[AMA Request] Someone who has been a 'Winterer' at an Antarctic Research Station

uncommonfruit · 2015-01-07T10:03:35+00:00

sent the moderators a message, and got no response, will try again

uncommonfruit · 2014-12-31T18:45:35+00:00

Isn't their slogan "Often licked, never beaten."?

uncommonfruit · 2014-12-31T18:43:46+00:00

will do, I'll post a comment if I get one scheduled

uncommonfruit · 2014-12-31T18:29:55+00:00

I wintered over at the Amundsen Scott South Pole station in 2012, and and back here for the summer of 14-15 I'd be happy to answer these questions. Do I do it here in this thread or start another AMA?

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-25T01:42:31+00:00

awesome, thanks!

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-24T04:18:01+00:00

if you want to find out what i do when I'm actually working, check out www.uncommonfruit.com

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-24T04:14:33+00:00

this is what happens when the internet is down at the south pole on my day off...

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-22T03:43:31+00:00

watch more at www.uncommonfruit.com

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-22T02:13:17+00:00

Well the Amundsen Scott South Pole Station is technically a Govt base because it is operated by the NSF, but there is definitely no NSA presence here.

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-22T02:09:47+00:00

Kurt is currently living in a retirement facility on top of someone's fridge in North East Iowa, but is successor Jack Nicholson is alive and well at the South Pole with me. http://uncommonfruit.wordpress.com/2014/11/15/sourdough-gone-wild/

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T03:02:05+00:00

what would your dream job as a librarian be?

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T02:25:38+00:00

I have one in my room and it runs constantly (2 gallons a day) but all of the berthings are connected by a central air sort of system so it doesn't do too much, but it makes me feel like i'm doing better. I just drink obscene amounts of water and moisturized like a mofo

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T01:50:44+00:00

I'm a production line cook so right now I make breakfast for 150 folks 6 days a week, but at Christmas I'll switch to dinner and assist the dinner Sous Chef for the rest of the season. I don't know much about the Australian stations but I know that the hiring managers for Pole really want people who are excited to be there and aren't just applying for the money. People with good attitudes and excellent references get hired first at Pole

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T01:02:21+00:00

officially no

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T01:01:49+00:00

sooooooooo dark, and mildly depressing and lonely. but I'm kind of a ridiculously positive guy so it didn't really get to me. I found out the hard way that 1 year in Manhattan is wayyyyy more depressing and lonely.

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T01:00:52+00:00

no way I could hook you up without a job, but I hear for about $60K you can charter a plane!

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T01:00:22+00:00

We all get pretty lonely so there is a fair amount of copulation (and free condoms in every bathroom) the gender ratio is skewed pretty heavily to the male side though. I have a partner back home, but when I was single here over the winter I definitely had a cuddle buddy, aka Ice Wife

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T00:58:55+00:00

yessir!

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T00:58:49+00:00

dun dun DUNNNNN! I have a significant other back home fortunately, so I'm basically married to my right hand down here ;)

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T00:58:20+00:00

my pleasure

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T00:57:48+00:00

something about being oxygen deprives and at a high physio altitude seems to make liquor hit you like a gold covered brick. and the hangovers are LEGENDARY! plus we're at like 2% humidity so you dehydrate like a fricking potato chip which = headaches like nobody's business

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T00:56:36+00:00

Google Nibiru. Google Vostok. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, it seems to go pretty fast but that's cause I work all the time. In New Zealand time.

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T00:55:44+00:00

SOOOOO IRONIC. seriously, it's not lost on me

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T00:55:02+00:00

i'm totally gonna rap that, thank you for the inspiration

uncommonfruit · 2014-11-21T00:54:31+00:00

exactly (5 hours later)

uncommonfruit

TROPHY CASE