Fayum Field School
Egypt
Summer 2010
Student Quotes
Honestly, the only thing that could continually get me up at 4:44 am – and pull me seven kilometers down dusty, dog-laden streets – is the absolute rush of excitement and curiosity at what the day will bring. Will I find a basket? A mummified foot? God forbid another mudbrick tumble? Only at two o'clock that afternoon will I know for sure, returning hot and dusty and feeling utterly accomplished from the field, professing as usual that this was the best day yet."-Charlene Collazzi, Egypt 2008
"The very special thing in this field school was that I felt I lived in many countries and got to know a lot about different cultures and customs through working and living with many archaeologists from different countries. Actually, I feel like this program is not just an excavation training, but it like a community of work, fun, culture, social relations". May Ahmed Talaat, Egypt 2008
"Many Americans have misguided ideas about the Middle East, and I've heard that the feeling is often mutual. I have to admit that my first few days in Egypt were frustrating because I couldn't wrap my head around the culture. After three weeks here, I love Egypt and I have a totally different perspective. I really enjoy the way of life here. My experiences with the Egyptian students have certainly helped. " Mallory A. Ditchey, Egypt 2008
"I learned about Karanis at UCLA, but I never imagined this! Karanis is HUGE, a wasteland of ruins scattered throughout the desert, and when you look at it all you can just imagine the thriving town it used to be. We explored deteriorating temples and ancient roads. The excitement of discovering what's underneath makes the 5 am wakeup call for eight hours of hard manual labor worth it. (Maybe)." Mallory A. Ditchey, Egypt 2008