2 August 2018 Teamwork: It's Magic

It's Magic

Back row: Sasha, Aki, Shota. Front row: me, Alexis, and JB. Our one group shot in front of our temporary digs.

"C'est magique!", ("It's magic!") is what JB, one of our researchers likes to say, and there couldn't be a more perfect phrase to describe the chemistry of our team.

When you're thrown into a mix of strangers, it's hard to gauge how things might go and simply put, I lucked out.

Our research team is comprised of five members: Alexis Will, JB Thiebot, Alexander "Sasha" Kitaysky, Akinori "Aki" Takahashi, and Shota (and me!). They hail from Alaska, France, Russia, and Japan, respectively, and all communal conversation occurs in English. Alexis is the mastermind and master planner of the bunch; a fellow runner, as well as a grand storyteller, educator, dog lover, and organizational guru. She works in both Fairbanks and the Polar Institute of Japan, and can handily imitate seabird antics. JB is French, but also works in Japan, and has worked extensively in various Antarctic islands with seabirds, including finding out that penguins eat jellyfish, hence earning him the nickname of Dr. Jelly. Sasha is "ze real deal", a loquacious Russian from Siberia, now working in Fairbanks as a university professor and resarcher. His direct demeanor is softened by his patience and immense extent of knowledge. Aki and Shota have only been here for a couple of days, but already Aki has shared some of his studies and findings from his work with penguins in the Antarctic, including camera footage from the penguin "go-pros" attached to them! The bulk of my time, however, has been spent with Alexis and JB, as well as our guide Punguk; I know we're doing serious research, but I haven't laughed so much or so hard in a long time.

Doing field work together, pretentions will get you nowhere. You can be soaked from rain, sweaty, frustrated, excited, cold, bored, smelly, hungry, homesick, missing family, and tired but we keep an eye on each other to make sure we're safe. As Sasha says, field work MUST be safe, but it SHOULD be fun and it SHOULD be productive.

Fun is key, though, because this field work has been mostly 10-12 hour days, 7 days a week. Animals don't take days off and field work is expensive, so every minute counts, which adds to frustration and pressure. Weather only matters when it relates to safety; otherwise, we make sure we're all prepared with the right gear when we get ready each morning. I can't stress how much this has felt like a family, so quickly. It's obviously in everyone's best interest to keep each other safe, prepared, and in good spirits because the work quality is in direct proportion to morale. No surprise there.

We rent a house here on the island, and we take turns cooking and washing dishes. Cleaning is a group effort, belonging to no single person, and no task is ever too small. It can't be. Akinori mentioned how one of his colleagues chose new teammates for work in Antarctica, and he had a simple solution: "If s/he mentions rugby or is interested in rugby, then you know he's going to be okay." He explained that the fierce team mentality found in rugby players (and hence the fans?) bodes well for what can be pressure cooker situations in remote assignments.

One of the greatest unexpected gifts of this #FlashFamily has been the dinner conversations. The cumulative experiences of this team make for some fascinating insights into science, life and storytelling, from places I've never even heard of, to firsthand science they've conducted in Antarctica. I've been inspired, intrigued, and laughing to the point of spitting out my drink as we reflect on the day and story after story is told. In spite of the fun and the easy banter, these are dedicated, passionate researchers who also love to deliberate about logical next moves with the research and debate what the day's findings reveal.

C'est magique, indeed.

Celebrating whale for dinner. Yes, those are umbrellas. We call the dish "beached whale." Hahaha Aki, Sasha and Shota, staking their whale claims with umbrellas sent from Mom. Alexis, JB, and I, hard at work! One of our running jokes is this god-awful severed doll leg. Whenever we swap keys, we leave a "gift" to accompany it. JB and Alexis, taking advantage of a change in pace today. Smile!

Today's Tweet

Never underestimate the power of #flashfamily. They'll get you through what matters, push your thinking to new heights, and make you laugh. #Priceless #Magique