Fieldnotes

I've always been interested in reading things that have to do with experiences. I've read about reactions to world events; how they impacted people and so on. Only recently I wanted to write something like that myself. I'm not putting this in my fangirl journal because I feel it is much more appropriate over here, where I squee less. Anyway, what follows is a short recollection of a past memory that I feel is an important one to record, no matter how distant or foggy it is to me.

One of my earliest memories is of the 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake. The date was October 17, 1989 and I was 3 years old, in less than two weeks I would be turning 4. The epicenter was located somewhere near Santa Cruz so we were far enough away to not be much affected, damage-wise.

It was about 5 in the afternoon and my mother was folding laundry in the living room, and though I can't remember what I was doing at the time, I know my father was watching the World Series on television. A friend of his was over as well, someone I called 'Uncle Bob' for the simple fact that he is one of my father's best friends and someone who liked to carry me on his shoulders.

My baby sister was in her bassinet, close to my mother so she could be watched over. She was only a month and a half old at the time.

The next thing I remember is my mother making a comment, something along the lines of "oh, earthquake." I don't remember much shaking though now I know that it lasted for about 15 seconds. Though I was not yet knowledgeable in what to do, I do know I ended up under the dining room table and the rest of my family stood under the arch into the dining room. We still had a view of the living room television which had gone all fuzzy. My mom held my sister and my dad told me to stay under the table in case of aftershocks.

I'm not sure how long we stood there or, in my case, hid under the table. But eventually the door chimes stopped moving and I felt it was safe to venture out into the open.

I'm sure we watched the news all day once the stations were back on line, though I don't remember much of the aftermath. The last truly vivid memory I have of the event is seeing the collapsed upper deck section of the Bay Bridge and wondering why such a thing happened. At the time, I must have thought bridges were indestructible.

Bridges are a normal part of life in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you want to get anywhere at all in a reasonable amount of time, you have to drive over one.

So I think it was seeing a broken bridge and the crushed cars beneath it that began my fear of bridges. In later years, I would close my eyes whenever we went over one and had to have someone tell me when it was over.

Now, my fear has faded, through time and over-exposure. I commute over the double-decker Richmond bridge once a week. I like bridges now and I'm in love with the Golden Gate Bridge; I can never drive over it enough.

The only thing I dislike about bridges now is the toll. But I have to wonder, when the next big quake hits (for we all know that one surely will), will my fear of bridges resurface?

The answer is, I hope, simple. I will do everything to make sure that it does not become true.

I really want to go to this field school.

I just sent them an email and I'm crossing my fingers that it won't be too expensive for me.

Because seriously, how cool is mortuary archaeology? Here's me still on a search for an emphasis :D

Here is an excerpt of my paper.

( Introduction )

I decided to type up some of my notes and observations from my trip. Some things I edited out, such as notes for assignments, but otherwise it's mostly an overview of the first couple of weeks (with notebooks, I tend to forget to write things down later on).

I added some comments in italics, filling in bits of info that I might have left out the first time around. Also, to make up for my lack of pictures for the first site, I added a link.

( June 5th, Tuesday )

( June 7th, Thursday )

( June 10th, Sunday )

( June 13th, Wednesday )

I don't have many notes after that, like I said, I have a horrible journal writing habit. Anyway, I'll probably post more random tidbits that I remember later on but this is it for now!

~LIZ

I have half of the pictures from the fieldschool up on facebook right now. I'm also planning on putting them up on a couple other sites as well so they're more accesible to those who don't have facebook.

I'll see about posting them here as well but, well, I took over 600 photos and it will take awhile :3

I'm also planning some slideshows and, due to me taking a lot of video on the trip, small clips of random moments.

This is just a quick post for now, more later!

We will be staying in San Ignacio from June 3rd to June 30th.

July 1st through July 6th will be an extra fun trip to Honduras and Guatemala!

We will be staying at the Venus Hotel in downtown San Ignacio and conducting ethnographic fieldwork on the topic of our choice. We will have the rest of the summer after we get back to work on the paper itself, and will turn it in at the beginning of the fall semester.

The groups who went on the last two Belize trips presented their papers at conferences; the first one in Canada, the second in Florida.

Thinking I might conduct my interview about the arts: dancing and/or music. Idea may change if I get inspired.

The downside? Getting the shots before I leave and the giant June bugs when I get there!

So.

I'm getting on a plane tomorrow morning at 6am.

I am so anxious, a little nervous, but very excited.

I worked extra hours this past week so I'm doing all my packing today. I propbably won't get any sleep, it depends on if I have everything ready to go after I get off work tonight.

Next update will be in about a month. With pictures! And stories! And info about my ethnography!

Bye!

I'm sitting here typing this and every so often looking over at my passport.

It's so shiny and official.

You have to forgive how awed I am by this, considering I've never had a passport or been out of the country before.

I'm actually GOING, how amazing is this?

Not even the side effects from the typhoid pills are getting me down.

It's 11 days left now.

We've also officially decided to go to Honduras as well. I can't WAIT to see the Mayan ball courts, I've had such a fascination with them since I was younger.

I'm doing the calm sort of quiet squeeing right now, but the fact that I'm really leaving won't hit me until I'm actually on the plane.

I am so thankful that I get this experience. I hope it will be the first of many!

• Ma main se sent touchée aussi bien qu’elle touche ; réel veut dire cela, et rien de plus, Paul Valéry

"My hand feels touched as well as it touches; that's reality, and nothing more"

Apparently there are seven other people in my Anthro theory class that are going to Belize as well! We all kind of randomly met in the hallway after class and traded names and numbers and things!

Found out that four of them are going to Guatemala a week before the Belize trip starts, so the other four of us discussed going the week after Belize (the first week of July) because none of us could go the first week.

SO NOW I'M GOING TO GUATEMALA TOO!

MAYBE Honduras...we made plans to discuss the extra trip later this week...probably during the official Belize trip meeting.

I kind of want to go to Honduras too because I want to see the Mayan ball courts especially, since I'm not sure if they have those in Guatemala. I can only stay until the next Friday because then I have to go back to work...the other three want to head on the Honduras after that.

WE'LL SEE.

omgsqueebelizeomg!

(Side note: My good friend socalcharger is one of the people I'm going to Belize with!)

Well, there's just about one month left before I leave for Belize and I have so much to do!

Thankfully, I have my passport all ready to go, I was panicking about it earlier because I didn't think I would receive it in time, so that's one less thing to worry about!

Since I worked better when I'm organized, here is my to-do list before I go:

• Get passport.
• Photocopy passport.
• Book flight. (used cheaptickets.com)
  
• Pay tuition fee through extended education, preferably tomorrow!
• Pay program fee on Wednesday!
  
• Get shots (ack!) for Hep. A and Typhoid.
• Get malaria pills while at doctor's office, too.
• Attend second trip meeting on May 18th.
• Work more hours to save money!
  
• Buy tape recorder, notebooks, etc.
• Find a single strap book bag or backpack that I don't mind getting a little messed up.
• Figure out if I have enough proper clothes and/or buy some.
• Find good size backpacking bag.
• Pick up prescription on Monday.
• SURVIVE FINALS ack!
• Meet with socalcharger, C, and S on Wednesday to discuss Honduras trip.
  

I'm also moving out of the dorms and into an apartment this summer, so that will take a lot of time, as well.

I sooo can't wait for June 3rd!