5 February 2012 Orientation Day 1

My initial day at the PolarTREC meeting was truly an exciting one. It is seldom that I am grouped with people as passionate about the sciences as I am. I look forward to collaborating with other PolarTREC teachers to develop interactive lesson plans for our students that will convey our first hand experiences of the Polar Regions.

Furthermore, I enjoyed getting to meet Janet Warburton and Sarah Crowley. In a digital age, where individuals often interact but never meet face to face, it was refreshing to finally put a face with the ladies that have been organizing my PolarTREC experience.

Admittedly, I was most thrilled to meet Dr. Hansen; after all, she will be my mentor and will spend a great deal of time together. I was particularly excited to learn further details about out project. Specifically, exactly where we are working and some how life works on a day-to-day basis in Antarctica. It was interesting to hear about the altitude sickness possibilities and the survival training I was going to endure. The next days will be full of more learning about the program and the other teachers crating a collaborative network for years to come.

So far, seeing the Aurora, driving and riding in a dogsled has been the most excited extra activities I have experienced. I plan on doing as much as I can while I am here to make full use of this opportunity. When I leave I will have many new friends to chat with and collaborate as our adventures takes us around the world.