I’m not quite sure, but I think there was some hiccup in the space-time continuum. There is no way that four weeks could have gone by that quickly. My time in Corinth came to an end, much to my sadness. Funny as it may seem, I was actually sad to leave the 4:30 am wake ups behind (that’s what time we had to get up in order to eat and get to the dig site by 6 am). And while I couldn’t take any of that with me (except for my trusty trowel- I have a newfound affection for that tool), what I did take is far more valuable than any spectacular find we unearthed- friendships.

My time in Greece was designed to help me determine if I wanted to add Anthropology (specifically, archaeology) as a second major (next to the Classics). I assumed that the best way to know if archaeology was something I could envision myself doing was to actually do it. I have to say, I love it, but probably not for the reasons that others would think. Sure, it can be gratifying to unearth a relic from the ancient past. Discovering an artifact from the Roman Empire era is awesome. It’s a glimpse into the past- it’s almost as if time folds in on itself and for one moment you are able to tangibly touch what someone else touched thousands of years ago. I was able to come away from this experience knowing that archaeology is an avenue that I would like to pursue.

What I came away with more so, however, was the understanding that while liking what you do is important, it’s not as important as who you do it with. My companions in the trench have become life-long friends. We witnessed some exciting finds, watched glorious sunrises (and sunsets), shared countless, lengthy meals, and explored various neighborhoods of Greece together. There was no drama with them- we were genuinely happy to be in each others company, sharing stories of our lives while we were making memories. I know that what I discovered in Corinth will last forever. The connections we made and the passions we shared have made this trip a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Archaeology is all about artifacts. Those artifacts tell stories- they are a mere snippet of someones life or culture at a particular point in history. It is up to us, today, to interpret those stories- to flesh out the life that once existed, to animate what we see only as “ruins”, and to plug that into the historical record. It is the people in the trenches who bring those artifacts to life. The connections that I made on this trip are not just about digging up the past. It has shown me how important it is to be present in order to build bridges to the future.