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McMurdo Nightlife

I got back from Happy Campers (snow school) late Saturday afternoon, somewhat tired but looking forward to my first real night out in McMurdo.

There’s really not much to say about the night. Itinerary: Drinks with my roommates in our room, migration to another room, migration to a party, and then back and forth between party and the non-smoking bar. [There are three bars: the non-smoking bar, Gallagher's, which happens to have AIR HOCKEY; the smoking bar, the Southern; and the wine bar, the Coffeehouse. Each is located within about 100 ft of the other.] What happened: For the beginning of the night, at the party, I still felt on the outside of the McMurdo social scene, and, somewhat disappointed. But, as parties are apt to evolve, the night became a little more interesting to observe and I made a few friends besides. One pulled me onto the dance floor. He had a very free style of dancing. He liked to hop. He didn’t like that I wasn’t hopping. I think he thought I was just afraid. Really, I just didn’t want to hop. Our over-the-music conversation went something like this:
Him: Hop from one foot to the next, like this.
Me: I don’t want to hop.
Him: Try this. Start on the left foot. Then one, two, three, hop to the right. Ready? One, two, three.
(He hops. I don’t.)
Me: I don’t really want to hop.
Him: What?
Me: I don’t want to hop.
Him: Just try it. Look.
(He hops.)
Me: Now try it with rhythm.
Him: That comes next.
(I continue to dance how I want to dance. He gives up.)

That, and I promised to stand with a catchers mit at the crater rim to catch bombs, yelling, "Brang it!"