Oh my is there so much to talk about, even in the first two/three days. I’ll get the things I had issues with first, as they are probably fewer and I can spend more time doing what I really want: raving about how good this is.
I have three problems with where I am right now. First, the heat and humidity. The factors of temperature and humidity slapped together really knocks you down. The work day starting so early helps, but by 13:00 at the end of the on-site work for the day, I have sweated more than I ever have in my life, and on Monday I was practically delirious. Second, the hours. Even though I just said that the earliness of the day’s start helps, it still hurts to get up at 5:00 and work until 13:00. Third, the wireless is on the lower side of effectiveness. However, it’s not really avoidable.
Now, on to my vast number of things I love. The sense of community in the group is amazing. Everyone is accepting of each other and works together in a great fashion. The Turks on-site and even off-site are fairly forgiving of my nonexistent Turkish and we seem to get along. The sea breeze on a day so hot is like a gift that almost convinces me of God’s existence. Gazipasa is incredibly picturesque, with incredible views of the sea from the Acropolis. It’s too beautiful to describe with words. Everything is so inexpensive. I literally bought a $1 ice cream if we grant that lira to USD is 5:1. And for a country where I am not a speaker of the language in any capacity, it is really interesting to see how many people speak English, and some of them exceptionally fluently. And the actual method of archaeology and my site are something amazing. I get to work on the watchtower area, and it has a commanding view of the sea, as well as an incredible mental debate about what is actually there aside from the watchtower. In terms of overall experiences, these first few days have been incredible. I can’t wait for more.