About Paid Holidays

M/S Expedition in Colesdalen

SVALEX (SVALbard EXpedition) is a Statoil funded course aimed for university students that want to work in oil industry. It consists of a theoretical part and a week-long cruise to places on Spitsbergen, which have similar geology than the reservoirs in the Barents and North Sea. A welcome break for modelling structures one cannot see. Finally they see what they’re modelling, they say.

The cruise is an expedition in oil people way. 120 people from cities around the world, with various - generally very low - amount of outdoor experience, are stuffed in a cruise ship with four star uphold. Landings and the safety during the few hours spent on the land are strictly controlled by the UNIS Logistics Personel. Rest of the time is spent in the warm safety of the ship studying papers in order to find the best way to stick a drill into a correct place to make lots of money.

Sunset in Colesdalen

The cruise is kind of a legend among UNIS students. This is not, because UNIS students would join for the course, but because of something more intresting. Safety during SVALEX is normally handled by the leader of the Logistics Department at UNIS. Rest of the safety staff, called ”Polar Bear Guards”, are hired amongst the most experinced UNIS students. This year I got the honor and was chosen as one of the Polar Bear Guards for the SVALEX Safety Team.

A waterfall close to Kapp Schulz

Walking short distances over the most trivial terrains on Svalbard and looking after a flock of people, who are typically behaving like a herd of sheep, can be suprising. But sleeping under white every day changed linens, eating two to three meals in a restaurant daily and being out less than eight hours a day cannot really be seen as a work. It must be holiday.

M/S Expedition in Tempelfjorden

This year SVALEX was done with Spitsbergen Travel’s biggest cruiser M/S Expedition. Philippino crew made sure that the conditions on board met the oil people standards. We had an amazing weather for three first days. Places such as Van Keulenfjorden, Axeløya and Festningen are always impressive, but in a perfect weather they look like an Arctic paradise. Particularly the sunsets were magnificent. Weather was so warm, that a jacket was not needed most of the time, although most of the students did not agree. Many thought that it was very cold and did want to stay on board whenever possible. Major safety hazards were experienced when rubber boats came to pick up students back to the ship. Everyone wanted to be the first one on board. People were pushing each other and fighting for a place in the boat in such a way that some of the students were almost pushed into the water. The biggest drill took place when they found a stone, which was smelling like hydrocarbons...A connection to making money, I assume. We are different.

Sunset in Isfjorden

However, the trip was a funny experience. I learned something about Svalbard geology, which apparently is quite interesting, when correct people are telling about it, There were cool people amongst the 120. Most of the teachers, other polar bear guards and some geologists became friends. Phillipino band was rocking the last night on board. Walks were very trivial, except for one walk over a mountain in Billefjorden, but bullshitting over the VHF radios, in the field and on board made the trip. Thanks for the nice time, guys!