SURVIVORS' TALES
"I
remember finding my first piece of pottery, three huge shards of an amphora
sitting in the foundation trench of a temple to Augustus Caesar, and I couldn't
believe it. I remembered looking at artifacts in a museum display and wishing
that I could have been the one to find it. With ArchaeoSpain, you will be
the first one in 2,000 years to touch these artifacts.
"Pollentia is one of the few archaeological programs where as a high school student you can take part in all aspects of the excavation process, from digging to categorizing artifacts to drawing and reconstructing pottery. And the counselors and the excavation leaders are not only experts in their fields, but they genuinely care about making sure you have the absolute best time every day for the duration of the trip. This is the best program I have ever participated in and I am so thankful for the opportunity to have been part of the Pollentia excavation team."
—Chris Rendón, Palos Verdes High School (California)
"One of my favorite learning experiences was whenever I learned a new digging technique from the archaeologists, as well as learning more Spanish words and phrases along the way. This dig is for someone who loves archaeology or history, and wants to learn about different cultures while meeting new people along the way. The staff here are wonderful! Juanjo and Sara are the best counselors that anyone could ever hope for! They are hilarious and are excellent teachers. I don't know what I would have done without them. Thank you for giving me this wonderful opportunity."
—Fatima Pirtle, Du Quoin High School (Illinois)
"Because of this program I can identify everything from African amphorae to Roman cooking pottery to ancient animal jawbones. ArchaeoSpain was a great learning experience and made me even more certain that I want to become an archaeologist."
—Claire Quin, New School of Northern Virginia
"I learned that archeological fieldwork is very physical, but if you're willing to put in the work then it really pays off. There is also no greater feeling then finding a unique artifact that hasn't been seen thousands of years. I think the people that would get the most out of this trip are people that love to have fun, don't mind getting little sleep sometimes, enjoy meeting new people, have a sense of humor, and enjoy learning about new cultures."
—Mike von Tsurikov, Cooperstown High School (New York)
"During the program I learned how to use tools in different situations, about how the various layers help me understand how the dating process works, and how to differentiate between time periods. And one of my favorite parts were the weekend trips, traveling around the island and seeing the different influences the people and their ancestors have experienced."
—Irena Eisenhauer, American Embassy School (New Delhi)
"These four weeks have been the month of a lifetime. Besides the meals, jokes, trips, digging, and so much more, what stands out most was reconstructing a ceramic jar. I loved studying the pottery shards for similar shapes, patterns and speckles in the clay for the slight chance that they will fit together, and then discovering those that do. I really enjoyed being able to work with experienced archaeologists as well as college students. It was a great atmosphere where you learn about the pottery by looking through what you've found on site and sorting it all."
—Rebecca Morris, San Marino High School (California)
"The
most important learning experiences I took from ArchaeoSpain were the interactions
between the high school students and the Spanish volunteers and archaeologists,
reaching out of my comfort zone by coming here for the summer, and enduring
long hours of manual labor every day. But it is worth it when you can make
amazing discoveries. The last dinner, when everyone was able to come together
and relax and have fun was one of the best nights of the trip. I loved socializing
with the volunteers and archaeologists. They were all such amazing people
and I learned so much from them."
—Miranda Litwak, Horace Greeley High School (New York)
"I learned that archaeology is a long process and requires a lot of patience. In order to really appreciate the program, you have to be ready to work. But all of this hard work made me appreciate what archaeologists go through every day and made me truly respect what it means to be an archaeologist. I also found it really interesting to learn how the Romans used true north to build and develop their cities. I had no idea that the Romans were so math-oriented, and it was cool to be able to apply my knowledge of geometry to see how a Roman city was built."
—Lauren Soll, Columbia Prep School (New York)
"The
first night of the program, when Spain won the World Cup, was unbelievable.
I'll definitely remember that for years to come. There are definitely some
bragging rights that come with being in Spain on that night."
—Julian Amrine, Beaufort High School (South Carolina)
"My favourite learning experience was learning to classify the pottery and bones that we found in the ground, as well as being able to tell the origin and date of an artifact just by looking at it. Archaeology is more than just sitting and endlessly scanning through the ground with a toothbrush or finding a skeleton every five minutes (as portrayed on TV), but that it is surprisingly hard work and often with fruitless days. However, this makes all the labour worth the wait when a magnificent piece is found."
—Freddie Camps-Harris, Eton College (England)
"I learned that archaeology is very complex. It's not just digging,
but it also involves all sorts of analytical tools. All in all, to be an
archaeologist you have to be motivated, and if you are, it is the most enjoyable
job in the world. Going to the field every day is physically demanding, and
you need to be ready for that. The more you enjoy doing what you do, the
more you will get out of the experience. The ArchaeoSpain staff were amazing,
incredibly well-learned in the field, and they had tons of great stories
and lessons to share. The Spanish archaeologists were incredible as well:
fun, patient, informative, and they really helped me learn what it would
be like to be an archaeologist."
—Jacob Kayen, Lynbrook High School (New York)
"I will never forget the day I battled a fellow archaeologist in wheelbarrow jousting. Everyone slowly gathered around, I was handed my basket as a shield and pick axe as a lance and I climbed into the wheelbarrow. As we jousted, I realized my full love for the community that was built at the site, a group that was able to work hard, yet take a break for wheelbarrow jousting."
—Priyanka Amin, Piedmont High School (California)
"I learned about the technical aspects of archaeology, about stratigraphy, and how to notice the different layers in the ground. Overall the program really opened my eyes to what archaeology in the field really is like. It was extremely rewarding and the Spanish staff and our group leaders did a wonderful job educating us in archaeology. Juanjo and Elena were the best people I have ever encountered. Both are very smart, have great attitudes, and handled everything with great wisdom and composure."
—Vera Penavic, Smithtown High School West (New York)
"The work was hard and the sun was strong, and much of our day was physical, but knowing that we were digging ancient ruins was thrilling. We were ecstatic when the dig director let us dig up pieces of amphora that had just been found. I can remember my hand shaking as I gripped the trowel and pulled the first shard out of the ground. It was an incredible experience. I was literally pulling little fragments of history out of the ground."
—Charlotte Dougall, St Paul's Girls' School (London)
"We had the greatest staff members I could've asked for on this trip. They were incredible, and always had our interests at heart. My favorite learning experiences on the trip came from being able to work alongside actual archaeologists and archaeology students. The archaeologists taught us so much about their fields of expertise, and the university students were more than willing to share their knowledge."
—Kellan Rohde, Flintridge Preparatory School (California)
"Coming
in to this program I had close to no knowledge about archaeology, but now
I can say I understand the work that archaeologists do. The lectures also
taught me about Spain's history and archeological theory. People who have
a desire to learn, who are willing to work hard, and are capable of working
with a team would get the most out of this program. While it's really fun,
it is still a lot of hard work that requires a lot of cooperation between
team members."
—Ann Cavers, Darien High School (Connecticut)
"I learned a lot about archaeology during my trip. I learned how one classifies artifacts; the difference between pieces of pottery; and how one can tell, just from observation, what time period it came from. I also learned how to excavate with tools, and that even working in 98 degree temperatures can be a lot of fun. I think that anyone with the slightest interest would appreciate every aspect of this program. It was just amazing."
—Kate Ludin, Wakefield High School (Virginia)
"This program opened my eyes to the complexity of archaeology and its rewards. I really gained a better understanding of how the excavation process works and how each layer reveals more about the site... My favorite experiences were the times learning about the different types of pottery or the site's history and stratigraphy. I consider the chaperones and site directors to be mentors and family."
—Charlotte Sullivan, National Cathedral School (Maryland)