Is it very different living in Antarctica?

In some obvious ways it is very different from living in Australia. Expeditioners live among snow and ice, and have very long periods of darkness in winter and light in summer. It is very cold and often windy, like the top of a mountain. Living ‘in the field’, away from the main station, you experience this difference very strongly.

In other ways Antarctic life is quite like ‘home’ – people at the stations have fully insulated living and working quarters with their own rooms and bath/toilet facilities. The food is also similar to what you would eat at home, although there are less fresh fruit and vegetables. Like at home, people must be able to live and work alongside other people and learn to be tolerant and supportive of others. This is sometimes difficult in a small community of 20 or so people living close to each other for many months.

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