Team members say

Last night, our team got the opportunity to camp out in Antarctica. It is, by far, the coolest thing that I have ever done. I had the chance to sleep outside, without a tent. There was a smorgasbord of nationalities lined up in a row, huddled behind a wall of snow and ice. It may be the only time in my life that I will probably sleep in between an Aussie and a Norwegian mountain man. I’m sure that I will recover one day. I’m kidding. It was such a blast. I loved absolutely every moment. We were relatively lucky with the weather; we only had two storms pass through the entire evening. Before the sun came up, we were awoken by the voices of the crew members on the walkie-talkie regarding the preparation of zodiacs for our retrieval. Overall the night was perfect. Although I did wake up with a form of frozen tears around my eyes. Given the chance to sleep outside and rough the elements again, I would do it in a heartbeat. I should also add that I may be the first person in history to have ever done ‘the worm’ on the Antarctic continent. Twice.

When the sunlight kissed my face as my feet touched ground on the Antarctic Continent, I realized that my life would never be the same. I immediately felt this overwhelming sense of serenity and humility coupled with an unprecedented joy. I have made it to paradise. Nothing quite prepares you for the sudden rush of emotion that comes to you when you witness the beauty Antarctica has.

As cliché as it may seem, a person can truly find himself in Antarctica. Her nature is so intriguing as her beautifully rugged exterior behaves as a façade to her real desire- wanting you dead. I have been so fortunate to observe and feel Antarctica in her fury, yet also seeing her at peace. This paradox of Antarctica is what has enabled me to become completely enamored by her. I can’t help but to be saddened for the rest of the world as they will never witness true beauty. Photos do not have the ability to capture the 360 degrees of heaven that surrounds you.

Standing in Antarctica you have never been more surrounded and never been so alone. You close your eyes and listen to the conversations of penguins and the unrecognizable stillness. The smell of Antarctica, at times, is very similar to any wharf. Antarctica is harsh and cold to the touch, but so pleasing to the eye. Antarctic snow seems to taste just a little bit sweeter.

It is difficult to articulate what happens to all five of your senses while in Antarctica. She is so much more than a collection of beautiful colors. I feel so honored to be one of the few to have seen what Antarctica truly is and always has been.

Today I saw my first iceberg. There are no words to describe the excitement that built up inside of me as the floating mountain of ice passed the ship. I have officially made it; I am going to Antarctica. All of my cliché wishes have come true so far: icebergs, foreign birds, and yes, even whales. My heart grows with joy with each passing day as I know that I will be surrounded by nature at her best and her worst.

There is something so calming in knowing that every distraction of life has been left behind. I look forward to each forthcoming day and have the hopes to absorb all of Antarctica’s miraculous beauty. I am officially a part of a rare group of individuals from around the world and words do not do my happiness justice. At the ripe old age of twenty, I will be and have been seeing something that people can only dream of. This experience so far has opened my eyes to the world around me; and for that I am humbly grateful.

Emily’s initial thoughts on climate change…

The looming threat of climate change has caused me to realize that the combination of seemingly mindless tasks make a difference, i.e. Walking to a close location vs. Driving, unplugging unused appliances, the use of public transportation, or carpooling