Living It Up at the Dead Sea

 

Living my best life at the Dead Sea

Friday is the Muslim day of worship, and that means the weekend for us!  We didn't go out to the dig site on Friday, June 24 and were free to do what we wanted for the day.

I decided to join Dr. Stacie and Mr. Aaron Hatfield, and two of the Andrews University college students, Christen and Isabel on a jaunt to the Dead Sea.

We stopped off first at the Memorial Church of Moses located on Mount Nebo, the place where the Bible says the Lord took Moses to see the Promised Land before his death.

Moses had to hike.  We just drove right up.

The view from Mount Nebo. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure you are not looking at the Promised Land. I think I took this photo facing east instead of west.  But I could be wrong.

My rudimentary knowledge of Latin leads me to believe the inscription on this sculpture reads:
One God
Father of All
Above All

It was really cool to see these pottery vessels that looked similar to the types of sherds we'd been finding the day before at Hisban.

A Roman mile marker found near Hisban.  Here  we see the marker itself and the transcription in Latin. Below is the English translation

Some of the floor murals at the Memorial Church of Moses. The bottom one is my favorite.

This is an artist's interpretation of the image of the serpent on a pole that Moses made for the people of Israel when they were plagued by deadly snakes in the wilderness.  All who looked at the image were healed.

This is the Promised Land as seen from Mt. Nebo

After visiting we Mount Nebo, we continued on to the Dead Sea.  The Dead Sea is lined with high-end resorts and we decided our best bet was to find what we hoped was the cheapest option among them to access the beach.  In the end we settled on the Oh Beach Resort on the Dead Sea.  The fee was $20 JD (Around $30 US) and included access to the changing and shower rooms, the resort pools, and of course beach access.  For $10 JD more we could have had lunch included as well, but we decided to hunt for cheaper eats when we were done for the day.

Technically the Dead Sea is "under the sea."

The Dead Sea was amazing! You've heard that you can float easily in the Dead Sea. Well, I can report that is false. It's not that you can float in the Dead Sea; it's that you must float in the Dead Sea. You have no choice; it's literally impossible to sink.  It's to the extent that when I tried to float vertically, my body tended to tip over, either forward or backward.  The reason you see people joyously showing themselves floating with ease on their back isn't because they are showing off--it's because that's all you can really do. 

The water feels normal when you first get in--it's not cold at all. But you soon notice that it has a somewhat viscous quality--to me it's kind of like Jello that hasn't quite begun to set yet. It tastes terrible. I got just a few drops in my mouth and it had a strong taste that I liken to batteries (although I've never tasted batteries).  Any cut, no matter how slight will sting like the dickens.  I was fortunate not to have any wounds and I've been vigilant about trying to avoid any scratches this week since we'll be going back there this Friday.  However, even without wounds, you may experience what I call a "sting-y, sting-y" sensation at the openings of your private areas.  I heard that women in particular experience this, but I can attest that men can experience it also (although I have talked to some guys that say they haven't felt anything).  You don't feel it at first, and while it is a bit uncomfortable, it's not unbearable. I find the stinging sensation is actually worse when you  get out.  But as soon as you wash off in fresh water, you're fine.  Thankfully they had showers right on the beach so we didn't have to suffer too long.

The salt left behind by the evaporated water of the Sea leaves a briny coating that has the look and feel of hardened cake frosting. If you zoom in on the picture above you'll notice a green beach towel on one of the rocks, left behind and now encrusted with a glaze of salt.  Below, if you zoom in you'll see little droplets of a salt on the shorter strands of Isabel's hair.

Once we'd had our fill of the Dead Sea, we rinsed off and headed to the pools, where we lolled about in luxury for a few hours.  The Oh Beach Resort reminds me so much of the Mandi Resort and Spa where Barbara and spent so many idyllic hours during our Saipan years.  From the multitude of infinity pools to the spaces for quiet relaxation, to the richly appointed (but also somewhat musty) changing rooms and showers, the Oh sparked a lot of memories.

A relaxing little nook. Looks perfect for a nap!

Hanging at the pool with Isabel, Christen, Stacie and her husband Aaron

Walking back to the car. Those flowers remind me of Saipan too!

We wrapped up our day with lunch at nearby "mall" and then headed for home.  It was a great way to kick off the weekend.

Sifting: The First Two Days

 

The sifting station. You can see the mount of dirt that has been sifted out underneath the mesh tray. The bucket hanging on the right is where the pottery sherds and other things of interest we find are placed. Nice view of the countryside which you can enjoy as you are sifting (as long as there's not too much dust in your eyes)

After my unplanned and much-needed respite in Washington DC over the weekend, my new flight to Jordan went off without incident.  I left Washington DC Monday afternoon, June 20 and made a quick hop over to Boston where I had a three hour layover.  I then boarded a Lufthansa flight for a red-eye to Frankfurt, Germany.  I arrived around noon in Frankfurt (6 AM EST) on Tuesday, June 21 and I had a nine hour layover there.  While I could have left the airport to try to see a few quick sights, I was too exhausted to even think about passing through immigration and finding my way around an unfamiliar city. My final flight left Frankfurt around 9:30 PM and I landed in Amman, Jordan a little before 3 AM on Wednesday, June 22.

Walking off the plane into a completely unfamiliar culture was both exhilarating and intimidating.  Fortunately I had help, someone local that the field school had tasked with meeting me at the gate, guiding me through immigration and the visa process, and helping me collect my bags. He handed me off to a waiting car and we sped off into the night. The Jordanian landscape at night was reminiscent of Texas, with its vast, sprawling landscapes. The most memorable part of that drive was when the driver changed the radio station from Arabic pop to the plaintive call to the first prayers of the morning.  It was spine-tingling to hear the radio call blend seamlessly with the one blaring from a nearby green-lit mosque.  

By the time I arrived at the Salome Hotel and got into my room, breakfast was only an hour away.  I decided to just go ahead and stay up until then so that I could meet the team and get a sense of what my day might look like. I was tired, but excited and while I secretly hoped I might take the morning off to sleep and recover, I was encouraged to go ahead and go out to the dig site with the team.  Even if I didn't actually do anything other than watch, being out there instead of being in my hotel bed would probably be better for beating jet lag.

This is where we have our meals at the Salome Hotel

So at 6 AM, I piled onto the bus with the rest of the team and headed for Tall Hisban.  Tall Hisban looms over the nearby village, providing a commanding view of the surrounding area. It has been occupied by successive cultures for thousands of years. The first archeological surveys of Tall Hisban set out to find evidence of the Biblical kingdom of Heshbon.  Though the site has not yet proved be the location of Biblical Heshbon, it remains a a treasure trove of information about the people who have lived in this area over the millennia, from the Islamic period, through the periods of Greek and Roman occupation, and stretching back to the Iron Age.  

The acropolis at the top of Tall Hisban, left over from the Greek and Roman period

The view from the top of Tall Hisban. It was unusually cloudy the first day I was on site, Wednesday, June 22.  The next day was more typical--clear skies with only a little haze.

I was eager to get my hands dirty (literally) so instead of watching the others, I had them put me to work. I started out clearing out some grass roots from one of the four 5 meter by 5 meter squares we are working on this season.  This week has been devoted to "clean-up"--removing the plant growth and other debris that has taken over the site since the last dig, as well as the top soil--ahead of excavation proper. But even during the clean up phase, we track everything we do.  Top soil and it's attendant debris was dumped into to rubber containers called guffahs and transported to sifters that were stationed on another part of the tall.  I ended up spending most of my morning working on the sifter.  The guffahs are dumped into a sifter, which allows the dirt to be filtered out leaving behind rocks and pebbles, some roots, and quite a few items of archaeological interest--mostly pottery sherds, but also, tesserae (the cubes  that were once part of a mosaic), bones, some glass, and even the occasional piece of metal.  The sifter removes these items from the sifter and drops them into a pottery bucket to be washed and then "read."  Bones, glass, and metal are placed into their own paper or plastic bags in the bucket.

Me, covered in dust, after a morning of sifting. It was actually a bit chilly in the mornings--enough that I found my hoodie came in handy. I had only brought it to wear on the plane, but I've been using it everyday on the site so far, at least for the first few hours before it warms up.

Sifting is probably the dirtiest job on the site. Even though the sifters are positioned so that dust blows away from the sifter, in a matter of minutes I was coated in blowing dirt and my eyes were stinging from the dust.  Still the work was fairly straightforward: Dump in a guffah or two, taking care to tally each guffah on our digital counter, shake the sifter until all the soil is filtered out and then pick through the remaining detritus for the pottery and other items, and drop them in the bucket.  Then do it all again.  The trick was to work fast enough so that the filled guffahs didn't start to pile up around the sifting station, slowing down the work of those excavating, but also not going so fast that we ended up missing and dumping out important finds. Most of the morning I worked with a Jordanian university student named Sina. She and I got into a good rhythm of doing a two guffah-one guffah cycle of sifting that kept us from falling behind.  Despite it's gritty nature, I liked sifting. You actually find a lot more than those doing the excavating--at least that's how it seemed to me.

The morning's work was broken by "second breakfast" around 9 AM. We all trooped down to a house on the dig site where we had a light breakfast of pitas filled with veggies, hummus, and pickles, as well as wedges of sweet, juicy melons, all washed down with hot tea.  Then it was back to work on the site.

This was second breakfast on my second day. Zaatar bread (a flat bread covered in olive oil and thyme I think) and hot sweetened tea.  Delicious!

Second breakfast

Work for the day concluded around noon and we were transported to a nearby community center where we were served lunch by some of the local ladies.  Lunch was huge platters of rice with potatoes and chicken and a tabbouleh-like salad. 

After lunch we were bussed back to the hotel and were more or less free for the afternoon.  There's time for an afternoon siesta and then many of the university students had coursework to complete or even classes with their professors here on the dig.  In previous years they've devoted a couple of hours to pottery reading as well, though this year they are trying to do most if not all of the pottery washing and reading in the morning concurrent with the excavation work. 

I ended up with my own room--at least for the time being. The guy I was supposed to room with contracted COVID and was just getting out of isolation when I arrived.  With three beds in the room, I have a purpose for each one. The one on the right is for sleeping at night, the one of the left is where I change and put my clothing (don't have to worry about getting where I sleep dusty), and the last bed. . .

. . . is reserved for my afternoon naps!

I thought for sure I would sleep, but I didn't really start to get sleepy until about an hour before supper, so I forced myself to stay awake.  I had spent the afternoon getting settled in my room and had attempted to blog a little, but my brain was too exhausted for that.  I ended up staying awake by reading the gripping thriller No Exit. I could not go to sleep while reading that book!  Supper was at 6 PM and by a little after 8 PM, I was out for the night.

I slept pretty well and woke up around 4:30 AM feeling refreshed and energized for the day.

The second day, Thursday, June 23,, it was mainly my hands that got dirty rather than all of  me as I worked on excavating top soil on the square I was assigned to. Most of what I excavated was easy for me to miss in the piles of dirt I was scooping into the guffah.  But I did find  a few larger sherds, including one that qualified as a diagnostic piece.  Diagnostic pieces have identifying marks (a handle, a rim, writing etc) that enable the archaeologist to tell more about the original object.  They are not as common as the "body sherds"--pieces of pottery without those elements, and so it's always exciting to find one.

My diagnostic find

The part of the square where I worked Thursday. I'm only here temporarily. I'll be assigned my permanent square next week.

Excavation tools. I used the trowel the most. You do mostly scraping, not actual digging with the pick because you don't want to risk damaging things you might find.

I napped Thursday afternoon for an hour and a half. I could have slept longer but didn't want to mess up my sleep that night. After dinner I went walking around the down with Dr. Stacie Hatfield, the cultural anthropologist on the team, her husband Aaron, and two of the Andrews University students, Christin and Lydia. We ended up at this charming bookshop with a nice little outdoor café on the lower level and spent a couple of hours getting to know each other over tea. Since it was the weekend (the weekend in Jordan is Friday and Saturday, so Thursday night is kind of their version of "Friday night") I stayed up a little later since I didn't have to get up early the next morning.

At the Kawon bookstore cafe, Thursday evening, June 23

So far I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my experience here.  It's a bit intimidating--it's hard being new at something and not feeling very competent.  But everyone is encouraging and supportive. I'm also somewhat overwhelmed--both by figuring out how and when to document this experience as well thinking about how I'm going to turn this all into my 6th-8th grade social studies theme next year. It all feels like more than I can process.  But I'm sure that will come together as I get settled in.  I am tired as well--the combination of the heat, the work, and some jet lag make it hard for me to settle down and organize this experience into a narrative.  Right now, I'm just filling guffahs and struggling to keep up with sifting this experience.  The "reading"--the analysis and understanding of it all will come later. 

After the excavation, the sifting, and the washing comes the reading of the pottery: identifying and making sense of what we've found.

The Perfect Trip

 

At the top of Diamond Head Crater with students from the class of 2022, Wednesday, June 1, 2022

At the top of Diamond Head Crater with students from  the class of 2020, Monday, June 6, 2022.

Since the last time I took a group of eighth graders to Hawaii--eight years ago--I've done a cruise to the Bahamas, trips to Puerto Rico,  Chicago, Niagara Falls & Toronto, Atlanta, and a road trip around the Southeastern United States.  And while all of those trips have been amazing, Hawaii still rules them all. I still feel the way I did in 2014--that I'd be happy to take every class to Hawaii.  It really is my favorite destination.

I'm sure people are inclined to wonder: "Why Hawaii? For 8th graders?"  And I will concede that Hawaii presents some pretty daunting challenges.  It is expensive.  When our class began fundraising for the trip, I really wasn't sure we could pull it off.  Each student had to raise $2000 a piece.  And that wasn't even the full per person cost of the trip (the rest was covered by our whole class fundraisers and my personal fundraising efforts).  When people are out there struggling, it's a hard sell that our kids should get this "extravagant" trip. 

 And it is a long trip to get there.   The kids are really far from home--there are foreign countries that are much, much closer than Hawaii.  So not every class is cut out for a trip of that magnitude. I've had classes who wanted to go to Hawaii--but it became clear that the group wasn't ready and we chose a closer, cheaper destination. 

 Yet, I still maintain that Hawaii is the perfect trip. You see, I try to ensure the ideal class trip contains most if not all of some key elements. Every trip should incorporate some first time experiences, some time outside in nature, cultural exposure, a little bit of history, something fancy, and if, there's time an activity that's "just for fun."  Hawaii nails them all and then some. 

Air, Land and Sea: The Triple Threat of First Time Experiences

I love watching my students in the airport.  For many of them, it is the first time they have ever flown.  Sure, sometimes they're scared but the fear is usually outpaced by wonder. When we go to Hawaii, an airplane is the only way to get there.  

 For most of my students, Hawaii marks the first time they have been to a tropical island. And what an island!  The vistas are incredible and watching my students drink in the views is such a pleasure. 

Our class chaplain of the class of 2022 at the peak of Diamond Head Crater with Honolulu spread out below

And finally, there's the beach. I was surprised by how many students have never been to the ocean.  It wasn't entirely pleasant for them:  "It's so salty," they said, and fussed when the seawater stung their eyes.  But that's the thing about new experiences--part of what makes them great is the challenge that often accompanies them.  And the kids did acclimatize.  We made it a goal to get in at least a couple hours at the beach every day no matter what else was on the agenda.

Some of the class of 2020 enjoying Kailua Beach, Monday, June 6, 2022

The Greatest Outdoors:

Even in water this shallow, the kids could see amazing fish at Hanauma Bay. Thursday, June 2, 2022 (the Class of 2022's final day in Hawaii)

 Almost everything we did in Hawaii was outside.  There was the beach of course, but the Polynesian Cultural Center, the hike up Diamond Head, even the luau were all outside.  But even beyond merely being outside or doing an "outside activity"--was being exposed to nature in a way that was both profoundly educational and new to my students.  Our day at Hanauma Bay exemplified this.  It's now much more difficult to get into Hanauma Bay than it was eight years ago. It's $25 per person--up from $7.50 last time I was there--and getting the advance reservation tickets online is virtually impossible.  They are snapped up within minutes.  We ended up having to go really early and wait in line for two hours.  But the wait was worth it. Hanauma Bay is a protected nature preserve containing a vibrant coral reef teaming with hundreds of species of fish--some that are found nowhere else in the world--as well as the occasional sea turtle or sea lion.  Because the fish are used to people they tend not to scatter as you approach.  As a result even my non-swimming students were able to dip their heads under waist deep water and see beautiful tropical fish.  At Hanauma Bay you are not at the aquarium, you are in the aquarium. It's a priceless experience.

My  2022 student gives Hanauma Bay (in the background) a thumbs up

And for my second, older group, the students from the class of 2020 we were able to take it to the next level and go on a cage diving adventure to see sharks in the wild!

Belvia Jackson took this photo from the boat while we were in the cage watching the sharks. Wednesday, June 8 2022

America but Not American:

A student tries his hand at weaving a basket from pandanus leaves (Class of 2022, Tuesday, May 31, 2022)

A Tongan presenters shares about Tongan food

The students try to start a fire with two sticks. Our class president managed to generate some smoke.

The students try out canoeing and . . .

. . .spear throwing

Some of the fellas with their (temporary) Fijian tattoos

At the Fijian section of the Polynesian Cultural Center

  One of my favorite things about Hawaii is being able to introduce students to a new culture.  They get a taste of language, lifestyle, and yes food, that is new to them. Most of my students have had little to no exposure to any Pacific Island culture and have limited knowledge of Asian cultures (which also have a strong presence in Hawaii).  Their experiences at the Polynesian Cultural Center learning about the people of Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Fiji, and Hawaii was a rich experience. The kids get to try their hand at traditional cultural activities like starting a fire with two pieces of wood or learning some basic hula moves.  They learn more about Hawaiian culture at the luau where they feast on Hawaiian cuisine, listen to Hawaiian music, and watch the beautiful and powerful dances of the various Polynesian cultures they've learned about. It's an added plus that my students can experience this "foreign" culture without needing a passport!

Royalty and Remembrance:  

The  2022 students outside Iolani Palace, Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Here's the class of 2020. You can barely see them but you get a better view of the palace (Tuesday, June 7, 2022)

The throne room of Iolani Palace

History is not usually my students' favorite part of any class trip. Those museum trips have to be in small doses otherwise they zone out.  Fortunately, our two history stops in Hawaii are both short and gripping, so they really register with the kids.  First we go to Iolani Palace, the only official royal residence on American soil.  The palace was the last home of the Hawaiian kings and queens before the monarchy was abolished with the imprisonment of the last Hawaiian monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, in one of the bedrooms of the palace.  She was held in that room for 8 months before being released.  We always take the audio tour and the narrative of the dispossession of the Hawaiian people of their land is both moving and sobering.

The Class of 2020 at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, Thursday, June 9, 2022 (I was already on my way home by this time.  Parent chaperones Belvia Jackson and Tricia Crawford stayed with the kids an extra two days in Hawaii.  Belvia snapped this pic and the one below.)

The USS Arizona Memorial as seen from a distance.  Neither class was able to secure tickets to visit this sacred place. We will aim to get them next time.

Also on a solemn note, is the visit to Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial--the site of the Japanese attack on the United States that ushered our country into World War II. Unfortunately, getting out to the Arizona Memorial  is now extremely difficult with the limited number of tickets snatched literally within seconds of being available. As a result, the class of 2022 missed Pearl Harbor.  But the Class of 2020 was able to visit the Pearl Harbor visitor's center if not the Arizona Memorial itself. For future groups I will book with a tour company (and pay the exorbitant $72 per person for what is ordinarily a free tour) as that seems to be the only way to get out to the Arizona. 

Luau: The Dress Down Banquet:  

The Class of 2022 at the Luau, Tuesday, May 31, 2022

One of my students at the luau with her mom, Robin, who was one of our chaperones

Me with our class vice president

Group Shot of the Class of 2020 at their Luau, Sunday, June 5, 2022.  One of the cool things about taking two classes back to back is that the staff at the places recognized me from my previous visit with the Class of 2022. I felt like an old hand. And the front desk employees at our hotel the Ohana Waikiki East by Outrigger, were like old friends by the end of the trip.

Starting with our class trip to Chicago in 2016, I've always tried to plan a special dinner where the kids can dress up fancy.  Well, Hawaii isn't really a dress up kind of place, but there's still a very special dinner--the Hawaiian luau!  This year we went to the Paradise Cove Luau on the western side of the Oahu. In addition to the delicious feast, we were treated to a lei greeting, a picture perfect sunset (we got lucky but it almost felt like that sunset was part of the package), and a fantastic show featuring the music and dances of Polynesia.  Obviously the fire knife dancer from Samoa was a highlight.

Missing the Fun? Not hardly!

Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay

Hiking Diamond Head Crater

Playing in the sand at sunset on Waikiki Beach. I don't think these kids were sad they didn't get to go to a theme park.

  The one thing we don't have in Hawaii is a "just for fun" day.  This is not a must for me on class trips, but if we've covered the history, culture, and outdoors and we still have space in our trip, I'll throw in some time at the local amusement or theme park.  What I love about Hawaii is that even though we don't have time for a "just for fun" day, it's also not needed.  In between our planned activities the kids can go shopping or grab an extra swim at Waikiki.  But Hawaii is unique in that all of the other experiences we have are also really fun and interesting.  As you may have noted, each activity in Hawaii kills multiple birds with one stone. One event can be outdoors, historical, cultural, and fun.  You can't beat that!  We don't even bother swimming in the hotel pool (which is usually the number one thing kids want to do when we go on a school trip).  I think we hit the pool once for about 40 minutes when we first got to Hawaii, while we were waiting for everyone to be ready to go to dinner and then a sunset swim at the beach. I found the pool small and crowded, and we never went back.  And honestly, who goes all the way to Hawaii just to swim in the hotel pool!  

The Eye-Opener Bonus: 

In our Aloha shirts (Students from the class of 2022, on Thursday, June 2, 2022)

 There's one final thing that makes Hawaii special. It's that it opens my students eyes to the possibilities life offers them.  Visiting Hawaii makes them realize that the whole world is open for them to explore if they choose.  They have options, choices that they can pursue and achieve with focus and hard work.  They don't have to be excluded from places like Hawaii.  They can not only visit Hawaii--they realize, they could live there if they wanted.  It's hard to explain, but giving my students the world is one of the greatest rewards of these class trips.  And with Hawaii that gift really registers.  The students of 2022 are already talking about a return visit in ten years.  And the class of 2020 wants to travel somewhere together after they graduate in two years--it doesn't have to be Hawaii, but somewhere. Hawaii is the jumping off point to seeing the world.

Next year, as the class of 2023 considers it's options for class trip, you can bet I'll be strongly encouraging them to consider Hawaii as the perfect trip!