Rachel comes from the Netherlands, where she previously worked as a laboratory technician in genetic modification and as a research technician monitoring emissions from a steel plant. But sometimes life takes unexpected turns and in Rachel’s case, love brought her all the way to Svalbard.

After arriving in the High Arctic, she began studying Computer Science, and before long Basecamp Explorer welcomed her into the reception team at Basecamp Hotel.

Rachel enjoys heading out on cabin trips and exploring the landscape by snowmobile. Spotting a reindeer on the tundra still makes her smile every time. When the snow begins to soften in spring, she happily revisits a childhood dream: Building the perfect snowman in the Arctic.

These days she is also curious to learn more about the science behind one of Svalbard’s greatest spectacles: The northern lights.