Jennifer Sasaki

04.12.14 Week 12 The first day of excavations were so much fun! It's like reliving your childhood because you get to climb and dig in the dirt, looking for little treasures, but in a more scientific manner. You'd be surprised by the things you can find in a test pit. My group found a lot of modern things like glass and metal, but also some things that my be older, like kukui nut shell. We also found a lot of charcoal (our goal), and my personal favorite, faunal remains. Just because its an archaeological field school doesn't mean there isn't anything a physical anthropology major wouldn't enjoy!

04.26.14 Week 14Today was the last day of field school and it was very bittersweet. It's crazy to think of how far we've come and how much we've learned in these past months. I know I've come a long way from the first day of pedestrian survey when I thought every oddly shaped rock was important. This class is so much more than just an archaeological field school because we were so involved in the community. That community involvement was so important to the class, because it gave a real sense of meaning to what we were doing on the heiau. It reminds you that you are studying a population that is still very much alive. But most importantly are the bonds you form in this class. There's nothing like climbing, digging, and sweating with your peers to forage friendships that I'm sure will last for years to come. This field school is definitely an experience that I will never forget.

#excavation #fieldschool #community