I am a traveler, born and bred. I have been to all seven continents, hitting my final one, Antarctica, at the age of 12. I consider my suitcase to be my home more than a house, and I live in a perpetual state of preparedness. From traveling across countries and cultures, I have learned many valuable lessons and had some invaluable experiences. For the next seven weeks, I will be re-embarking on my favorite stories and sharing tips along the way.
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Boat Life
The trip was three weeks long overall, departing from Argentina and ending in Ushuaia with stops along the way. There were multiple days spent solely at sea where I was bored out of my mind due to being one of two kids aboard the ship. The other kid, Jake, had a father who worked on the boat, and he was an entitled jerk whom I didn’t want to spend time with, so I was essentially alone. I was also hot. You see, when packing for Antarctica, you generally pack clothes meant for extreme weathers. No one on the ship seemed to take into consideration that we would actually be stuck inside of a boat with heating and would therefore have to roll up our leggings while strolling throughout the boat.
I also highly recommend bringing something that will entertain you for weeks. I traveled before I had my own phone or computer, so my only sources of amusement were my mom’s iPad that had a few movies on it, and my iPod nano, which I took to making recordings on when I was bored. At one point, I even convinced Jake that my iPod was a phone, and I was talking to my boyfriend named Percy Jackson on it. I was that pathetic. I took to walking up to the top deck – which was on the seventh floor – and gazing out of the windows into the churning black sea. I would even race the elevators from the seventh floor to the lobby multiple times a day – a race I usually won. I also took to crushing on a man who was 18 years older than me. I would hang out in the gym pretending to work out in the hopes of seeing Ryan. Basically, I am imploring you to find a hobby that doesn’t include acting crazy and stalking older men.Â
(My table mates Eugene, Martin, Bruno, Ryan, me, and my parents)
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The highlights
I made a lot of phenomenal and life-changing memories while in Antarctica and fully recognize how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to visit such an untouched wonderland. I would give anything to go back and have the chance to make a new bout of extraordinary and unique memories.
I read a book before I went to Antarctica called Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’engle which takes place in Antarctica. One scene that was particularly interesting to me was when a lady played guitar and sang for the penguins, and they flocked to her. I decided to test it out while I was in the Falklands at a King Penguin colony. I sat down about 10 feet away from them and started singing songs, and the baby penguins started coming closer and closer to me. I was euphoric and awestruck at the same time that I was able to exist on the same plane as these small trusting creatures.
One of my favorite stories of Antarctica is when my ship and family left me stranded on the continent of Antarctica. Well, not necessarily stranded–I was at the Arctowski Research Station with a group of old Polish scientists. I wandered off during the tour, and when I got back to the main room, everyone was back on the boat because there was a severe storm warning. I ended up staying with the scientists for four hours, and they taught me how to play poker. Even though I couldn’t understand these men, and they couldn’t understand me, we had an amazing time, and I still consider them to be friends for making sure I felt safe when I was all alone in such a different environment. I learned that a human’s need for companionship, and friendship is stronger than any language or cultural barrier will ever be.
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Why I wouldn’t change the experience for the world
Seeing a place of such untouched beauty, a place that very few others ever get to see, is truly extraordinary. I wish everyone could have the chance to see a wild place like Antarctica, but it would not be wild if there were people flocking to it. I learned a lot about myself and my values, and I now know how much I appreciate wilderness and pure beauty. Although I most likely will never be able to return to Antarctica, I will always cherish the memories I gained there.