Greetings from Churchill, Manitoba!!!!!I left Toronto this morning (Sunday) flew into Winnipeg on an eventless flight. In Winnipeg the group started to assemble as we waited for our flight to Churchill. I expected a small plane and was not disappointed. I sat with Doug on the flight up on a prop plane. He is taller than me and it was nice to land as both of us felt like sardines. Carly picked us up and toured us around the research station explaining clearly that we are in Polar Bear country and need to have our wits. Apparently, there have been people here that forgot to close the door and a grizzly has actually wandered into the research center. She explained that a bear in town is more dangerous than one in the country side because they are looking for something. I might only amount to an appetizer, but I will not forget to shut the door. I am rooming with Kurt from Milwaukee and there are bars on our windows (safety). We landed at 5:30 and it was 40˚, sun shining, with a gorgeous ice free Hudson Bay. The landscape is very rocky, with pine trees that look like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree due to the severe climate they live in. I was told around 300 different species live on the tundra. Presently, many of the plants are colorful (fallcolors)making for interesting scenery. We had a one hour lecture explaining what we will be doing for the next week, which will be sampling vegetation along different transects(straight lines) that run parallel to each other and measuring permafrost thickness. I left the meeting extremely tired ready for bed, but was told The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) were out. We walked outside…..about 25˚ now…..but Wow!!! Fingers of yellow lit up the night sky….and then a shooting star!Tomorrow we start our real work. I think I am going to like this place.Make sure you know what transects are!!!Identify three plant species found in The Arctic Tundra. Research the "active layer" as it relates to permafrost. For the extra motivated, Find a picture of the northern lights.Why do they only occur at Northern Latitudes?