r/antarctica • u/sky_girl919 🐧 • 5d ago
US Antarctic Program pre-deployment nervousness
I am leaving in a few days for my very first season on ice in McMurdo and while I am mostly very excited, I’m also starting to get a bit nervous. I have never even left the US before and I don’t know anyone who has deployed, so I’m going into this experience pretty blind. What would be some good advice for someone going into their first season who’s a bit nervous?
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u/Hill_Observer UTMB ate my son 5d ago edited 5d ago
Edit: I realize your question is more broad than I thought. The below paragraphs are mostly about the people of McMurdo. So far as the travel itself goes, it’s pretty chill. I had really long layovers and only one checked bag, so there wasn’t much hassle. They also set up all of the travel to and from the airport, so don’t worry about that. Don’t pack much stuff; you can buy/find most things you need at McMurdo. Do pack a costume though. It doesn’t need to be any good, just silly looking. Also a large sheet and something to hang it with is nice if you want to divide your dorm. And bring a hard drive full of pirated movies and tv. Whatever your comfort shows are.
When I went to McMurdo, I was freshly 18 years old, and I had never left the US. I didn’t know anyone who had been to Antarctica. But right when I got to McMurdo, I immediately made a ton of friends! I met who had spent years traveling all around the world, world class scientists in niche fields, other people who hadn’t ever left the country... and all treated me as an equal! I thought I’d be the baby of the group, but it turns out that the average USAP participant is just insanely friendly and supportive.
As for actual advice, there’s a few things. Firstly, download WhatsApp if you haven’t already. That’s how most people communicate. Secondly, buy a bus pass. They’re really cheap and New Zealand has a great public transit system. Ride the bus to the beach if you have time, it’s not too far away. Also, talk to people in New Zealand! Odds are you’ll get delayed, and when you do, there will probably be people planning a trip to see the sights. Once you get to McMurdo, keep trying to make friends! I cannot stress that enough. It’s very easy, too, especially when you first get down there. Ask people if they’d like to climb Ob Hill, go to Discovery Hut, see what’s in Skua, etc. etc.. People are usually down to do at least one of those things. Also, there are gonna be a lot of random clubs for random things, and you should check them out whenever you get the chance, even if you have no experience in them.
Bonus food advice: the barbecue place in Riverside market is mediocre, but literally all of the Asian food is sublime. Also if you like cheese, it’s incredible in New Zealand. The milk is really gross, imo. And buy approximately one billion bars of chocolate. If you don’t eat them, people will pay top dollar.
Tldr; be nice and have fun. Feel free to ask questions, clearly I don’t mind blathering on about my experiences.
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u/cbirdbrain5 5d ago
All of this is great advice!
One question: where did you find the good cheese!!!! I’ve been living in NZ for almost a year and the cheese has been abysmal to me 😂
One other update, busses are now tap to pay, you can tap your phone on the reader and you don’t even have to tag off.
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u/Hill_Observer UTMB ate my son 5d ago
Yeah I think they were upgrading the buses when I was leaving last year. Very convenient!
Maybe it’s just that American cheese is terrible, but I thought all of the cheese I had in NZ was so good. Especially the brie. In America there’s petty much just one brand of brie (Presidente) which is ok, but in NZ there’s like multiple brands at every gas station! I got the cheapest ones I could find and I loved them. Also I like how it comes in smaller wheels. I hate to buy a giant thing of brie and have it gradually go bad as I work through it.
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u/cbirdbrain5 5d ago
Ah okay I’m with you buddy haha yes American cheese is horrible. I have family in France and had access to some really great cheese living on the west coast of the US so my standards were way up when I arrived here 😂.
I thought it was hilarious one of their most common cheeses is just called “tasty”
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u/sky_girl919 🐧 5d ago
This is incredibly helpful advice, thank you so much! Hearing stories from others who have gone down has made me a lot more confident about what to expect.
I do have a question - I am going to be a steward and know that I will mostly work a 10-8 schedule and not be able to attend some of the activities that happen after most people have clocked off work. Are there club activities/events after 8 that I would still be able to attend?
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u/Hill_Observer UTMB ate my son 4d ago edited 4d ago
Hell yeah! That’s what I was. Stewie is a really nice job imo. So, there are 3 shifts for Stewies. The 10-8 schedule is PM shift, AM is like 5-3, and there’s a 3rd shift with very few people on it called Midrats. I think they’re 7pm-5am. You’ll be assigned to one shift when you get there, and you’ll have the chance to switch in early December. Midrats have priority if they want to switch, but they usually like the shift so much that they all stay. Most of the PMs request to switch to AM, forcing the AMs to work PM.
If you really like to party, you’ll love PM. McMurdo has a lot of raves, and if you’re getting up at 10, you can party until 2AM and still get a full nights sleep. There are some other things planned later to accommodate PMs, but they get left out of a lot of stuff. That’s why most of them ask to switch in December. But yeah there are still some lectures, tours and clubs for them, just not as many. As a side note, most of the station gets Sunday off, but Stewies all get random days off. I just found some other Stewies with my same day off and went on hikes with them. Also, if you get the chance to train as a DJ for the radio station, do it! It’s pretty fun to hang out and listen to music for a while on your day off. And there are actually a few people who listen to it.
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u/sky_girl919 🐧 4d ago
I didn’t know about the alternating shifts. I’m a barista stateside and open, so I’m very used to being at work at 5 am and I honestly think I would prefer an AM or even a Midrat shift to a 10-8 shift that takes up my day haha. Are we picked at random for shifts when we first get there or is there any input on what shifts we would prefer? I’m only really an occasional partier and don’t really drink, so I probably would prefer to have more access to clubs/evenings activities than raves, although I will still definitely check them out while I’m there!
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u/Hill_Observer UTMB ate my son 4d ago
Yeah, the shifts are randomly assigned when you get there. Most people feel pretty much the same way you do, the PM shift isn’t the one most people want. You’ll likely switch in the middle of the season, so you’ll get both experiences either way.
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u/Ok-Alternative-5175 5d ago
Did you go to college? It kind of feels like fresh man year when everyone is new and trying to find friends and their place in this new season of life. You'll have plenty of new people to meet and the returners are usually pretty friendly too! Since it's a US run base, it won't feel too crazy different as far as familiarity goes
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u/unicornfartz 5d ago
It’s okay to be nervous! You’re literally uprooting your whole life to go to the ends of the earth.
My advice for you is just to be open to and excited about all the opportunities coming your way. Ice people are the very greatest and they’re waiting to embrace you with open arms. No matter how loud or shy or weird or whatever you feel you might be, there is a place for you.
Talk to new people. Say yes. Join a club. Go to yoga. Join a band. Go to lectures. Make a Halloween costume. Eat with strangers in the galley. Just do stuff. You will meet people and find your place I promise.
Remember to have fun. Be respectful. Take all the photos. But mostly have fun. It’s a wonderful place you’re about to get to call home!
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u/Successful_Camera942 5d ago
Advice get to know your roommates as your relationship will make or break a seaon
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u/Holla_fora_Dolla 5d ago
I was the same way! First time leaving the country and I didn't know ANYONE going down. Just follow the instructions they give you. You'll start noticing the seasonal look in a bunch of people on the international flight and just ask them, "Hey you going to Antarctica, too?" great way to start making your tribe. You'll notice the people with two 50lb luggage bags in the check bag line, too. By the time you get to Auckland, you'll see the whole Antarctician tribe moving from the international to the domestic terminal.
I wish I was going back! Nothing like stepping off the C-17 at Phoenix and taking in your first crisp breath of icy air.
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u/maracle6 5d ago
Look for some fellow first years to make friends with, and they will help you expand your social circle into other departments. Have fun!
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u/A_the_Buttercup Winter/Summer, both are good 5d ago
Finding somebody in the airport who looks like they're also headed to Antarctica, especially somebody who has deployed before, can be a game-changer. They can help guide you through all the steps to get there, and prepare you for your first few days on the ice, plus, you'll know at least one person when you get there!
When are you leaving? Maybe we'll cross paths.
Edit: Pro tip - Antarcticans usually carry big Nalgene water bottles, it's a dead giveaway.
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u/Accomplished-Suit559 5d ago
This is what I did! I overheard three people at JFK talking about going to Palmer. Pretty sure at least two of them were carrying Nalgene bottles. Hilarious! 😹
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u/sky_girl919 🐧 5d ago
I have an LAX layover on the third and my on-ice date is the 8th! Thank you for the advice, I’m planning on finding some people on my flight and sticking with them so I don’t get lost. Maybe I’ll see you down there!
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u/A_the_Buttercup Winter/Summer, both are good 5d ago
Alas, I'm not going through LAX, but I'll probably see you somewhere!
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u/mkayqa 5d ago edited 4d ago
QUESTION: are you going for a year contract, or only summer season? Extra advice for winter, but here's general advice:
- NERVOUSNESS = EXCITEMENT ... feelings can be all up & down, but just trust yourself & enjoy the experience.
- A big cohort every season are folks on their 1st or 2nd contract, so you'll be in good company. Personally I've always found the vast majority of folks to be really friendly, no matter how many seasons they've been going. And I've always felt that a good contingent of folks on their 1st season always made the season better - the buzz of excitement & wow-this-is-awesome energy.
- You don't have to, but, if you bring some postcards, photos, or small prints of things you love plus some thumbtacks, you can "decorate" your dorm/bunk space with things that make you happy.
- In summer, you are going to have roommates. If you winter, I think you'll have your own room. In the future you could request specific roommates, but 1st season it's luck of the draw. Good luck on this... and remember to be considerate yourself.
- Not sure the size of the community you're coming from, but these bases are SMALL TOWNS... as in everyone knows most everyone else's business. At McMurdo in the summer, the population is a bit bigger, but still "small town" enough.
- Generally support staff are there for the whole season, while grantees / NSF / "distinguished visitors" are in for a few days / weeks.
- Take your time to see how people interact & get a sense of their character. Once you're "on Ice" you'll see some social dynamics you wouldn't have enough context to see until you see people within the full community.
- Don't drink to the point of being out-of-control / blackout drunk. Don't try to smuggle in anything you shouldn't. Don't mess up your season before it begins.
- Focus on figuring out your job / department / supervisor, and then once you've got that dialed in, then there are so many cool opportunities all around.
Have an amazing season! This is definitely a lifetime highlight!
p.s. If you can afford to, bank as much as you can in the company 401k, and then, after the season's up, roll it all over into a Roth IRA (highly recommend the S&P500 Index Fund option). And pay the taxes from your checking account, instead of having any of the 401k money used to cover the taxes due for a Roth conversion.
Especially for those doing winter contracts without any (or major) monthly expenses, you can save up the 401k annual contributions limits ($24,500 or more if age 50+). A couple of seasons of that can really set "future you" up for your retirement.
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u/PinkMercury42 5d ago
You will find plenty of friends and first timers! I met my who ended up becoming my best friend on the long flight to Auckland, and then she also ended up being my roomie! Don’t underestimate that long flight either, I pack my travel pillow literally only for that, and bring some snacks too. But especially since they transport you to your hotel, it’s easy to meet people and find something to do while in Christchurch. And I’d argue when you’re on the ice it’s almost impossible to find alone time lol there is always something going on
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u/PouncePeruses 3d ago
I'm leaving shortly for my first season as well! I'm super stoked and excited, but kinda going crazy packing... I'll see you down there, best of luck!
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u/PDX_ICG_AC 13h ago
I'll see you on the ice! I will be a steward as well for my first season ever. I am also super excited and nervous, but reading this thread is helping!
Anyone else flying through SFO on the evening of the 11th?
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u/AssistantMaximum6941 5d ago
Have fun, bang some chicks at the most southern habited place! And enjoy yourself
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u/Big_Animal7655 4d ago
heading to Antarctica the first thing I’d pack is meditation skills - the lack of sunlight, lack of fresh air, glare of artificial industrial lighting and the lowkey hum always present in military structures - you’ll need a way to dip reality from time to time 🤙
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5d ago
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u/Accomplished-Suit559 5d ago edited 5d ago
USAP calls it "deployment" in all the documentation and "redeployment" when you go home.
The word has multiple definitions. Not all of them are specific to the military.
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u/PaintedRug 5d ago
It’s my first season as well and I’m leaving next week! I’m super nervous too, mostly to make it onto all my flights on time and be in the right places, but everything we need to know is written down(hopefully) and I made a physical folder with all my documents and anything that would help answer questions I have if i can’t use my email for any reason. That folder is gonna be in my carry on so I can keep reading it because I find myself to be pretty forgetful sometimes haha. I love flying internationally, idk why but the airplane food is so fun to me and I like to get on and off the planes. My total air time is going to be 27 hours so I bought a really nice eye mask, a neck pillow, a new book and a spare pair of ear buds. International flying can feel long so make sure you’re comfortable, it can take the pressure off. Idk if any of this is helpful, but wanted to let you know that you’re not alone in feeling nervous :)