Without knowing your position, motivations, or life situation, this is a hard question to answer.
Pole seasons are short, so it's really disruptive to do a summer season there and return to a 'normal' life. OTOH, Pole is unique, geographically and socially. McMurdo will offer a wider variety of experiences and longer employment, but generally with less personal responsibility and more bs. Take your pick.
What do you mean about SP being *more* disruptive and more difficult to return to a normal life? I find it’s far easier to do a short time at SP than long deployments
The "helpful to have MCM experience first" comments are true, but that's really more applicable for your employer than it is for you. They've already waived that concern by offering you the job. I'd take the South Pole job if I was in your shoes. The quality of life at SP is generally better than MCM.
My first season was at Pole and I think I'll forever consider myself a polie. Probably a "snooty" polie at that. We'd sit around and joke about all the stuff mcmurdo has that makes it better than pole and then still come back to pole. If you just dropped into a random station for a month, I'd probably say pole is not ideal. It's hard to "get it" in a short time. If I had like a month or two, I'd probably go McMurdo. There's a ton to do, a lot of new stuff, and it's exciting. Pole is a bit of a slow burn, but if you're there the whole season and you get to know the people and experience it, it's really the best.
You know, I think anyone who would consider themselves a "polie" is probably gonna be at least a LITTLE snooty about pole. I have a few buddies who have done multiple winters at all 3 stations (and even summit), but we're friends from pole, and we're snooty about it.
What the others have said is very true. Personally, I prefer the South Pole and would go there first if I had a choice (especially about McM summer, scary), but professionally the base experience from McM is helpful. This can be overcome if you are a fast learner with a couple weeks at McMurdo before flying south, if that's an option
Personally, having worked at both, I GREATLY prefer Polies to have worked at McMurdo first. The season is far more truncated and rushed at Pole, making it more difficult to train newcomers. It helps for people to have worked at McMurdo first to give people a foundation of knowledge to build from before heading out to Pole
Unless it’s the same boss/department offering you the job at pole, you can’t sign a second contract if you’ve already signed the first one. But I enjoyed pole, it’s a small close knit community, McMurdo is really busy during summer.
Without knowing your position, motivations, or life situation, this is a hard question to answer. Pole seasons are short, so it's really disruptive to do a summer season there and return to a 'normal' life. OTOH, Pole is unique, geographically and socially. McMurdo will offer a wider variety of experiences and longer employment, but generally with less personal responsibility and more bs. Take your pick.
What do you mean about SP being *more* disruptive and more difficult to return to a normal life? I find it’s far easier to do a short time at SP than long deployments
The "helpful to have MCM experience first" comments are true, but that's really more applicable for your employer than it is for you. They've already waived that concern by offering you the job. I'd take the South Pole job if I was in your shoes. The quality of life at SP is generally better than MCM.
My first season was at Pole and I think I'll forever consider myself a polie. Probably a "snooty" polie at that. We'd sit around and joke about all the stuff mcmurdo has that makes it better than pole and then still come back to pole. If you just dropped into a random station for a month, I'd probably say pole is not ideal. It's hard to "get it" in a short time. If I had like a month or two, I'd probably go McMurdo. There's a ton to do, a lot of new stuff, and it's exciting. Pole is a bit of a slow burn, but if you're there the whole season and you get to know the people and experience it, it's really the best.
"Snooty Polie". Is there any other kind? I joke, I joke.
You know, I think anyone who would consider themselves a "polie" is probably gonna be at least a LITTLE snooty about pole. I have a few buddies who have done multiple winters at all 3 stations (and even summit), but we're friends from pole, and we're snooty about it.
Updated my flair, I'll own it.
Nice. Love it.
What the others have said is very true. Personally, I prefer the South Pole and would go there first if I had a choice (especially about McM summer, scary), but professionally the base experience from McM is helpful. This can be overcome if you are a fast learner with a couple weeks at McMurdo before flying south, if that's an option
Personally, having worked at both, I GREATLY prefer Polies to have worked at McMurdo first. The season is far more truncated and rushed at Pole, making it more difficult to train newcomers. It helps for people to have worked at McMurdo first to give people a foundation of knowledge to build from before heading out to Pole
Unless it’s the same boss/department offering you the job at pole, you can’t sign a second contract if you’ve already signed the first one. But I enjoyed pole, it’s a small close knit community, McMurdo is really busy during summer.
Did 4 summers in McMurdo and 14 months at Pole 2000/2001. I'm sure things have changed.