Preparations for Greenland

Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 72

It is hard for me to believe that just about four weeks ago, I found out that I was going to Greenland. It is even harder for me to believe that in less than three weeks I will be leaving for a place in the world where only a handful of people have been!

I remember the day I got the phone call. I couldn't believe it! I was so excited, I told everyone I could think of that it was really happening. I was spinning a bit when I found out how soon it was going to be a reality. I do, however, think it may have come as an even bigger suprise to my husband:)! I sure will miss my family, friends, and students, but luckily they will have the opportunity to share this adventure with me through my journal.

I have been very busy getting ready. The first thing I had to do was to get a dental and health exam, and submit paperwork to the NSF doctor. I haven't heard back yet, but I do not anticipate any problems.

Getting a passport was a bit of a challenge. I need it quite quickly, and when I found out that my birth certificate was not a certified copy, I had to Fed-ex a request for a copy to Hawaii, where I was born, and hope that it came back in time. It did, and I have applied for the passport. I will feel much more at ease when I have that passport in my hand.

I have been watching the website, and with windchills ranging from the
-60's(F) to the -80's(F), and sometimes even colder, I know that Wisconsin winter is going to feel like a tropical paradise. I did go shopping and bought some light, layerable, breathable clothes that will keep me dry. I just hope I have enough of it to keep me warm! Those temperatures are a bit hard to imagine.

I have been talking to my students about the experience, and I showed them the Summit website, www.summitcamp.org, so they would see where I was staying and get an idea of what it will be like. They for some reason seemed to be strangely amused at the idea of me sleeping in a tent on top of two miles of ice.

My students have come up with some pretty interesting concerns along the way. They want to know if I will be tossed out of the moving plane like a box of cargo, how will I be able to stand not showering everyday, how will I survive without my morning McDonalds soda, and won't I feel "dumb" around those really smart scientists.

I would like to address those concerns right now. I will not be tossed from the plane (to the disappointment of some), they will stop it and let me use the stairs. Everyone around me will also be unshowered, so I will smell just like them and noone will even know the difference. As for my morning soda, this is still a point of stress for me, and I am not sure how I will get around this one yet.

As for those really smart scientists, I have been fortunate enough to talk to them a few times in the last week, and they seem very nice. I am sure that they will do everything they can to help me understand anything that I do not. To the student who said "you're going to feel like I do everyday!"- you are right! Photochemistry of the snow is a completely new topic for me. Just think about how much I am going to learn. Wow, that is really what life is about- soak up as much as you can!

As I mentioned, the topic of study is photochemistry of snow. I will not pretend to know a lot about that topic. I know very little. As simply as I can explain it is this: Snow reacts with sunlight to release pollutants and chemicals it brings down to earth,s surface back into the atmosphere. This is changing our atmosphere's composition, which may link this topic to bigger science issues like climate changes, global warming, and ozone depletion. As I learn more and understand this study better, I will share that information with you.

That is where I stand as of now. I hope that everyone reading this, especially my students, family, and friends, will find it to be a place where they can share in my experience, and learn and grow with me.

Until next time-

Nikki

Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 1

Hi Nikki,

Nice Post! I'm sure the scientists will love you! Having been to Summit a few times myself I can confirm that you won't be tossed out of a moving plane - they only do that with the luggage (and then it's more of a "slide" than a toss, though the term "combat offload" does sound a bit alarming!).

They do have some types of soda at Summit, but if there's a special brand you can probably bring some! Ask Angela - you may be able to request that they put it on the "freshies pallet" when you get to Scotia, NY.
- This is camping by (cargo) aircraft after all, rather than backpacking - Jack refers to it as "Herc camping"! (for the LC-130 Hercules skier planes).

Good luck with the passport!

Nicola Blake[/b]