Wayne, NE OK, this is my first ever blog! Being, as Rhoda so kindly puts it, "mature" (aka over 40), I've not had the need or opportunity thusfar in my life to do any blogging. When Dr. Schuler asked if I'd join Rhoda and blog as an "Armchair Archaeologist" my first thought was "How do I tell this very smart man that I don't know how to blog???" Not to worry, Dr. Schuler is used to explaining--patiently--new concepts to people of all ages. So here I am, and here goes!
Having participated in the dig the previous two summers, I'm feeling a little (alright, more than a little) sad at missing this year's dig. But I'll have plenty here at home to keep me busy, and being able to participate as a state-side blogger is still pretty exciting. I remember well the feelings voiced by some of the new participants--being excited, nervous, a little scared, but most of all, being unable to believe that I was about to be included in what up until that point had just been a dream of mine. How fortunate I felt at being included in such an experience! Back in 2005, when I was preparing to go on the dig for my first time, people wondered how I could consider going halfway around the world and do extremely difficult physical labor in an area of the world in which the political situation was dicey at best, with people I'd never even met. Well, I looked at it this way: The people I would be working with would all share at least one intrest with me--archaeology--and I am a product of the Lutheran college system, as were many of the others, and above all, we all had in common our faith in the Lord who would be with us throughout our trip, dicey political situation notwithstanding. THAT was a great comfort to me. To be in the land of Jesus, to walk where He (maybe) walked, and to swim in the same Sea of Galilee on which He walked....well, it still blows me away! All of the members of the 2007 team have many, many exciting, exhausting, and sometimes deeply moving experiences to look forward to!
Now, some advice for the new members: First of all, go straight to your suitcases, take out half of what you've packed, and leave it at home!! Invariably, you'll have too much stuff, and those suitcases get heavy when you're lugging them around the various airports. Just make sure you don't take out any Band-aids, baby powder (to absorb moisture), or granola bars--you'll need to stash a couple of those in your backpack daily to supplement the cuisine up at the dig! Don't worry too much about sunscreen, at least for up at the dig--you'll be so covered with dirt and sweat after the first 10 minutes of work that you'll have plenty of "natural" sunscreen. As far as the bug spray goes, believe it or not, you really don't need it. And it doesn't work on scorpoins, anyway! (Ha!) Secondly, crazy as it sounds, WOOL SOCKS really are the greatest for keeping your feet comfortable. Along those same lines, make sure your boots are broken in! And finally, keep an open mind--but not an empty head--and be ready for the experience of a lifetime! Rest assured that you will learn more without even trying than you have ever learned in your lives. I envy all of you!
Dr. Schuler, Linda, Andrea, Glen, Arny, Dark Load, Kristina, I hope to see all of you next year! Have a beer in the pub for me!
God speed and safe travels to all of you!
Nancy I'm going to miss you! But it's ok...I'll be writing and I'm sure I'll be stopping in for lunch on my way through Neb. anyways!
Hi Nancy. I loved the "leave half of it at home" part! Exactly what I was thinking when I was packing to fly home last year. If I can't coerce somebody to building an inukshuk on the hill this year, I might have to put my name in the hat for next year. But for now, I'll be eatin' sweet corn this summer... not cucumber and tomato salad.
Pax
dan