Counting penguins and greeting tourists: how the post office works in Antarctica (9 photos)

The world's most remote post office is surrounded by ice and ocean.





Working at the post office is unlikely to seem attractive to many, but thousands of people dream of becoming an employee of one post office. This is a post office in Port Lockroy, and the name may not mean anything to you. The whole secret of the popularity of this vacancy is its location. Port Lockroy is a harbor off the islands of Antarctica. This is where the most remote post office in the world is located.



So what do local postmen do? They don't just deliver mail: five months a year they interact with tourists and count penguins. The department belongs to the British post office and is located at the Antarctic base. Every year, the UK Postal Service hires four new employees to work in the most remote corner of the planet.





The competition for a place here is simply huge: for example, this year 2,500 people sent in their resumes. Applications are submitted by people from all over the globe. But if you are a true introvert and want to be alone, then Port Lockroy is unlikely to suit you. The postal administration relies on cheerful people in good physical shape.



The HR department has a difficult job: it needs to select employees who can easily cope with life on the edge of the world. So, they should easily find a common language with each other, support each other for five months and always come to the rescue. They will also have to constantly communicate with guests.



It’s worth adding here that working in Antarctica is far from glamorous. Of course, there are plenty of romantic moments here: in the evening you can watch the sunset, and during the day you can listen to centuries-old glaciers melting. Add the main residents of these places - charming penguins. But behind all this there is a lot of work. Department staff are required to keep the entire area clean by regularly clearing bird feces from the stones.



They also become colleagues not only at work, but also in life: the four of them will have to live for 5 months in one small house and sleep on bunk beds. There is no Internet or cell phone service here, so communication here is only possible with each other. Port Lockroy is also regularly visited by tourists, with whom you also need to communicate.



As for penguins, everything with them is also not as simple as it seems. The birds do not stand still and do not wait at all for the staff to count them. The team must also keep a record of single penguins, penguin pairs and their nests, eggs and adorable chicks.



The salary here is quite good: from 1600 to 2300 dollars per month, depending on the position. So, the base manager gets 2300, the remaining 3 vacancies are junior assistants and a store manager. Another obvious plus is that you won’t be able to spend money anywhere for six months, because there are no stores and marketplaces don’t work here. So all employees leave with good savings.



Would you agree to work in Antarctica?