Three years ago I thought I was the luckiest person around. I had been selected to travel to Antarctica as part of a scientific research team. One of my dearest dreams had come true. I would step on the white continent and learn firsthand about Antarctic science from scientists on the field. When we lost sight of the Antarctic coast aboard the research icebreaker N. B. Palmer one snowy morning on February 2011, I “knew” that it would be the last time I would see in person the rugged and lifeless Antarctic mountains. It never crossed my mind that I would be given a second chance just three years later.
Juan Botella
That is right, I am heading back south for another encounter with the extreme environment of the end of the world, and this time I am traveling with three students from the high school. Anna, Claire and Luke will have Antarctica as their laboratory, and their curiosity as their guide. Can you imagine being in high school and telling your parents, “hey, I am going on a field trip to Antarctica”? Pretty amazing. For me, only being able to bring my family on this new adventure would make it better.
And so the journey begins. Three months to become a solid team with a scientific purpose. Three months for learning how to write about our experiences on the field, to master picture and video taking skills, to learn the craft of creating stories for podcasts, blogs and more. Lots of adventures and new experiences await us, and await you if you chose to follow us through this website. We already know who is going on the trip; we do not know who will we be when we come back.