ANEXCITINGJOB

　　Ihavethegreatestjobintheworld.Itraveltounusualplacesandworkalongsidepeoplefromallovertheworld.Sometimesworkingoutdoors,sometimesinanoffice,sometimesusingscientificequipmentandsometimesmeetinglocalpeopleandtourists,Iamneverbored.

　　Althoughmyjobisoccasionallydangerous,Idon'tmindbecausedangerexcitesmeandmakesmefeelalive.However,themostimportantthingaboutmyjobisthatIhelpprotectordinarypeoplefromoneofthemostpowerfulforcesonearth-thevolcano.

　　IwasappointedasavolcanologistworkingfortheHawaiianVolcanoObservatory(HVO)twentyyearsago.MyjobiscollectinginformationforadatabaseaboutMountKilauea,whichisoneofthemostactivevolcanoesinHawaii.Havingcollectedandevaluatedtheinformation,Ihelpotherscientiststopredictwherelavafromthevolcanowillflownextandhowfast.Ourworkhassavedmanylivesbecausepeopleinthepathofthelavacanbewarnedtoleavetheirhouses.Unfortunately,wecannotmovetheirhomesoutoftheway,andmanyhouseshavebeencoveredwithlavaorburnedtotheground.

　　Whenboilingrockeruptsfromavolcanoandcrashesbacktoearth,itcauseslessdamagethanyoumightimagine.ThisisbecausenoonelivesnearthetopofMountKilauea,wheretherocksfall.Thelavathatflowsslowlylikeawavedownthemountaincausesfarmoredamagebecauseitburieseverythinginitspathunderthemoltenrock.However,theeruptionitselfisreallyexcitingtowatchandIshallneverforgetmyfirstsightofone.ItwasinthesecondweekafterIarrivedinHawaii.Havingworkedhardallday,Iwenttobedearly.IwasfastasleepwhensuddenlymybedbeganshakingandIheardastrangesound,likearailwaytrainpassingmywindow.HavingexperiencedquiteafewearthquakesinHawaiialready,Ididn'ttakemuchnotice.Iwasabouttogobacktosleepwhensuddenlymybedroombecameasbrightasday.IranoutofthehouseintothebackgardenwhereIcouldseeMountKilaueainthedistance.Therehadbeenaneruptionfromthesideofthemountainandredhotlavawasfountaininghundredsofmetresintotheair.Itwasanabsolutelyfantasticsight.

　　ThedayafterthiseruptionIwasluckyenoughtohaveamuchcloserlookatit.TwootherscientistsandIweredrivenupthemountainanddroppedascloseaspossibletothecraterthathadbeenformedduringtheeruption.Havingearliercollectedspecialclothesfromtheobservatory,weputthemonbeforewewentanycloser.Allthreeofuslookedlikespacemen.Wehadwhiteprotectivesuitsthatcoveredourwholebody,helmets,bigbootsandspecialgloves.Itwasnoteasytowalkinthesesuits,butweslowlymadeourwaytotheedgeofthecraterandlookeddownintothered,boilingcentre.Theothertwoclimbeddownintothecratertocollectsomelavaforlaterstudy,butthisbeingmyfirstexperience,Istayedatthetopandwatchedthem.

　　Today,IamjustasenthusiasticaboutmyjobasthedayIfirststarted.Havingstudiedvolcanoesnowformanyyears,Iamstillamazedattheirbeautyaswellastheirpotentialtocausegreatdamage.