So here we are

"Some of you I know, some of you I'm seeing for the first time."
--Dr. Evil

Odds are good that, if you're reading this, you know me from one of a variety of places. Most of you probably know me by at least one of several names, either offline, online, or both. All of you likely know that I've been insufferably enthusiastic for the past three months or so because of the dig in Jordan this summer.

If I've given you the URL for this blog, it's because you've expressed interest in keeping up with my adventures. The hotel where the dig team will be staying has internet, but it's a light version of dial-up. Starting a blog seemed to be an effective way to reach all interested parties without devouring their meager bandwidth by emailing everyone separately.

If you've stumbled upon my blog, then welcome. Please, pull up a seat, make yourself comfortable, and have a nice cold glass of background information.

I'm an Honours Near Eastern Archaeology student at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada. (As a mature student, I'm getting to this a bit later in life than most of my classmates.) In order to graduate from the archaeology program, participants require a field school. We don't get to leave without practical experience, which makes us that much more employable in our chosen profession when we graduate.

Several digs are offered: a Classics dig in Greece (or on Greek ruins not too far away), a North American dig in Indiana, Ontario, and the Near Eastern dig in Jordan. The professor running the Jordan dig will be retiring from teaching shortly; between her retirement and the state of things in the Near East, there's no telling if the dig will happen in coming years, or if it will be open to students. That being the case, I jumped at the chance to go when the dig was moved ahead to this year.

The dig runs from June 24 to August 5, during which time I'll do my level best to update this on a regular basis. Please stay tuned for pictures, anecdotes, ramblings, enthusiasm, bawdy jokes, horrible puns, and potentially tedious descriptions of potsherds.


(The name I'm using here, incidentally, is a nod to a departed friend. Anyone can be the good hat; being the evil hat takes work.)