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.