Bugs, Sore Body, Mysteries. Dated June 5th, 2013.

I am pretty sure that I warned you previously that this blog was going to be a "no strings attached" kind of look into what my life was like last summer. That, obviously, hasn't changed. I will not be editing out specific happenings of my days in the field*. Editing my journal for a blog would take away the authenticity of my experience. Being a girl who has known nothing other than Western comforts, I believe that my words paint an accurate picture of what this culture shock was.  I preemptively apologize if it makes you squeamish, but you're just going to have to deal. Such is life.

*Disclaimer: I will edit coarse language with ****. My Grandma may read this. She doesn't need to see that s**t.

06/05/13
-Early Morning- 6 Am

There are spots on my body that I didn't even know existed that are sore. I'm really excited about getting into the field today. My trench is so fascinating. Like a big mystery my group needs to solve. I guess there is an option to write a paper to present in Cambodia in January- I am really thinking about it. Especially because I could probably use that writing to apply to Grad School. 

The only thing I have issues with is the washing of artifacts. OH MY GOD, SO TEDIOUS. It sucks because it's like you take a shower (you get filthy in the field) and then you get to deal with more f***ing dirt that is all over the artifacts. So you get filthy all over again.

In other news: THE BUGS HERE ARE F***ING MASSIVE. OH.MY.GOD.  So, yesterday I rode on top of the Jeepney- they take us to the site every day and you can ride inside or on top. So, first day into the field, where do you thinkg Jessie Pope rode? ON THE ROOF LIKE AN IDIOT. I can't lie, the views were beautiful. but that's where the fun stops. The catch of riding on the roof is you get to dodge tree branches. Sounds easy, right? Just move the trees out of the way as you go. 

WRONG. Guess what is in those trees? F***ing red ants, bees, millipedes,  AND SPIDERS BIGGER THAN MY HAND. I sh** you not, Joff (a guy with us) warned me about spiders. A second later I turn around and BAM. A spider with a torso as long as a tampon and legs longer than my fingers. Sweet mother of god. It was traumatizing. In that moment I decided that it was perfectly acceptable to be terrified of spiders. And in that moment I was. 

An example of a giant ass spider. She was on our way to the field, roughly 3 ft from our heads. It took a few weeks to notice her.

Then, of course, the beetles. There was a Rhino Beetle on our door two nights ago  and I didn't even scream over it. I think I'm starting to becoming jaded. Alright, time for breakfast and more dirt. Just remember, everything is more fun in the Philippines.

If I could give you an example of how big this guy was: make a hang loose sign with your thumb and pinky. Measure the distance between the two. Yep, that was the length of this guy's antennae. 

<3
Coop

P.s. I finally feel a poop coming on. 
Late at night:
Big, Big P.s.- I will almost always write about my day the next day. Archaeology is exhausting, but at least my ass will be nice :).

Oh, and when I put something in bold: I marked what time of the day I was writing Tucker. It was usually whenever I could squeeze time in.

Being abroad without the person you love is a series of  challenges. The biggest challenge? Communication. And not in the "we just don't talk any more" kind of way. It is more in the "I don't know if there is going to be power or internet access where we are going" kind of way.

While I was in South America communicating was relatively easy. The hotel we stayed in had internet in the main restaurant and although the area was rural a few places had some sort of internet access. Communication in Ifugao is another story. On a daily basis we would lose power for hours at a time. When we lost power we would scramble around to make sure any electronics were unplugged; if they turned the power back on while something was plugged in, it would blow up. This happened twice. Not a good look. At one point a storm came in and knocked out power for almost two days. Or maybe three. I can't even remember. Those days were such a blur.

Facetime dates with my main piece.