Antarctica: The Life-Changing Voyage

Antarctica is a place that has always had different interpretations in different people’s minds. Ever since the days that James Cook went around this southernmost continent, people have been curious about what exactly is down there.

When I first thought about Antarctica, I only visualized a desolate frozen desert that has nothing other than snow to offer. I had always dreamed about going there one day because of how extremely cold and isolated it is from the rest of the world. Nowhere else, other than those isolated islands in the Pacific Ocean, can I think of where I can get away from the world and focus more on things that matter in life. It is one of those places that barely gets mentioned in history class and not much in any of the science I took at the time. As time went by I learned more about this great continent from how it was once a lush jungle to all the various marine wildlife that can only exist in this part of the world. I didn’t just want to visit this majestic new world, I wanted to see for myself the beauty that mother nature can offer when she is undisturbed by man.

I grew more and more curious about how this continent can change people’s perspectives on life and help them learn to appreciate the beauty of this world. I eventually found a way to travel to Antarctica.

When I took a geology class during my college years, I finally learned about glaciers and the ice sheets in both Antarctica and Greenland. The professor told tales of the time he visited Antarctica as a researcher and how much it changed his perspective on life. He commented on how he took a ship there and how there was no night when he visited during the summer. Each time the professor would reference his trip in our lectures, it only got me thinking further about going there. Not to mention that there was an anime called A Place Further Than the Universe, which was about a group of high school girls and their voyage in finding the whereabouts of one of their mothers that had been missing for years. The major point about this show is that it is centered around Antarctica; it must have been a coincidence that it was airing when I took this class.  

I did some research and looked at several group tours that offer this trip of a lifetime. Some of them seemed way out of reach for me at the time since I was working at a minimum-wage job. I was also not sure if these tour groups were legit or trying to scam me. The professor could not recommend me any of these tourist groups since he has no experience in traveling with them. For that reason, I decided to put this trip on hold and focus more on an upcoming trip to Japan.

However, an opportunity opened when I continued my studies at ASU. There were many study-abroad places offered, but the one that caught my eye was the one for Antarctica. So many questions began to form in my head about what exactly I would be doing in a class there. Before Covid happen, this trip was supposed to run in December 2020 but got postponed. By this time, I chose to sign up because I remember the original professors saying that this study abroad trip runs every two years. So, I made up my mind and signed up for the next trip and hoped that it was still available.

Like the anime and based on what my geology professor said, I imagined that I was going to board a ship like an oil tanker and would have to do research on either ice or marine life. So, I did lots of research on the history of Antarctica, all the animals that inhabit the land, and the various types of ice that are only found there. I also continued my research on the warm climate Antarctica had when it was still part of the supercontinent Gondwana. Once I was able to go to this place though, I stopped and thought about how much my past self would have never imagined being able to set foot in it. Antarctica has lots of jagged mountains, lots of icebergs, and an abundance of snow; it’s the coldest, windiest, and quietest place on Earth.

When we approach the Antarctic Sound I was left speechless at what I witnessed. My jaw dropped at the sheer beauty of the icebergs that were floating aimlessly in the ocean. It looked as if I had stepped into a fairy tale with its dream-like appearance and unbelievable atmosphere. Antarctica is not all ice as I first thought; some parts that are pure dirt and vegetation.

As I made my continental landing, what I experienced was not just a checklist of places I have visited. It was something much more than that. What I experienced was something truly out of this world. Just seeing a continent undisturbed by man, animals running around freely without fear of being harmed, and the freshest water being produced, truly does make this a place that is unique. Everything felt so surreal that i felt that, if I closed my eyes, I’d realize it was all a dream and this place never existed. Hiking up the steep mountains and looking down at the fast ice really did make me feel as if I escaped from reality.

All the early explorers that set out to explore this massive continent probably had the same experiences that I had. This place made me feel so isolated from the world that I could not know what was happening on the other side of the hemisphere. In this corner of the world, it made me forget about all my modern technology and social life. It was like I traveled back in time and needed to learn everything from scratch. I could learn to appreciate life without needing the internet or games.

People tend to take this for granted and do not realize how much more peaceful and relaxing it is to step out of their comfort zone and see how life can be without all those modern technologies. There is so much more to admire here than the ice sheets. The icebergs come in various colors of the spectrum. It is fascinating to see that ice isn’t always just transparent, white, or blue. I felt like creating a video game based on my experience in Antarctica. This would act as a means for people my age or younger to go through the same experience I did. However, seeing this place in various media does not capture the same essence as coming down here and seeing a whale, a penguin, or a seal in person.

This experience is so life-changing that no matter how great the quality looks on TV, it can never capture that same reaction. Antarctica truly is the edge of the Earth, not because it is the southern continent, but because it is the final destination for anyone to go and become one with nature. This place feels like a true ending to all those who have seen everything and want to feel more with nature. It can also be seen like a sanctuary for all of Earth’s majestic creatures.

This place is more than just something to brag about on social media. When I saw that it was time for me to head back to civilization, I felt very sad and wanted to stay here. It impacted me so much because I enjoyed everything that I was able to do. I thought that I would have never felt this much love for this place back when I was still planning to come here. I never dreamed of coming back and learning something new each time. It is true that I only came to Antarctica during the summer time, the time of year when it is not as cold as I imagined. Many animals that I was looking forward to seeing were not present and are only present during the winter months. It was not as cold as I had originally imagined, and at times felt that it was not necessary to bring five layers of clothes.

I hiked a mountain and when I got to the top, I saw just how foggy and cold it was on the other side. I experienced snowflakes falling on my shoulders and saw the lovely Adelie penguins walking on the penguin highway. Almost all the aesthetics one hopes for Antarctica such as the classic image of an iceberg with a hole in the middle drifting away from the shore is present in some areas. However, it is better for people to not expect everything they hoped for in this continent. Even if that experience is not available there is the sheer number of different icebergs all around the area and the vast amount of broken or brash ice in the ocean to satisfy anyone’s need to perfectly capture the essence of Antarctica. It is not just a postcard image; it represents a moment in life that one never imagined was possible and how amazing it will continue to be for many years.

This experience is so life-changing that no matter how great the quality looks on TV, it can never capture that same reaction. Antarctica truly is the edge of the Earth, not because it is the southern continent, but because it is the final destination for anyone to go and become one with nature. This place feels like a true ending to all those who have seen everything and want to feel more with nature. It can also be seen like a sanctuary for all of Earth’s majestic creatures.

This place is more than just something to brag about on social media. When I saw that it was time for me to head back to civilization, I felt very sad and wanted to stay here. It impacted me so much because I enjoyed everything that I was able to do. I thought that I would have never felt this much love for this place back when I was still planning to come here. I never dreamed of coming back and learning something new each time. It is true that I only came to Antarctica during the summer time, the time of year when it is not as cold as I imagined. Many animals that I was looking forward to seeing were not present and are only present during the winter months. It was not as cold as I had originally imagined, and at times felt that it was not necessary to bring five layers of clothes.

I hiked a mountain and when I got to the top, I saw just how foggy and cold it was on the other side. I experienced snowflakes falling on my shoulders and saw the lovely Adelie penguins walking on the penguin highway. Almost all the aesthetics one hopes for Antarctica such as the classic image of an iceberg with a hole in the middle drifting away from the shore is present in some areas. However, it is better for people to not expect everything they hoped for in this continent. Even if that experience is not available there is the sheer number of different icebergs all around the area and the vast amount of broken or brash ice in the ocean to satisfy anyone’s need to perfectly capture the essence of Antarctica. It is not just a postcard image; it represents a moment in life that one never imagined was possible and how amazing it will continue to be for many years.

The one thing that I do not want to happen is for Antarctica to be invaded by a nation. This place needs to continue being protected and used only for scientific purposes as opposed to those trying to claim sovereignty over it. It is all thanks to the Antarctica Treaty that helps keep this land safe and oversees how things must run there. This treaty is fascinating because it was one of the only times during the cold war when America and the former USSR agreed upon something and had peace. No one dared to go against this treaty, and all complied with the agreements.

Much of the world’s water is frozen in Antarctica’s ice, and I came to realize how bad our climate is getting as I reflected on this. I acknowledge the dangers of climate change, but now it is time a change should be made. Many major corporations do not care enough about the harm they are causing to the environment. All they care about is the profits they gain now, and will not worry about the consequences because that is left for the future generation. I fear that with how things are going with the recession, one country in the treaty will rebel and start drilling for resources.

For now, I will act as an ambassador to protect the land from being used as a means for exploitation and protect the animals from being hunted down.

Angel Lemus
Senior, Asian Languages