#windwolves

First, I fucking love the outdoors.  4 wheeling into the back country of a preserve to look at rock art only a few other people have seen is amazing, but it is especially so when the paintings are surrounded by a ridiculously striking landscape--imagine the rolling hills in Marin on crack, then multiply that by ten and sprinkle in a little more wilderness and you'll have some idea of what I mean.  We’re talking crazy rock formations, undulating grasses, babbling streams, and countless remnants of Chumash life.  Plus, seeing bobcats, owls, and hawks on the reg wasn’t too bad either.

Second, I fucking love archaeology.  Although we didn’t find much, troweling through dirt and sifting through soil was amazing.  Looking at the few artifacts we did find and trying to recreate the scenario in which they were used tested my imagination and caused me to interpret my surroundings in a whole new way.  Plus, being exposed to the ridiculous amount of knowledge the program directors had at their disposal was humbling and motivated me to immerse myself in this field and learn as much as my tiny brain will absorb.

Third, archaeologists are genuinely nice people.  I spent less than 2 days with the people working at Wind Wolves but I left the preserve feeling as if I’d known them for ages.  I drove away having been given hugs, gifts, and pleas to return this summer (as if I needed any).  I'm literally counting down the days until July 8th.

Finally, British people are fucking awesome and being forced to spend the weekend with some of the finest boys and funniest girls I’ve ever met was not the worst thing I’ve ever done.  I'm so glad I got to spend time with them and hear their experiences trying to get out of undergrad (or "uni," apparently) with a degree in archaeology.