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I arrived back home this Monday after 26 hours of traveling. Fortunately I slept for most of that time so it was not that bad. My time in Peru was a bit of a whirlwind. I was very busy and only got a limited amount of time to myself. Which made it difficult to have time to update this blog very much. I also learned a lot. I think the most important thing I got out of the whole experience was getting to talk to current graduate students about graduate school. Before this summer I was not even really considering it and now I am looking up which GRE prep book I want to start reading. I also changed my schedule for this next semester. I am now taking Spanish and a higher level archaeology class, Zooarchaeology.

Back to Peru for a little bit. I left off the week before we went to Ilo. Ilo is a city on the coast of Peru which has a number of archaeological sites outside of it. We visited a couple of the sites and then we stopped near the water and got to take photos and collect sea shells. After we ate lunch at a seafood restaurant. The rest of the group all had ceviche which is fresh raw seafood marinated in citrus juices, usually lemon. I do not enjoy seafood so I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. We then got some time to see the downtown area of Ilo.

The week after Ilo we spent our time in the field working on our excavating skills. Near the end of the week we worked on drawing profiles. Which involves drawing the strata changes on the walls of an excavated unit once excavation is complete. By friday I was assigned to three units which I would observe the excavation of and then write my final papers using the information I learned from these 3 units.

The fourth weekend we visited a bodega in Moquegua called El Moche. Bodegas are where pisco, a Peruvian alcohol, is made. We got to try all types of pisco they sold. The Bodega also had a number of animals we got to see. They had a couple of peacocks, a little of puppies and some really cute baby ducks.

The last week in the field we finished up our final projects and helped our TA's finish up some of the excavating and drawing that needed to be done. We got to take Friday off to finish writing our papers. Saturday a couple of us took a taxi up to a Nunnery to visit a shop they have where they sell chocolates and honey. We ended up showing up in the middle of a Nun taking her vows. Which we got to watch the tail end of. After the Nunnery I head back to the house and finished packing up my things and the we all head up to our professors house for our despedida or goodbye party. The next morning we all got on a bus at 10am headed for Arequipa for our flights to Lima and then back to the United States.

Peru Summer 2011

Here is a link to the photos I took while in Peru. I wish I had taken more.

Week 2

(Written July 7th)

I have officaly ran out of peanut butter. I am really regretting bring the extra shoes instead of peanut butter. I found one store that sells it here but it is about 6 US dollars for half a jar. I got to start digging this week. We spent last week learning how to screen soil removed from units and observing experieced excavators.

On Saturday we had a big 4th of July party at our professors house here in Moquegua. Her house is really nice and has some great views of the city. Another field school from the area was there. The food at party was awesome. There was chicken, potato salad, and some really good sauage I couldn´t get enough of.

Sunday we had a lab about botanical remains found in an archaeological context. The concept and significance of it all was interesting but the process of analyzing involves staring at super small soil grains looking for what might be plant remains...fun.

Monday I went out to dinner with a friend. We got, what was explained to me as, cow heart kabobs. I was a little weirded out but it ended up being some of the best meat I have ever had. After we got some pisco sours, which is a drink specific to Peru.

Tomorrow I am going to finish up excavating the 1 by 1 meter square I started Monday. So far digging has been the most interesting part. This weekend we are going to Ilo, which is near the coast.

Week one in Peru

My first week in Peru is over. I got to Moquegua last Saturday. My flights all went well and I didn´t have any delays or complications on my way here. The first day here we were given the day to get adjusted and to rest. The house I am living in has 12 girls staying in it. The guys have a different house not to far away. Our house also where we do some of our field work and all eat breakfast so it can get a little hectic.On Sunday we got a tour of the museum and a short lecture about Peru. The museum is not very big but has some interesting parts to it.

Moquegua is unlike any city I have been to before. There are a lot of taxis which all drive pretty fast. There are only a couple of traffic lights so cars honk when they come up to intersections so people know thery are coming. Pedestrains definately do not have the right of way. There is a big market in the city where we get our food. It has a bunch of small little booths or shops all selling different things. From food, shoes, clothing to electronics. Excpet the people in the program with me very few people speak any english so I am picking up a little bit of Spanish. Overall the city is very loud and hectic but has its own charm to it.

Monday through Friday we spend the mornings in the field on top of Cerra Mejia. The hike up the mounatain is not all that hard but the altitude makes it a bit difficult. The view from the top is spectacular. I sometimes forget I am in the middle of the Andes. This week in the field we laided out 3 by 3 meters squares and drew them. Which sounds like it would be easy but was very frustrating and tedious. After field work we we head back to the house for Lab time. So far in lab we have been sorting and labeling bags of items our TA´s found in the field. Saturday we had a lecture in the museum about ceramics. After we got to practice analyzing and drawing ceramics. On Sundays we have optional outings. This weekend I have been battle a bit of a nasty stomach bug so I decided that it would be better for me to take the day and rest. Hopefully I will feel better by tomorrow so I wont miss field time.

Leaving Tomorrow

I am finally all packed. I am about half a pound away from the 50 pound limit for my checked bag. Some how I made this:

Turn into this:

My first flight leaves Dulles at 11 25 am. I fly to Miami and then to Lima. From Lima I get on another plane to Arequipa. I will be arriving in Arequipa around 6am on Saturday. I am a little nervous about all of the flying, but I am sure once I get there I will be fine.

On June 17th I will be boarding a Plane for Peru.

(Well actually, it will be to Miami and then Lima and then another airport. Isn’t flying fun?)

Back in February I was sitting in my Intro to Archaeology class and my professor, Dr. Donna Nash, was introducing her self and the work she has done. She also informed the class of a field school over the summer in Peru. The previous semester I had backed out of a study abroad program in South Africa. I was still a little frustrated with myself for not going to South Africa and this seemed like a good way for me to still squeeze in some time abroad and also get some real life experience related to my major (Anthropology). I turned my application in and was not overly confident in my chances of being selected. A couple of days later I was in Dr. Nash’s office for an interview. Shortly after that I got an e-mail informing me that I had been accepted into the field school.

I will be at the Contisuyo Archaeological Field School in Moquegua Peru. Our main excavation site will be at Cerro Mejia, which was a part of the Wari settlement (AD 600-900). The field school works in conjunction with the Contisuyo Museum. (I have a link to its website on the right). I will be receiving 6 course credits that will count towards my major back at UNCG.

I will be living in a rented house with the other female students in the program. The males with have separate housing. The primary language of the town in which we are stay is Spanish. While the professors and TA’s will all speak English, this is still a little daunting due to the fact that I know no Spanish. I have recently learned how to ask for help, which I hopefully will not have to do to often. The program will start June 18th and go until July 24^th.

I will have Internet access via Internet cafes. So if you would like to contact me e-mail or facebook will be the best way. (jags8191@gmail.com) If you would like to send me anything my address while I am there will be:

Jennifer Grenier

C/O Proyecto Cerro Mejia

Museo Contisuyo

Jr. Tacna 294

Moquegua, Peru

(2 pound weight limit or I will be charged a duty tax)

In the mean time I am trying to get myself organized. Which is resulting in a lot of lists. I am planing on updating this blog once or twice a week depending on how busy my schedule ends up being.