Has it been a year, already?

It’s near 2300 on Monday, November 16th 2020.

I am still in Antarctica.

Yes, you read that right.

I am still in Antarctica.

Not a complaint, not a boast, simply a fact.

It is now the 442nd consecutive day that I’ve been down here. I think this beats my on personal record. It’s late and I don’t feel like going back through my journals and seeing if this is my longest stay so far.

I am now scheduled to leave March 2021. If my calculations are correct and the plane I leave on is on March 19th (guesstimating) I will be here for 562 days.

That’s 562 days without seeing any of my biological family. I will say though that the best part of being here are the people that become family. During the winter season (or as I like to call it – the (f)unplanned winter) I was on night shift the entire time. Those of you who know me well know that I love night shift.

However this winter was rough. There were many nights where I spent a good 10 hours of my 12 hour shift without a single phone call, radio transmission or any other kind of human interaction. It took its toll on me. Not to mention worrying about my family and my boyfriend who were out in the “real world” and having to deal with Covid. Also, I am a worrywart. I know I got a lot more gray hair over the winter season thanks to worry.

On the rare instances that people would come visit me at the station, it was like my birthday/Christmas/Thanksgiving/Mardi Gras all rolled in to one. I will be forever grateful for those visits. Those people helped me keep my sanity over winter and will always hold a special place in my heart.

I was planning on writing a longer post but I am very, very tired and now somewhat emotional. I am incredibly fortunate to be down here at this point in time but it’s also damned difficult.

I’ll write more later. Hopefully it won’t take another 365 days for me to post something.

Be good to yourselves and to eachother.