I think one thing myself and other interns I have talked to agree upon is Antiochia as a site is a lot bigger than we thought. When I was reading about the site mapping out the site in my notebook before I got here I never really understood the sheer scale of the ancient city. The size of the city fills my mind with wondrous thoughts of what life must have been like hundreds of years ago at the site. In working in my unit 6D I have realized archeology involves a lot more rock moving than I had originally thought: or perhaps just our site. I always pictured it to be more slow tilling and moving of dirt: which it does involve with each pass, however, there is also a large amount of hauling heavy stones from your area with your dig team.
Another surprise I have found that I knew was a thing but did not understand the sheer beauty of is the crystal clear Mediterranean sea. When I went to Bidi Bidi beach on my first day and swam in the ocean: I was amazed to see how far down I could see. I can open my eyes in the water and see clearly and when I swam about ten minutes from shore with friends I could still the ocean floor despite it being thirty feet deep. After our first completed week of work this Friday, we went to Delik Denix Kral Cove and I felt like I was in a movie. The high rock arch folding over the clear blue cove and the eye-catching magenta flowers and green vines of the cove made me feel like I had jumped into a national geographic photo. I am looking forward to my upcoming weeks here– and all the nerves I had felt about being here have diminished as soon as I could see clearly how great of an experience being here is.