Dirt, digging, and more dirt.

July 2nd 2009

I have started digging. Just finished day three. I have never been so completely and utterly covered in dirt and dust. It’s hard core. I am way tired every evening by about 8:00…understandable as I do have to get up at 5:15.

I remain in love with the metro, even with a 20-minute commute twice a day. It’s easy, clean, and fast. I am now the proud owner of a student month-long metro pass. Go team!

I am now very very very good at moving dust around. And putting rocks in buckets, and lifting bucks, and dumping buckets, and filling more buckets. And brushing off walls…which is NOT FUN. As the slightest breeze blows the dust right back onto the wall, and if there is no breeze you are brushing dust into your eyes, mouth, and down your shirt. Doing the hard labor of filling buckets is much better. Though I have discovered that wheelbarrows and I do not get on.

Today I worked on emptying an entryway that is filled with collapsed vaulting, brick, mortar, and dirt. There is an intact door arch that was barely visible over the top. We took the level down 1.10 meters in ONE DAY. That is awesome…we did so much work. I was on a team with another girl, an Aussie woman, and the Brit (a guy, but we only have one...so he's "the brit"). Rachel, the aussie, is amazing. She is a machine with a pickaxe! It’s impressive to watch. Hauling rock has never been more fun. AND we found tesserae (small tiles used in mosaics) and marble that were used to decorate the vaulting. Jeff, our trench leader/supervisor, thinks that the entire ceiling might have been covered in patterns. So cool.

Good times abound. But mostly fatigue… Not really fun…just lots of work, lots of heat, and crazy amounts of dirt. I mean…geez. Also, I’ve never been so sweaty. Ever. Not even during barley harvest last summer. Yes, it’s true.

More details and interesting things to come at a time when I am not super tired. Probably this weekend.


PS: I love comments, sorry I haven’t figured out how to set up the feature where you can reply to specific comments. I am working on it. Rest assured, I read and love them all. Alicia: arrival story is going to get writ! Soon. Promise!