The place on the planet where in order to move you must have removed your appendix

Each and every one of us, when we need to move from one place to another, metaphorically leaves a part of ourselves during the process. Especially when we are talking about moving from one part of the world to another. However, a city of Antarctica requires prospective residents to literally remove part of themselves before settling there: Their appendix

Rightly so, appendectomy is one of the prerequisites for everyone – including children – to live in Villas Las Estrellas, one of two icy continental settlements where people can live for years instead of weeks or months, the BBC reported. .

Located at the Frei base in Chile on King George Island, the remote part has only 100 inhabitants, mostly researchers and military personnel. However, those who have long-term contracts often bring their entire families to the settlement, which consists of a post office, a small school, a bank and other substandard facilities.

The rationale behind an extreme (seemingly) condition

Preventive appendix extraction may sound like a sadistic initiation ritual, but it was implemented for a good reason. The nearest hospital is 1,005 km from the northernmost tip of the island. Definitely bad news for anyone suffering from appendicitis – a condition that requires immediate surgery to avoid becoming life threatening. Limited health care options are also the reason women are discouraged from getting pregnant during their stay.

And these are not the only precautions people take while living in Villas Las Estrellas. As temperatures can drop below -37 degrees Celsius, citizens must remain indoors otherwise they risk freezing to death.

“We could not leave our house for weeks this winter,” said Sergio Koumbilos, the Chilean commander of the local air base.

And do not think about bringing your dog to keep you warm: Dogs are banned on the island to prevent the spread of disease in the local wildlife.

Despite the harsh environment, Villas Las Estrellas boasts many tourist-friendly attractions, most notably its penguins, which are famously sociable for their protected status.