Well to start things off, I’ve had an amazing time. I’ve made some amazing friends and loved exploring the city, participating in the dig, and learning more about Turkish culture. I think across these first two weeks I’ve learned that I’m capable of a lot more physically than I thought I was, I would describe myself at times as decrepit so my ability to keep up with the work load on site has been very reassuring to say the least.
On the topic of the dig, I’ve learned a lot more over these past two weeks on what it means to be an archaeologist, whether that be the knowledge of history, devotion to record keeping, or the practice of constantly theorizing about what it is you’re uncovering, and while the digging has been very difficult, I’ve also found it incredibly rewarding. Aside from the digging, I’ve found a new fascination in photogrammetry, I’ve already made two very rough 3D models in my own time and have had some fun animating them into memes for the whole team’s enjoyment. Who would’ve known that two of my favorite hobbies (3D imaging and cameras) being combined would be so interesting.
Moving away from the archaeology, I’ve learned an enormous amount about the city. Although I haven’t ventured too far from the home base, the weekend excursions to pirates cove and the highlands have helped fill in many of the gaps of the culture I was missing just going to the beach, Conrad’s, and the occasional convenience store. I definitely feel less intimidated to go out and do things, especially on my own, than I was when I first arrived here. Although there still have been the occasional event that reminds me it’s always good to travel in groups no matter where you are in the world.