Today I finally have an extended time on a computer. =) Lucky for you, that means a blog post!!! So here we go!
Everything is still going great in Jordan. I've been doing well, keeping not sick, and exploring the area. This last weekend a group of us decided to go to Jerusalem on our free weekend. So far, that has been the highlight of the trip but I'll talk more about that later. Before I left, I got several requests for what a typical day is like here on the tell. I have been planning how to write this/ present it since then so I hope it's good. So without further ado, I present "Life on the Tell by Shane Buxman".
My wristwatch alarm goes of at 4 in the morning. I silence it and go back to sleep. My phone alarm goes of at 4 in the morning (Separated by 5 minutes). This time I wake up. I untuck the mosquito net from between my foam mattresses and take car not to knock anything over as I step from the desks, which make my bed/ nightstand, onto the floor. As I change into my dig clothes (whick away short sleeve shirt and nylon khaki pants), I take care not to wake up Luke who won't be up for another half an hour. I head down three flights of stairs then outside the school, which is our residence, to the bathroom complex across the courtyard. After I comb my hair, I watch the moon and the stars as I brush my teeth, amazed at how bright they are. Sometimes I'll hear the call to prayer in the background. As I walk back into the school, I join Krista and Alyssa for a breakfast of peta with cheese, jam, peanut butter, or nutella (not the good kind though). I pour a cup of tea and read my daily devotion, spread cheese on my peta. It's 4:30 so I head upstairs to wake up Luke and grab my dig supplies. As I come back downstairs, the kitchen is more crowded for most of the team is awake. I finish my peta, check on Luke one more time, grab a bucket and sit out in the courtyard. The bus arrives shortly before 5 and I take my usual spot one up from the back. I'll share a couple words with Alyssa, Court, or Liz but we're usually to tired to talk. Bus leaves at 5 for Abila. The drive is short and there isn't much to see. Many of the townspeople of Hartha are sleeping in from their daily late night socialization. We reach the crest of a hill and look out onto a brilliant sunset (though none more brilliant than today's). We've arrived.
Area AA marches up to the crest of the hill while E and G (I'm in G) march down. We pass the guard tent as well as workers still retrieving wheelbarrows for their area. About 3/4ths down the hill, I part ways with Hannah and Jennifer. They are in area E at the base of the hill. Emma and I (Court is usually behind since he'll stop with Liz at the pottery dump while Samuel and Rachel speed ahead) turn of the dirt road and head up a short goat path leading to a flat landing in the tell where our site is. Area G: the excavation site of a single apsis church from the Late Roman-Umayad period, disused after a major earthquake toppled it. I prepare the paper work for our square and at 5:30 we start work. Due to the fact that Emma and my square has nothing but rocks in it, everyday is similar. We dig out dirt with dust pans and little picks, dump it into guffas (tire baskets), then a worker carries the guffa to the wheelbarrow and another worker dumps it while a third dumps the wheelbarrow. We sort the dirt (as we pan it) for pottery, glass, and bone. If we find any, we sort it into buckets or plastic bags prepared earlier. We have a break at 7-7:30, another at 8:30-9, second breakfast at 9:30- 10:30, and one final break at 11:30 which usually signifies the end of the work day. During break, I will either nap or talk with Emma, Court, and Samuel in Court's square. Several of the workers will frequently join us as we throw rocks, play jokes, or just sit in tired silence. After second breakfast the sun has come out and hardly any work gets done. It is very hot and even water in the shade is turned warm. We scrounge or whatever shade our balks can give us or we huddle underneath a tent made inside the main area of the church. After work, we pack up our supplies and make the long trek back up the hill, the hardest part of the day. Each area gets out separately so we usually don't see anyone until we reach the crest of the hill where the bus will pick us up. Who ever arrives first claims the valuable shade underneath the olive tree. Usually we arive first followed quickly by AA. We talk about our great finds and drama during the day and the buss comes at 12:30. The afternoon is significantly harder to predict since events change daily but it usually includes a hour nap (usually 2-3 hours). Around 7:30 I'll go out on the roof and view the sunset and the stars as they appear in the sky. Dr David and Dr. Peter come up just as I'm leaving to enjoy the cool breeze. As I head to my room, I reflect on the day, which I then journal. I change to my pajamas, make sure my supplies is set, climb into bed, tuck in my net, and set my alarm; praying 4 doesn't come too soon.
Everything is still going great in Jordan. I've been doing well, keeping not sick, and exploring the area. This last weekend a group of us decided to go to Jerusalem on our free weekend. So far, that has been the highlight of the trip but I'll talk more about that later. Before I left, I got several requests for what a typical day is like here on the tell. I have been planning how to write this/ present it since then so I hope it's good. So without further ado, I present "Life on the Tell by Shane Buxman".
My wristwatch alarm goes of at 4 in the morning. I silence it and go back to sleep. My phone alarm goes of at 4 in the morning (Separated by 5 minutes). This time I wake up. I untuck the mosquito net from between my foam mattresses and take car not to knock anything over as I step from the desks, which make my bed/ nightstand, onto the floor. As I change into my dig clothes (whick away short sleeve shirt and nylon khaki pants), I take care not to wake up Luke who won't be up for another half an hour. I head down three flights of stairs then outside the school, which is our residence, to the bathroom complex across the courtyard. After I comb my hair, I watch the moon and the stars as I brush my teeth, amazed at how bright they are. Sometimes I'll hear the call to prayer in the background. As I walk back into the school, I join Krista and Alyssa for a breakfast of peta with cheese, jam, peanut butter, or nutella (not the good kind though). I pour a cup of tea and read my daily devotion, spread cheese on my peta. It's 4:30 so I head upstairs to wake up Luke and grab my dig supplies. As I come back downstairs, the kitchen is more crowded for most of the team is awake. I finish my peta, check on Luke one more time, grab a bucket and sit out in the courtyard. The bus arrives shortly before 5 and I take my usual spot one up from the back. I'll share a couple words with Alyssa, Court, or Liz but we're usually to tired to talk. Bus leaves at 5 for Abila. The drive is short and there isn't much to see. Many of the townspeople of Hartha are sleeping in from their daily late night socialization. We reach the crest of a hill and look out onto a brilliant sunset (though none more brilliant than today's). We've arrived.
Area AA marches up to the crest of the hill while E and G (I'm in G) march down. We pass the guard tent as well as workers still retrieving wheelbarrows for their area. About 3/4ths down the hill, I part ways with Hannah and Jennifer. They are in area E at the base of the hill. Emma and I (Court is usually behind since he'll stop with Liz at the pottery dump while Samuel and Rachel speed ahead) turn of the dirt road and head up a short goat path leading to a flat landing in the tell where our site is. Area G: the excavation site of a single apsis church from the Late Roman-Umayad period, disused after a major earthquake toppled it. I prepare the paper work for our square and at 5:30 we start work. Due to the fact that Emma and my square has nothing but rocks in it, everyday is similar. We dig out dirt with dust pans and little picks, dump it into guffas (tire baskets), then a worker carries the guffa to the wheelbarrow and another worker dumps it while a third dumps the wheelbarrow. We sort the dirt (as we pan it) for pottery, glass, and bone. If we find any, we sort it into buckets or plastic bags prepared earlier. We have a break at 7-7:30, another at 8:30-9, second breakfast at 9:30- 10:30, and one final break at 11:30 which usually signifies the end of the work day. During break, I will either nap or talk with Emma, Court, and Samuel in Court's square. Several of the workers will frequently join us as we throw rocks, play jokes, or just sit in tired silence. After second breakfast the sun has come out and hardly any work gets done. It is very hot and even water in the shade is turned warm. We scrounge or whatever shade our balks can give us or we huddle underneath a tent made inside the main area of the church. After work, we pack up our supplies and make the long trek back up the hill, the hardest part of the day. Each area gets out separately so we usually don't see anyone until we reach the crest of the hill where the bus will pick us up. Who ever arrives first claims the valuable shade underneath the olive tree. Usually we arive first followed quickly by AA. We talk about our great finds and drama during the day and the buss comes at 12:30. The afternoon is significantly harder to predict since events change daily but it usually includes a hour nap (usually 2-3 hours). Around 7:30 I'll go out on the roof and view the sunset and the stars as they appear in the sky. Dr David and Dr. Peter come up just as I'm leaving to enjoy the cool breeze. As I head to my room, I reflect on the day, which I then journal. I change to my pajamas, make sure my supplies is set, climb into bed, tuck in my net, and set my alarm; praying 4 doesn't come too soon.
