27 December 2019 Is it time to start counting down?

It has been nearly a year since I was accepted into the PolarTREC program and now less than a month until I board the Nathaniel B. Palmer in Punta Arenas, Chile to head for the southwest coast of Antarctica. Over the next four weeks, I have to get new long underwear, wean myself off the Diet Coke, prepare my apartment and my classroom for my absence, and train Ted the Dog not to eat food off the counter in his temporary home- right now, it is tough for me to say which one of these will be the most challenging. I'll be posting frequently in the days to come and I look forward to reading any questions you might have about the boat, the preparations, or the journey. Post stuff in the comments!