8 August, 2000

Tuesday Orientation

Yesterday was the first day of the TEA orientation. There were a number of presentations by teachers who have already been in the field. These presentations were wonderful. One teacher, Hillary Tulley, worked in a very remote area of Antarctica called the Dry Valleys. This part of Antarctica does not have snow. Hillary researched fossils found in the sediment there. She lived in a tent for six weeks and didn't take a bath the whole time! Another teacher, Cathi Koehler, went to the Greenland summit (Arctic) for five weeks. Cathi worked with a number of science teams. Some of her research included looking at cloud formations. You can read more about both Hillary and Cathi's experiences at the poles in their journal entries located under Meet the Teachers.

Today was the second day of the TEA orientation. We are learning about polar research, survival etc. Since I am going to Antarctica, I got a chance to look at and try on various extreme cold weather gear (ECW). This was an exciting part of the day for me. I tried on a red parka that was really warm. The hood of this jacket is rimmed with fur for added warmth. Also, inside the hood along the rim is wire of some sort. This is there to keep the hood from bending down over one's eyes while out in the field. Great idea! The past two days have been very exciting. I have learned an incredible amount about the Arctic and Antarctic. Also, I have met a wonderful group of people who share my interests in polar exploration and research. I look forward to tomorrow.

Here I am wearing Antarctic ECW gear!

Here we are -- the 2001-2002 TEAs! Cold Regions Research Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) Hanover, NH