Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 12/18/2007 - 10:30

Guten Tag, Frau. Bergholz

Wie geht es dir? Jch habe gehort das du hast geganen to antarctica. Jch habe in Deutschland for funf jahren gelebt in Rostock. So that is why i speak German but its been over 7 years since i last had a real conversation with someone in German and that is why im slowly loosing it. I was informed by Ms. Gross that you speak German, and thats why i decided to write my first sentence in German. Could you mind telling me where in Germany you lived? What city?

How is it there in antartica? You know that not a lot of people get the chance to go to antartica on a trip. In fact, you should feel special because you are one of the few thousands of people who have ever gone to antartica this year. Anyways, i was wondering if you could answer me a question. What were one of the most severe weather conditions that you have ever witnessed while you stayed at the BIF and has anyone ever goten frost bite to such a point where they had to be rushed back to the states? Anyways, i hope you have a fun time in antartica. Have a safe trip back.

fedja

Elke Bergholz

Dear Fedja, Guten Tag. Mir geht es sehr gut!
I lived in the North of Germany near the Baltic Sea, about an hour away from Luebeck.
Yes, I feel very lucky that I have been given a second chance to be at the South Pole, Antarctica. The first time I was here in 1999. It is wonderful here. The work is very intersting, the people are very special, and the Antarctic plateou is amazing.
The most severe weather conditions I have ever encountered were in 1999. With windchill we had minus 70 F out side. But the station is save to be in severe conditions. No, since we do not camp and we have a heated station and poelp are advised not to work outside for more that 2 hours,  we never had anyone to rush back to the United State because of severe frost insuries.
Thank you for the best wishes.
E. Bergholz