference. On average I'd say it was around -13 degrees Celcius.

 
The deep field is pretty much critter-free although I've seen the occasional bird in camp who flew an awfully long way just to see us.  Most of the wildlife that you see in Antarctica is found along the coastline where the seals, whales, birds (including penguins), live.  There are NO POLAR BEARS HERE!!!

 
You can get to Antarctica a number of ways.  Most people who work in Antarctica with the USAP fly down either through Chile or New Zealand.  The U.S. Air Force has a landing strip on the Ross Ice Shelf that the plane lands on near McMurdo.  Most tourists who visit Antarctica do so by large ice breaker ships that cruise around the continent stopping at various locations to look at interesting sites. The majority of these leave from South America.

 
Most people who work in Antarctica sleep in dorm style rooms with roommates and bunk beds.  More remote field camps don't use dorms but instead camp in tents.  The tents are really well equipped with warm sleeping bags and mattress pads.  We each have our own tent also, so that you don't have to put up with annoying snorers.

There are a few ways to work in the Antarctic through the United States. One is to work for the company that hires all of the mechanics, dishwashers, firefighters etc. for the US stations.  The other way is to go down with a science group. You could try to get in touch with a researcher who might be looking for field help and ask them if they have any openings.  The web is a good resource for getting information on who is involved in Antarctic science. 

Mostly by plane.  There are small twin otter planes, and larger C-140 air force planes that fly people around the continent.  It's not a comfortable ride though, it's loud and there aren't too many window seats.  When we are in camp we get around with skidoos.  We have to take a survival bag (stocked with food, camping supplies, fuel etc.) in case the skidoo breaks down and we have to spend the night somewhere. 

Science, science, science!  Plus, it's beautiful!