McMurdo: I worked 12 hour shifts and spent half the season working midnights. Mainly on a 2 on/1 off schedule which is unusual for most departments. Only one season and it was still Covid-ish so less population. I’d love to go back to see it full but unsure if I will in the future.

Mask mandates and the one “double yellow” level where we had to do take out only in the galley aside, I had a good time. There wasn’t a big midrat community but we made do.

Work days were pretty standard. Get up, go to work, get off work and grab something to eat, see if anything was going on in town and if not, find a friend or group to watch a movie or show. Go to bed, repeat. Days off were a little harder as there were few that were actually off during the week. I didn’t discover volunteering in other departments until later in the season but I did that a few times. I’d hike or read or craft. Made sure to meet up with people for lunch or dinner. Sometimes it was nice to just be alone. I had an awesome roommate.

The 24 hour sun didn’t bother me so much. Especially since being on mids meant I could still do Ob Hill or whatever at 0300. I work night shift at home so I’m used to sleeping with the sun out anyway. The lack of color just meant we had fake plants or decorated the dorms. I missed seeing animals though. Seeing a skua for the first time after a couple months seemed a little weird. Took a second for my brain to register what I was seeing in the sky.

Everyone talks about the sights and smells when they come home being a lot. For me, it was the sounds. Everything seemed so loud…the cars, the beeps of the sidewalk crossing, the cicadas, birds, all the stuff besides the generators humming and construction noise. That and having to choose where/what to eat. The first trip to the grocery store was a little much.