A snapshot of a study abroad experience
2011-12-19 13:14:02
by Aja Cooper & Sarah Underhill
If you're considering summer courses, get out of the library and into the jungle. We did just that when we attended a four-week study abroad program at the Archaeological Field School in Belize, offered by the anthropology department at Mount Allison.
On this intensive anthropological excursion we acquired field and lab skills by working with professionals who taught the basics of archaeology, along with specialized topics such as photography and art conservation. The program touches on so many fields of study that students from any discipline will benefit from the experience.
The Belize program offers unimaginable adventures — standing on the top of the 1,500 year old High Temple at Lamanai overlooking the jungle canopy, piecing together a 1,000 year old pot, being at one of the dig sites surrounded by Mayan temples that lie buried beneath centuries of vegetation, and unearthing artifacts that were last touched by the hands of the ancient Maya.
The program spans four weeks. We spent the first few days acclimatizing and navigating the lab, the camp, and the archaeological sites where we would work. For three weeks, from Sunday through Friday, we were either in the field digging test pits, excavating archaeological features, and collecting data, or in the lab processing and cataloguing previous and current finds, analyzing and photographing artifacts, and entering data.
Saturdays consisted of day trips to reconstructed Maya sites and more leisurely activities, such as resting at camp and visiting the local general store to indulge in ice-cold soft drinks, ice cream, and phone calls. The last four days were an educational excursion to other parts of Belize. This included a night tour of the Belize Zoo and a trip to Ambergris Caye, where we experienced modern Belizean culture on a tropical island – a very different environmental setting from the remote jungle.
Our fellow students thoroughly enjoyed and treasured their experience as well.
“The Belize Archaeological Field School program is truly a unique opportunity. As well as receiving nine, third-year credits, students are exposed to local food, learn the basics of jungle survival, interact with local Belizeans, see all manner of wildlife, and develop essential team building and leadership skills.”— third-year political science student, Chris Mah Poy
“I was surprised by how much you can learn in a month. The fundamental archaeological field skills you pick up are something you could never fully grasp in a classroom setting.” — third-year sociology and anthropology major, Nadia Nassar
“Going on this trip was easily the best choice I’ve made so far in university. It really helped me to solidify what I want to keep studying...Besides the amazing people I got to meet and work with, my favourite part of the trip was the hands-on experience...It was incredible to be a part of a real dig right in the centre of an ancient Maya city.”— second-year anthropology student, Vanessa Rowett
PHOTO CAPTION: Aja Cooper (left), and Sarah Underhill (right) sitting on a drain stone near Stela 7, La Milpa, Belize. The stela, which has hieroglyphic inscriptions, was broken by a falling tree in a recent hurricane.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bruce Templeton