ANEXCITINGJOB
Ihavethegreatestjobintheworld.Itraveltounusualplacesandworkalongsidepeoplefromallovertheworld.Sometimesworkingoutdoors,sometimesinanoffice,sometimesusingscientificequipmentandsometimesmeetinglocalpeopleandtourists,Iamneverbored.Althoughmyjobisoccasionallydangerous,Idon'tmindbecausedangerexcitesmeandmakesmefeelalive.However,themostimportantthingaboutmyjobisthatIhelpprotectordinarypeoplefromoneofthemostpowerfulforcesnearth-thevolcano.
IwasappointedasvolcanologistinformationforadatabaseaboutMountKilauea,whichisoneofthemostactivevolcanoesinHawaii.Havingcollectedandevaluatedtheinformation,Ihelpotherscientiststopredictwherelavafromthevolcanowillflownextandhowfast.Ourworkhassavedmanlivesbecausepeopleinthepathofthelavacanbewarnedtoleavetheirhouses.Unfortunately,wecannotmovetheirhomesoutoftheway,andmanyhouseshavebeencoveredwithlavaorburnedtotheground.
Whenboilingrockeruptsfromavolcanoandcrashesbacktoearth,itcauseslessdamagethanyoumightimagine.ThisisbecausenoonelivesnearthetopofMountKilauea,wheretherocksfall.Thelavathatflowsslowlylikeawavedownthemountaincausesfarmoredamagebecauseitburieseverythinginitspathunderthemoltenrock.However,theeruptionitselfisreallyexcitingtowatchandIshallneverforgetmyfirstsightofone.ItwasinthesecondweekafterIarrivedinHawaii.Havingworkedhardallday,Iwenttobedearly.IwasfastasleepwhensuddenlymybedbeganshakingandIheardastrangesound,likearailwaytrainpassingmywindow.HavingexperiencedquiteafewearthquakesinHawaiialready,Ididn'ttakemuchnotice.Iwasabouttogobacktosleepwhensuddenlymybedroombecameasbrightasday.IranoutofthehouseintothebackgardenwhereIcouldseeMountKilaueainthedistance.Therehadbeenaneruptionfromthesideofthemountainandredhotlavawasfountaininghundredsofmetresintotheair.Itwasanabsolutelyfantasticsight.
ThedayafterthiseruptionIwasluckyenoughtohaveamuchcloserlookatit.TwootherscientistsandIweredrivenupthemountainanddroppedascloseaspossibletothecraterthathadbeenformedduingtheeruption.Havingearliercollectedspecialclothesfromtheobservatory,weputthemonbeforewewentanycloser.Allthreeofuslookedlikespacemen.Wehadwhiteprotectivesuitsthatcoveredourwholebody,helmets,bigbootsandspecialgloves.Itwasnoteasytowalkinthesesuits,butweslowlymadeourwaytotheedgeofthecraterandlookeddownintothered,boilingcentre.Theothertwoclimbeddownintothecratertocollectsomelavaforlaterstudy,butthisbeingmyfirstexperience,Istayedatthetopandwatchedthem.
Today,IamjustasenthusiasticaboutmyjobasthedayIfirststarted.Havingstudiedvolcanoesnowformanyyears,Iamstillamazedtheirbeautyaswellastheirpotentialtocausegreatdamage.
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