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.

Beach..........

So on Saturday I took the day off and it went like this..................................................aaaaahhhhhhhhh.......

Buildings in Jerusalem....

So I am positive that I could spend my whole trip in Jerusalem and still not have enough pictures or understand the city enough. Everything has so much to say, the people who on my first trip I noticed are so diverse and I had so many questions on which they were, why they were here. Even the tourist I wanted to ask what brought them to Israel. But this post I want to give a little credit to the buildings, the city is old, it looks old and that is what makes it beautiful.

These Buildings are built from older buildings that were destroyed the numbers tell where they are from.

Jerusalem

Today we went to Jerusalem, it was an amazing experience. It was like I'd pictured it an old city with lots to tell you, market places full of people from every walk of life. RULES lots of rules and different rules for different parts of the city... here are a few pictures then I'm going to bed and will hopefully post more tom.

The Western wall

 (you can't tell but all those people are backing up because that's how you get away from the wall)

The market

There are 2 parts to the market the Jewish part and the Arab part most of my pictures are from the Arab just by chance.

(this is my favorite picture)

I'm HERE!!!

Well I made it and the jet lag was rough. If i e-mailed you or called you I am so sorry for the negativity I realize I am blessed to have this opportunity. I never realize jet lag could psychically make you sick, it did and I just ate for the first time in 2 days and feel like a new person! so here are a few pictures from my day of firsts!!!

My first Falafell!!

The view from my friends apartment it Tel Aviv!

Here are a few note worth things....

I got a phone here and you can call me through skype on it for like 13 cents a minute!!!!

I forgot my camera (it was cruddy but at least it was a camera) so im using my iphone

Drivers here are crazy

They have Coke Zero

Children and animals are allowed to pee or poop on the sidewalks... anywhere on them...

6 days...

and I am very nervous! I am using today to go buy the last of what I need and get errands done and begin packing! I also need to read some more! I keep saying to people "I hope its good" translation I am to nervous to think about it to hard and I am completely out of control right now so these are the only words that will come out besides.....

"I am scared, I am scared, I AM SCARED"

It isn't a new emotion to me I don't have problems doing new things but i am uncomfortable doing them alone! I have found myself wishing i knew at least one person but that is just part of the experience! I also deal with leaving my family by not thinking about it, its how i dealt with it before you just do it don't think about it, so I am sure i seem cold to some people but its how I deal ! Well of i go to run errands and pack!

ITS HERE...

the eye twitching that is. but here is why...... 15 days to go!!!!!!!

I think i have all the personal stuff I need here is what is left on the

General Equipment list: (i have the highlighted stuff)


Canteen/water bottle for personal use
Work gloves
Trowel (preferably Marshalltown (size 4/5) or WHS brands).
Small bag/knapsack for carrying daily equipment
Pocket knife
Sleeping sack/bag (for travel purposes, on the dig we supply sheets/towels)
Camera

ON the still need to do list.....

change some money out...
pack
find some bomb diggity sunscreen (any suggestions)
find some books to read while there (any suggestions)
pick up the last of the stuff on the above list
I know there is more (any suggestions)