Aljazeera.....

LOL! My booty is making its debut around 36 minutes. I am using the hoe inside the square.

http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/2010/10/201010591416403822.html

(sorry I couldn't figure out how to embed the video.)

Class 1

What I brought:

Mat
Towel
Water bottle



What I’ll bring next time:
Mat
2 Towels
2 previously frozen water bottles.



What I wore:
a conservative outfit running capris and my running tank

What I’ll wear next time:
tight shorts and a pretty sports bra really as little as possible..

The class…

As I walked into this overly heated room I realize there is no talking, well how in the world am I supposed to know what to do? I start copying the skinniest little thing in there thinking surely she knows what she’s doing (oooh and did she) I get all set up and awkwardly wait in excitement for the class to start, then it starts to happen even before class starts I am pouring sweat from my whole body. Feeling extremely grateful I remembered deodorant class begins. I was not prepared for what was to come.. IT WAS HOT… I was dizzy and nauseas if I had been closer to the door I might have just left. When I had had enough the instructor looked at me and must have sensed I was about to rabbit and said something that will stick with me for the rest of my life.

“You can suffer for 90 years, or you can suffer for 90 minutes.”

I got the point!! As the class progresses I notice a strong nasty smell, my body was covered in sweat that smelled like onions and garlic… That is one great way to know your body is being cleansed to actually smell it leaving your pores…

Overall: The class sucked, it was hard but I will be going back because I do feel refreshed and a little less stinky and I’ll be more prepared the second time!

hot, hot, hot......

Bikram (hot) Yoga


Origin: India

Created in: Pretty recently

What: It is Yoga done in a room heated to 105 degrees for 90 minutes.

Why: To cleanse toxins from your body to stretch and to become all around healthier.

The reason I choice this type of Yoga its actually not a deep meaningful reason I just got a great deal on the classes! First class saturday morning at 8 am!!!

And beyond….

Since I have no BIG adventure planned and I really enjoy writing these posts, I decided to create a mini adventure. As I have noted before I would really enjoy going to India for an adventure since that’s not in the works right now this is what i came up with YOGA right down the street! So here starts my mini adventure....

Israel museum

Israel museum


This was something I wasn’t sure I was going to get to do. ( I recommend you do it if you get a chance) The museum was closed when I first arrived in Israel and I hadn’t planned to stay in Jerusalem at the end of my trip. It was a long walk over there but worth it. The museum has a no photograph policy which is understandable and frustrating all rolled into one. First we hit up the archaeology wing then had lunch and looked through a few of the art wings. It had some amazing finds from Israel and it was really neat to see artifacts that we had used as references in our own dig cleaned and being displayed. I also took some time and looked at the Dead Sea scrolls also a neat experience although overcrowded and for some one that has night blindness was extremely hard to navigate. I ended up running into a bench and had a 6 inch scrap.  (here are some pics that i took before getting yelled at..)

Shopping in Jerusalem

I love haggling, at first it wasn’t my thing I was nervous, now my time is coming to the end and I am enjoying it for what it is a part of the experience. I have learned how (for myself) to haggle and with whom. For the younger men it was rather simple for me to flash a smile and truly being nice and the starting price was usually lower than what I expected to pay after haggling. With the older men the second I said “My husband said I can’t pay over ___ amount” The men got very serious and almost instantly gave me that price. Usually they said it was good I was listening to him. All of which is very true he would not want me to spend more than I should!!! Here is a list of goodies I got today

Throw blanket

Harem pants

t-shirt

leather sandals

2 rings

Earrings

Tea

Total was a little over40 bucks!! I know I am goooooood! LOL

Jerusalem Hotel....

Must say it was an amazing idea to stay at this hotel it really has everything I needed/wanted plus it is super cute...I LOVE IT!!! 

Small gifts.....

In my inbox today i received a letter typed by Summer that she had Ryan e-mail me, here it is......


Dr mom plesc hhomi misy I luvy


(Dear mom please come home, I miss you. I love you.)

I am crying writing this post. I am so thankful to my family that has made this possible for me to come. It wasn't as easy as just me packing and leaving. Jan drove to DC then drove back with the girls and watched them for 2 weeks, then my mom drove to Minnesota picked them up drove to Oklahoma where my grandparents kindly opened their home to my girls. My mom and dad and sister took turns watching them each night. Then my mom flew with them back to DC. Ryan is taking them to work one day and Everett is watching them for 2 days while Ryan works. BUT most of all I am thankful for my kids that are so proud of me and what I'm doing. Thank you girls for being good and behaving while mommy came to learn but thank you even more for sending me e-mails like that knowing I am missed is the greatest gift!!!

Yodefat

Yodefat

Alright for a little back ground on the site we went a visited although my disclaimer is that I could never do the site and its history justice like the man who excavated the site did when he graciously gave us a tour that not only included the history of the site from text but the archaeological finds and what they proved as well as his feelings on the site.(see below picture)

Yodefat is the site where Josephus and the Jews tried to take a stand against the Romans. The area was set on top of a large steep hill/mountain and the Jews fortified their village at the top. To make a long story short the Romans did conquer and many were killed Josephus was taken prison and later became a historian in the roman courts and wrote, though some may dispute dramatically over the siege that happened at Yodefat. Yodefat was then destroyed by the Romans.

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Early%20History%20-%20Archaeology/Yodefat%20-%20A%20Town%20in%20Galilee


This is where they stored their rain water because there is no rivers or springs for them to access

Fortifying wall

view of the area around yodefat

Jewish ritual bath carved out of stone.

stories of people.....

When you are so far from you home it is easy to forget that the people around you have stories. Stories that are remarkable and may never be heard outside their village. Its is easy to travel to see the beauty of the landscape, architecture and art but how about the people? Not the people as a group, how about the individual? Here is a story I heard today about a person an individual......




The story starts as an older women passed with her herd of goats, we, a herd of archaeologists, were following our guide intent on the past, ancient history. Our guide an archaeologist spoke with the lady and then smiling turned and interrupted the lecture to tell us this story…

When they began working on this site, this women’s son was about the age of 9 or 10. He used to pass by with the herd of goats. He followed behind with his text book, reading studying for school. Working and studying at such a young age. Year after year the archaeologist returned and saw this young boy reading and studying while herding the goats. As the man continued with his excavation year after year the boy continued, year after year, with his studying. Until the boy became a man and his books became law books, he was still herding. The site is finished now, the archaeologist comes back from time to time for various reasons and he says that the young boy who is now a successful lawyer in the community can be seen on the day his offices is closed, walking behind the herd; his time to return home and remember his childhood.

dddddddddddiiiiiiiiiiiigggggggggg........

Days 22,23,24

My dirty hot tired face!!

Well being


I am on the downhill now and as you can all imagine something’s aren’t as unique as when we got here. I can’t wait for my own bed to sleep and not sweat. To wake up at 6 instead of 4! All these are just things you notice as the days dwindle and the excitement of home gets closer! My pinkie toe and I are having a small issue but I think we will make it!!



The dig

Wow we are so far down now it is amazing. The mass amount of artifacts we have found is amazing! So no buildings but piles of pottery and flint and a bunch of bones! I don’t think I have really explained pottery washing like I should. After digging we get home and soak the pottery and flint then we all cozy up outside with at least an hour if not 2 of pottery washing. We use toothbrushes and nailbrushes and try to remove as much of the dirt as possible. This is a pretty boring process but is the best time during the day to talk! (pics to come)



Personal Finds and lessons

Today I got to draw the kind of layout of the rocks in our square and it was an oddly satisfying experience. It was a part of the process I wouldn’t have thought I’d like that was very cool. There are other areas that I have gotten to try like the total station (surveying type equipment) It was very high tech and I got a very basic intro but the next day I set it up when asked. ( and by set it up I mean put it on the stand and push the on button then I ran)

The cows near the dig site

HOT

I JUST THOUGHT I'D LET YOU KNOW IT'S HOT.... LIKE SUPER UNCOMFORTABLE DON'T SLEEP SNAP AT EVERYONE HOT AND HUMID... IT IS IN THE UPPER 90'S WITH SUPER HIGH HUMIDITY... MISSING ME SOME AC RIGHT NOW!

Trip

(Okay so I'm skipping a few days like 18, 19 and 20 and going straight to 21 which was a trip to Caesarea a beautiful spot on the mediterrian sea with Roman aquaducts and crusader and roman ruins as well as a Beautiful beach.)

Caesarea

We took a taxi and about an hour drive, to reach a truly beautiful beach. The water was warm and inviting and the beach was relaxing.

Then we to a walk (a looongg one) down to the archaeological park and had lunch at the Port Café. It was also relaxing to eat with no children just watching the waves and looking at the buildings surrounding me. After that a little ice cream and a stroll through the park and I was exhausted!!

Half way there............

Days 15, 16 and 17

Everything is cruising here, actually not much has changed at all. So maybe a different post is need for the half way point in my dig!!

The huge pile of rocks and dirt that we have moved so far....

~ I am no where closer to knowing what direction I want to go but my eyes have been opened since beginning the dig. I am making contacts that hopefully I can use as guides as I start to better understand my options for later down the road.

~I have learned that maybe the area I am more interested is in a little more recent history. Then again maybe not, I just don’t know.

~ I don’t totally hate the physical labor involved in archaeology I do enjoy being outside working, its kind of like gardening.

~ I also am not totally stoked like other people about finding artifacts, I am more excited to imagine the person using it so long ago. I like to picture the women using the pots to cook and store, the men making tools out of flint to feed their families. I like to imagine the children running freely in the area in and out of the stone houses. Not really a surprise now that I think about it I don’t look at the artifacts in an objective fashion but through my imagination of what they would have done with them. (In case you were wondering that doesn’t make the best archaeologist)

~ I have soooo many more places I want to visit in the world, maybe India is my next big adventure. (for very specific reasons and that will be a later post)

~ This is for me but where I fit I still don’t know BUT I know I will figure it out! Maybe I’ll make my own place!

day 14

On day 14 we rested!! Except this weeks rest included green olive pizza (my fav) and cheese cake geilatto!!! Then we watched 10 things I hate about you! What a day!!! But i can really apperciate 2 day weekends now these one day ones kinda stink!!!

dig a tunnel dig dig a tunnel.....

Days 11,12 and 13

Just how dirty i get.....

Well Being…

It was bound to happen but I didn’t expect it to happen in one day… I got overly hot, dehydrated and a sunburnt all on the same day. I am better now but I was one tired girl. Emotionally I am doing better I sat myself down had a harsh talk and decided that I was the one who wanted to be here and it was time to act like it!!! So mornings are getting better!!!



The dig…

Well, we have things in our square which now look slightly promising as a structure, not a wall but maybe a ring…. Just on Friday we moved almost 10cm of dirt in our 5 meter by 5 meter square. We sift everything we remove as well so its actually pretty impressive.

The tools i use the most

gloves~ small pick~dust pan~brush~bucket

Personal finds and lessons

My find of the week was a nest of eggs created from mud with maggots living inside them. It was really cool but with no archaeological meaning just fun to find.

We had two lectures this week and let me tell you listening to these people who are so educated and passionate about their are of expertise is amazing!!! I find myself loving bones, flint, pottery and the study of looting, every time I am around these people!!!

Cow mandible

Pile of bones waiting to be cleaned.....

Can you dig it, i can dig it....

Day 7, 8 and 9




Well being

I am doing well, mornings are hard for me but I am dealing. Food wise I’m doing too good I believe. The food is full of carbohydrates. For first breakfast which I don’t eat is bread and nutella or jam, cheese cucumber and tomato sandwiches for 2nd breakfast, Lunches are at a restaurant that services first pitas with several small salads to eat with it then a main course with meat and potatoes rice or noodles the afterwards coffee and cakes, then for dinner I eat my leftovers from lunch. WOW and I don’t have a scale to see how my weight is doing so I may come home with my clothes being a little tight… but you all know how I love potatoes.



The dig

Well, things are moving slowly but that is how it seems to go. We have moved fro the big pick and shovels to trowels, small picks and brushes. We still haven’t found any architecture in our square and from what I understand the hopes of doing so are becoming more slim. We are however finding artifacts in are square and some pretty neat ones.

Basalt pot

Personal finds and lessons

A sign here in Karmeil

Well I found a cow jaw bone with the teeth still attached, I also found a piece of flint with some tar like residue on it which apparently comes from Turkey and was an interesting find all the way up here.

Well outside of the dig there is continuous talk about degrees careers schools professors etc and I am learning SOOOO much. This is the main reason I came on the dig to see if this was for me and to gain direction to what I want to do. I am however more confused than when I started because of the mass amount of information I am gaining. The best thing I’ve learned is I’m not alone most of these people here are in the same boat!!

The goats that graze in the field where we are working

and on the 6th day

she rested!!! ohhhh sleep you are so good! Shabat is from friday night till saturday night here and everything shuts down, including me apparently but the day of rest and relaxation was needed. On sunday we start digging again............

Ain't no mountain high enough........

There are moments in life that can and do get passed up because of laziness or being scared today I could have passed on one of those experiences BUT I didn’t!!! With 2 guys from my group I strapped on my running shoes and ran up a mountain trail in this crazy Israeli heat. The trail was a little rugged and the thorns here in Israel are unforgiving, but with a small amount of walking (okay maybe more) I made it to the top and had the most incredible sense of accomplishment. I could have stayed in my room sleeping after getting up at 4 in the morning and digging till 12, but I am truly glad I didn’t and hope that I will continue to not pass up opportunities like this. Special thanks goes to the guys who could have left me in the wind but slowed their pace so I could join!!!!

Behind my shoulder is the college where I'm staying and where I started the run!

My friends standing at the top looking over Karmiel the town we are staying in.

A view from the trail!

just keep digging, just keep digging

Day 3, 4 and 5


Well Being

I am really showing signs of not being an 18 year old; I take pain meds at least twice a day. My back really hurts my lower and upper on my right side. Otherwise I am doing fairly well. Moral has been low for me until today, I miss the girls and Ryan like crazy and am in a small group were there is lots of arguing and bickering. My patience is running thin. But I still have normal people in the group that have been very supportive of the fact I deal with 2 teen’s every day.

Bruise on my forearm!!

The dig

Right now is slow going for our group we have yet to find architecture in our square and other squares have a real bummer. Now we have removed a good portion of the top soil and should be getting in to more interesting layers. Today we found rocks lots of rocks which makes for very hard digging and removing of the stones. We have finally hit a point where it’s not all back breaking labor but sifting through every bucket of soil looking for artifacts.

My square and those piles of rocks are probably nothing :(

sifting through over 100 of buckets

We are a little over a foot down!

 

Personal finds and lessons

Today I found the side of a pot as well a grinding stone. Thursday night we received a lecture from our group leader and I learned so much and left the lecture excited about the dig as well as understanding why we are here.

Most of my lessons have been personal; patience and understanding are big ones. For everything I learn about archaeology I am learning something more about myself. Most of all that I am proud of who I am the way I got here as well as my husband and children. I have realized these things through social interactions here telling my story and realizing I have nothing to be ashamed of!

DIG DIG DIG......

Day one and two

Well being

WOW, first of all this is one extreme experience, I am sitting here trying to move as little as possible my body hurts. My muscles are exhausted my body bruised and blistered. Our living arrangement are amazing we are staying in dorms each with our own room in an apartment. 3 bathrooms and 2 showers for every 3 people and a washer and dryer downstairs. All meals are provided. It is hot but the mornings are nice and there is usually a slight breeze.

My view at night.....

The dig

Right now we are digging in a very rocky area situated between to groves of olive trees. The first two days we have been removing first off the top layer of rocks and second the layer of topsoil about a foot of it, which has been at one time plowed so everything is mixed together. As we dig we are removing pieces of flint ad well as pottery chaloithic as well as roman. Then we come home and rest until the afternoon when we wash pottery, what we find is soaked and then we scrub it with brushes.

Personal finds and lessons!

Today among other things I found 3 inch axe head made of flint as well as a pottery chunk about 4 inches that was the side as well as part of the bottom of the pot. I also caught a scorpion no screaming or anything it was less then 2 inches long but man it was pretty cool to be brave enough to catch one. (we needed to remove it from where we were digging)

The scorpion

So here are a few terms…

Balk (spelling)- the space between two squares that are being dug so people or wheelbarrows can cross.

Pick axe- a tool used by archaeologists loosen large areas of dirt created by SATAN.