I felt well prepared in terms of what I packed for this program. I purchased a number of SPF-Shirts that are designed in some specific way to protect the body beneath it from the sun. I loved these shirts, but I cannot speak to their effectiveness, as even on days that I did not wear them I was not burned. In fact I was hardly burned at all on the entire trip. I ended up having quite a bit of sunscreen left over, which I just left behind at the Dig House on the donation tables. I don’t think you burn very easily in Turkey, at least compared to Minnesota, where my skin will burn from a few minutes of exposure. Maybe I built up a tolerance. Three more things to note about the sun. SPF gear is great and feels great but it gets sweaty. Incredibly sweaty. Eventually they become drenched, and your trapped sweat cools your body in such a shocking way that I shivered quite a bit on days I wore the gear. I would recommend wearing more breathable clothes. Shorts and T-shirts, as I really felt that the sun exposure wasn’t terrible. You can’t get cocky though. I got a massive burn on my shoulders after going to the beach for a couple hours without any protection. I had at that point forgotten about the threat of the sun. Always apply because it’s never worth it to be even mildly uncomfortable with a burn or irritation. Final thing about the UV, I think that it was the sun that messed up my appetite that first week on site. I have no evidence to prove this claim, I can only suppose that that is the case. I should have brought things to supplement my gut health, not being able to eat is scary.
I don’t know whether I would participate in another archeological program. I feel no intense compulsion or aversion to a future dig. If I had time in the future and I had an opportunity in an interesting spot (or even again at Antiochia) I could see myself being happy to participate another season. I had initially felt pretty ambivalent about the work. The fact that we are working for the ministry, for tourism, and that our little unit on the hillside felt rather insignificant when compared to Syedra or even other units on site made it so I was not really convinced that our work was of any import. It was not until a class discussion we had that I came around to what I now believe to be the goal of our work. If it really is the strategy of the Turkish Ministry of Culture to excavate, preserve, and display their ancient sites in an attempt to create a unifying Anatolian identity for the region and it’s people, I don’t think there could be a better purpose for our work. Anything that could break down a perceived barrier between people. I can see some potential problems in the creation and definition of a new identity, mainly in the inherent exclusion of any definition, and identity coming from Roman or ancient heritage. Still, I can believe that it is worth trying if it can unify anything in anyway.
Part of the reason I am unsure of whether I would ever participate in another archeological excavation is that a lot of my best memories from the program are wholly unrelated to the work. I loved eating out, going to coffee, shopping, going for drinks and karaoke, and spending an unreasonable amount of time at the beach. Much of what I loved about the trip was just the people I got to meet and spend time with. I got a tremendously friendly welcome from a number of Turkish students my first night in Gazipasa. The last day before we left we played sand volleyball with a bunch of Turkish strangers. I think that I will best remember their kindness, and I hope I picked up on and can share any of it with others back home.
I feel weird that my major takeaway was “I loved talking to Turkish people” when in actuality I didn’t get to interact with them nearly as much as I had wanted to. Mostly, its just been made clear that I need to travel more. To allow myself to experience things while trying to recognize why I think the things that I do. To try not to make things different in my mind and make patterns where they don’t really exist.
And even though I need to travel more I can’t wait to be home.
Maybe someone is reading this considering whether or not to participate in this program in 2025. The work is harder than you think it will be. Especially that first week. But you can adapt to it and start to really like it. I loved the routine of it by the end, and the physical nature of the work. Gazipasa is safe and lovely. The dormitory is one of the dingiest, grossest, least pleasant experiences of my residential life thus far. The summer camp vibes between people can get a little strange, but I felt that for the most part it is a good social experience. I think this program can work for anyone, so the main thing I would consider would be the price. I am entirely unconvinced that our accommodations are list at or worth the price that we paid. I feel like if you were frugal you would be able to survive a month in Gazipasa on less than half the price, and the accommodations you do pay for feel barebones anyways. In order to feel like your money was well spent, you have to convince yourself that you are paying for the experience. When I tell myself that I know it was worth it for me. If you have the money and the time it’s a great experience.
