My name is Sarra and I am from Anchorage, Alaska. I adopted a WATER DROP from a class at Our Lady of Merced and took it to the South Pole with me.

    This is me at the end of my work day having a glass of water.
    This is me at the end of my work day having a glass of water.

    This is my first year at the South Pole.

    Our Lady of Merced WATER DROP at the South Pole
    Our Lady of Merced WATER DROP at the South Pole

    I came to Antarctica because I wanted to experience the last continent on the planet that very few people have the opportunity to see.

    In this picture I am sitting in a piece of heavy equipment waiting for the aircr
    In this picture I am sitting in a piece of heavy equipment waiting for the aircraft to stop so I can remove supplies from the plane.
    I work with the planes that come and go from the South Pole. This is a very important job because without planes we would not have the food and supplies necessary to live here. In fact, all of the science equipment as well as the scientists at the South Pole arrive on an airplane.
    Here I am removing a pallet of science supplies
    Here I am removing a pallet of science supplies

    Kristy's Story

    My name is Kristy and I am from Grand Rapids, Michigan. I adopted a WATER DROP from the 2nd graders at Sacred Heart School in Saratoga, CA.  I am 25 and graduated 3 years ago from Central Michigan University.  Some of my hobbies include jet skiing, snowboarding, reading, and traveling.  Traveling is a big part of my life.  When I finished school I went traveling around the world.  I played with kangaroos in Australia, hiked the Great Wall of China, pet tigers in Thailand, and watched the sunrise at the Taj Mahal in India.  After I got back home I started to get a little bored.  It was very hard for me to find a job and I wanted see a new place.    One day I was looking for a job on the internet and I happened to come across an ad saying "Work in Antarctica".  I got very excited just thinking about going down to the bottom of the earth.  I applied for every job that I thought I would be good at and a few months later I was hired by Raytheon Polar Services as a Vehicle Operator, also known as a Shuttle Driver.

    the water drop is taken inside of a Delta
    My first picture with the Sacred Heart water drop is taken inside of a Delta; a very large vehicle that holds 20 people. It has big tires and can drive very well on the ice.
      Shuttle Drivers in Antarctica are very important in helping the scientists and other workers around McMurdo Station.  There are very few vans down here so not many people have a ride to and from where they need to go.  As a shuttle driver that is what my job is.  I bring the scientists and other workers to where they need to go around town so they can do their work. 

     

    the water drop is at the dispatch center
    The second picture with the water drop is at the dispatch center. It is very important to have someone receiving all the calls asking for a shuttle. Once I get a call I can then assign a person to pick up the scientists or other workers and bring them to where they need to go.

    the water drop is of the radios and the shuttle tracking sheet
    The third picture with the water drop is of the radios and the shuttle tracking sheet. It is very important that when I am out driving people around that I keep track of who they are and where they are going. That way if there were to be any problems I can look back at my shuttle tracking sheet and know exactly where and when I brought the passengers. The radios are also very important so I can talk with the person at the dispatch center.
      Being down here in Antarctica has been a really great experience.  I have met so many great people who are doing some very great things.  I am so lucky to be here to see a part of the world that not many people get a chance to see.  I hope one day that all of you get a chance to get out and explore the world too!

    Author
    Date
    Weather Summary
    blue and sunny
    Temperature
    19
    Wind Speed
    9
    Wind Chill
    8

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