Orientation in Denver: completed

     I arrived in Denver Wednesday late afternoon and transported via shuttle to the hotel.  With me were 3 others, all here for orientation.  Curt and Arnita, to be stationed at the Pole and McMurdo respectively,   have been down to the ice several times.  Curt is a surveyor and Arnita works in the mail room.  Mia and I are newbies and pumped both of them with lots of questions about their jobs and experiences.  Arnita has been really helpful with answering questions that you don't want to ask the official trainers.  At the hotel there was dinner.  thank goodness as that I was starving.  during dinner met several others that provided allot more information.  The people have come from all over.. Alaska, Arizona, New York, Kansas, Colorado...
     Thursday and Friday morning were spent discussing check deposits, security, safety, travel.....  By the way Kathryn, just to confirm what I have already mentioned....I am NOT allowed to have a Chia pet in Antarctica.  Communication via the web i.e.. skype is not allowed, MSN messenger is allowed however probably won't happen given the bandwidth or satellite availability. I have not met anyone with medical and still not sure of specific duties..... Although it was really interesting to hear of the different injuries that have occurred on the ice.  People have fallen from ladders, been run over by equipment, falls.....
Supposedly the most common injury is strains, sprains, and falls.   Not unexpected given you are walking on ice.  We will see what I get this year. ( FYI:  Mindy I am not making a list of injuries that I want to see.)
     Currently I am sitting in the denver airport waiting to fly to LA, then Australia, and then New Zealand.   Hopefully the movie will be something I have not seen.  Maybe there will be popcorn:)  I have not had a caffeine free diet pepsi since last Tuesday:(  Once in New Zealand we will have more orientation and receive our Extreme Cold Weather Gear.  I have spoke with my parents, sister, friends and co-workers and said temporary good byes and suspended my cell phone.  Not much to tie me to the real world now except the internet.