After years of engineering life, I made the call to head down south and put my hands on the sacred heating system of Mawson Station. And guess what? I landed the best job here.
Firstly, because I’m the only one doing it here in this beautiful era. That’s right - HVAC God. Worship accordingly.
Secondly, this role feeds my inner fault-finding detective. I love digging into how things work (or fail spectacularly). Just ask Mr Lee, (senior field training officer or SFTO), about my questioning skills or about that time my gloves achieved low-earth orbit during a search and rescue (SAR) 'experiment'.
If your neurons are still firing up with the classic question (like everyone else), go ahead, smash that imaginary “Hey Bela, so what exactly is your job here?” button.
Let me break it down for you: I bring balance to the chaotic little universe of the heating system. I'm basically the HVAC version of a Jedi. Fine-tuning, tweaking air flows, and poking things until they work almost like the manual says they should.
Bonus: I’m also working on my top-secret upgrade project, code name Heating with HWB (hot water bottle). Don't ask what's in the briefcase.
On top of that, I team up with the plumbers to keep the dream alive.
THE LIFE AT MAWSON
There’s something wild about watching a community form when you cut off almost all outside noise. Here, people really try to make life better (and somehow, they actually succeed).
Honestly, I feel lucky being here. You meet folks down here you’d probably never bump into back home.
Minor observation:
Turns out, if you cram a bunch of low-ego, high-ADHD adventurers into a frozen tin can, magic happens.
Station hobbies include:
- Darts (competitive but somehow still friendly),
- Questionable “art” in the Hobby Hut,
- Rearranging the library furniture (either for better feng shui or out of creative rage - still unclear).
When we're not redecorating violently, I've been lucky enough to tag along on field trips and climbing adventures, thanks to the trip leaders and the mighty Jolly King (SFTO).
Although we only set foot at Mawson a few months ago, I can already see the truth behind that old saying: “We’ll become a family.”
Some folks have already passed that point - dangerously close to legally adopting their HWBs.
SUMMARY
- Mawson Station is windier and more wholesome than I ever imagined.
- HWB love is real.
- The sea ice will open soon, bringing more opportunities for adventure, and winter is just around the corner.
I look forward to seeing what total darkness, minus-silly temperatures, and just the right amount of cabin fever will do to our little family.
Stay tuned. The next update may or may not include competitive snow-eating contests or someone inventing a new religion based entirely around duct tape.
Best regards,
Bela Levai
HVAC Balancing Technician, Hot Water Bottle (HWB) Advocate
