First Impressions

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Wow. I can’t believe that I am back in Italy. The second I got into the city I was so joyful at the familiar smells, sounds, buildings, and trees that are just so uniquely Italian. Everything is familiar and I am so comfortable with being back in this culture. I’m pretty sure that my taxi driver from the airport to the campsite somewhat ripped me off. It’s happened to me before and I used to know enough Italian to point it out, but I couldn’t remember anything to try and refute the price, and frankly I didn’t even care that much because it was just so good to be back in Italian culture where people try to take advantage of you financially simply because you’re American. Plus he was really friendly and helpful so it’s basically like he got a good tip. Haha!

When I first got to the campgrounds the kid working in the office didn’t know where to put me and nobody on my team was around so I hung out in the office with him for about an hour. I helped him with a paper he had to write for his English class, although I’m not sure that help is the right word, I’m a little nervous that I may have misled him on some things. We’ll see if he gets marked down. Regardless, I was excited to have made a friend right off the bat. My team leader showed up not too long in and I had to put my stuff in her caravan because they didn’t have mine ready for me yet. I had to wait about another 4-5 hours. Every time I went to check with them they told me to wait 10 minutes… then an hour would go by and I would check again and the same thing… Italians… But seriously, I loved it. There is so much about the culture that I forgot that I missed, and it’s the simple things too, like ordering food or coffee, or saying hello, or the way they touch your shoulder and laugh when you try to have a conversation with them and they know that you have no idea what is going on... But I did not miss the mosquito bites! All my friends from Viterbo will know what I’m talking about! Damn bites are not the same as in the states! They get so big and fleshy here.

I love my little caravan that I am staying in. It is just the perfect size for me. There are three beds in it (and just me sleeping), but it’s actually a little more spacious than the ones with a single queen size. My bed is surprisingly comfortable and my shower, while small, is not the smallest I’ve had in Europe. It’s perfect and I’m so in love with it and the campsite in general. The people who work here already feel like friends, and the other campers here are mainly German, French, and English and all want to chat. The team I am here with consists of 3 other Boise State students, one Boise State professor, who was the one that initially invited me to join the project, a professor from Britain who is overseeing our project, and a graduate student from Oxford who isn’t working directly with us, but works nearby. Monday was the first day we went on site, and the morning they took us around Pompeii and told us all the details of the city. I have been to the ruins before, but it was so rewarding to go again with these professors that know so many details, studies, and developments about what is understood of the city and the people. I feel so honored to be working with them and learning under them. After lunch, David (the professor from England) took us to our specific site, showed us around and gave us an overview of what we will be doing. It. Was. Incredible. We basically will be sorting through hundreds of pieces of broken pottery, organizing, documenting, and accessioning them and maybe gluing some pieces together if they fit. The techniques we will be learning are so valuable and some of the work we do will contribute to a future publication on the work being done in the area. I am so pleased to be around other people who get as excited as I do about looking at pieces of broken materials and walls. Also a little shocked… It is amazing though, we will be learning basically how to read and identify certain materials and what sort of household object they were apart of, what years they came from, and the techniques used to make them. David referred to us as the specialists a few times and it was overwhelming to be referred to in that way. I feel so inadequate. They will be teaching us how to keep professional journals and other skills that are incredible valuable and somewhat unique that will make us desirable candidates for excavation and post excavation work. It was the first time since I’ve graduated that I’ve felt any semblance of pride in my accomplishments and security in my future. The realization that I am building a really valuable resume hit me and also that I’m the one having this experience. Before when I talked about what I would be doing it felt distant as if I was describing somebody else and not myself. Talking to these leaders about their lives and choices and how they got to where they are is so admirable and encouraging. I am so happy and content here doing what I’m passionate about and feel so humbled and grateful at the opportunity. I will write more details about the house we are working in later this week. It is huge and there is so much in the storage room and I am just getting an overload of information! It’s amazing.

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