Starting on last Thursday, this is the first full week at the new site. In the days past we have excavated the exterior walls, which have afforded us great incentive and a point of reference to measure progress against. Par for the course, the weather has been hot and humid. This has lead to the abandonment of shirts and the adornment of natural sunscreen, which the site so graciously provides in breathtaking abundance. Reminiscent of shesha lounges, mornings on the acropolis are veiled in a luscious mist that shades the site until ultimately being consumed by the heat of the sun. After succumbing to the fervor of the sun, the mist is quickly replaced by a fine soil that one could argue is more damaging than shesha itself. At 10:00; after we ingest the daily-recommended volume of soil and then some for good measure, all sites break for tea a necessity as our soil supplements are quite hard to swallow. In fact; to help alleviate this issue, some wise individuals have opted for insufflation as one might do with more nefarious supplements. After sitting for just long enough to realize how tired you are, Romi blows his whistle signaling the beginning of our hike back to the acropolis to continue digging our own graves.
I believe archeology has taught me to appreciate the little things. Where one might curse a breeze for stealing their napkin, I have developed an lust for such things. I can’t help but think of the pleasure a crucified criminal would experience in such a situation. In a different vein, my experience has helped me to set small goals to help stay on task while working toward my large goal. It has also helped me to be more cognizant of other peoples needs and work styles to which I can change my working style.
Patrick