In the beginning...

The purpose of this blog is to act as the reality check to all the fun that soon will be happening on the dig site (I'm jealous - can you tell?).  As such, although I will keep many of the mundane details to myself, the plan is to discuss much of what my day entails. 

For starters, I have discovered that for any budding classical archaeologist, languages are key.  This morning, I sit in an empty computer lab on the deserted campus, waiting for my German class to begin.  Four languages must be attempted this summer (ancient Greek, Latin, German and French) in preparation for classes and mandatory exams in the fall.  The summer just began this week for me, but already I have spent the greater part in the library, reading a play by Plautus and the wonderful historian Herodotus.  I'm also dealing with the residue of the past term, as some of my students aren't pleased with the grades they earned (Head's up to all budding archaeologists: most of you will be teaching at some point to earn enough money to fund your obsession with dirt!).      

But never fear, dear reader, some joy is to be found.  For example, I can now end my studying for the day around six or seven in the evening instead of ten or eleven.  And in the evening, I can pick up a book - a REAL book - full of silly plot lines and ridiculous characters.  Best of all, I can finally take an oil painting class at the Art Academy (something I could not do either during the school year OR if I was on the dig).       

Quite frankly, completely diving into the languages and history of a people can be as satisfying as jumping into a 5×5 hole in the ground.  And there are less bugs.