Completing my archaeological field school in Turkey has been an amazing experience and helped to shine a light on where my interests might lie for a career. I learned how unglamorous the work can be, which I consider a positive. You won’t be working in perfect conditions, people will get sick and injured, and conflict will likely arise after people are stuck together for so long. Despite all that, it’s an experience that I would certainly describe as good for building character.
I would want my employer to know the level of independence that this work required in fulfilling. Although this characteristic varies based on your unit, supervisor, and team, the place I was set in felt perfect for letting me do what I thought I should while still having enough guidance to never question the goals of my work. I didn’t need constant oversight or advice about the work I did, but rather found comfort in working with a small team of similarly self-motivated interns who knew what had to be done and (usually) how to do it. In some ways, everyone in the unit felt like a leader in their own right, or at least was able to take on such a role when things got hairy. Orders within the team were never sent down from a place of perceived superiority; instead, they were discussed maturely and decisions were made after input was received from everyone involved.
My mental resilience was tested here just as much as my physical resilience. Waking up before the sun every day of the week to do manual labor for 8 hours is something that anyone struggles to do, especially for an entire month. I had to lock myself into the correct mindset and make sure that I was always conscious of what my body needed so as to prevent injury or excess stress. I can proudly say that I was successful in maintaining my mental discipline during my time here and know that this discipline will carry over to my future endeavors.
Working abroad for a month also presented an opportunity to go outside my comfort zone by communicating with people of an entirely different life experience. I found myself able to communicate well with others here through basic phrases and many hand gestures, to the point where interactions never feel uncomfortable and I can genuinely imagine myself living in such an environment for an extended period, such as for a career. The excitement that accompanies so many new opportunities and people to meet is unmatched, as even going to some of the same places day after day still feels fresh.