scorpions galore

Well, Wednesday night we had a huge earthquake and I slept right through it. It didn´t do much but I guess it moved peoples beds. After that, our internet went down for a little while because there are 40 people in camp and all of them wanted to get online. We still haven´t solved the issue, but I managed to get online tonight. Field work has been very fun. I enjoy having to get up early, eat a healthy meal, then do really hard work all day outside to come home, eat, have a lecture and go to bed. I feel like a farmer, minus the lecture part. But really, I am proud of myself that I can haul around buckets of dirt, and swing a pickaxe, and shovel all day. We have really moved a lot of dirt the past two days. We dug down further in my first trench, but didn´t find much of value, no floors yet, no definite walls. We started a trench 2m up from the first, and still not much. Fidel, our local worker, found a metate though (the grinder for grinding grains). Today, Laurel and I opened up a new trench on the very top of the housemound, and got about a foot deep in one day! Also exciting, Laurel found the hand of a ceramic figurine. Jason, our group leader also found part of a GREEN metate, which is weird, usually they are brown or black. It is exciting, because it means the housemound was the site of a lineage founder´s burial, and these are offerings placed over it after the house was abandoned. Aka, there should be a body and some serious grave goods inside. So far though, I still can´t tell any difference between just digging in dirt, except that every so often we find a piece of pottery. Some of the other groups are doing cool things too. One is excavating a place where they found a couple dozen very well preserved tombs last year. Another is opening a shultun, a ceremonial shaft kind of tunnel where they put offerings and then buried them. Tomorrow is our last day this week, and Sunday we all go visit the big site of Lamanai. I am very tired and in need of a break. Luckily though, the ticks and chiggers that have found everyone else have left me alone for now, so I am tired, but not tired and itchy. Ok until next time. 

first day, real live digging!r

we had our first field day today. it was RE diculously hot. I packed 3 liters of water, and drank them ALL. and i still have a headache from dehydration. so, we all split into groups to dig at three separate sites at aljun hah(prob not spelled like that, that may even be the wrong name). My group got sent to a elite residence area, with several different possible houses and structures. We were the only ones that actually got to excavate today, everyone else had sites that had been previously dug, and so had to move the mounds of dirt so they could dig in a new spot. We got to our site, deep in the jungle, to find it was occupied by a gang of howler monkeys. See video. They yelled at us and threw poop for a while but eventually left. I learned how to set up a proper excavation grid, and we started to dig. It was nice because the trees spared us from direct sun. However, they also made our work hell, with tree roots infiltrating every inch. After 7 hours, we only uncovered maybe 3 inches of 2meter by 2 meter square. In those three inches though, we discovered what is either a wall of the house, or possibly steps. We also found several pieces of potsherds, some really nice ones too with whole designs and everything. I am quite exhausted now though, my head is killing me, my hands are permanent claws from holding a pick, and i had a couple of casualties from spiky jungle plants and a lack of gloves. Consider it a blood offering to the gods. Maybe work will go more quickly tomorrow, and we will find a whole building in one go. 

As to the home base, its nice. I got my own shack, which I appreciate. There are over 30 volunteers, a record high, so quiet time is very nice. Internet is available, but I have yet to figure out how to use a phone. We have a permanent stock of cold beer and soda, and a palapa in the back with hammocks, which helps deal with the overwhelming heat. Food is prepared by a mennonite woman, who cooks very mennonitely i imagine. Rice and beans every meal, some sort of stew or chicken or beef dish, and on occasion a fruit or vegetable. Good thing i started eating meat again! So far, everyone I have met has been nice enough. There are several gals from Texas A and M, all very texasy. A couple northwesterners, also very northwestern. The amount of professors in my field of interest though is amazing. I will definitely get something out of this! Ok i think my fingers are falling off. goodnight. 

i had 7 pillows last night

made it to miami. everyone here speaks spanish, its like i never left mexico. stayed at the wyndham hotel, it was lux! and then of course i stole their toiletries. leave for belize in about half an hour. i am being picked up at the airport by a taxi driver named paddy. it very much reminded me of a mrs.pollifax detective book. now, all that needs to happen is for a valuable artifact to be stolen, and im on it!

Maybe to Miami

Ah, the adventure begins. Protesting my cancelled flight to Belize by setting up shop on the floor in front of their ticket counters until the attendants finally show up.. (wait time count- 4 hours so far..) I dont think anyone has noticed my protest attempts yet. But I must remain passive. With love and kindness I will gain the flight change, free hotel room, and money for food that I require. Though my faith in mankind is waning, since my taxi driver this morning overcharged me (ok, fine i made him get up at 5 am..) and then disappeared without giving me my change. I must say, I am a little out of it having been up since 5, not having eaten breakfast and not having moved since I took my spot at 6.. Maybe it will give me a negotiating edge to be the crazy little girl with bloodshot eyes who is kind of delirious. Well... I´ll keep you updated. I see movement at the counter.