I worked as a field tech on the excavation site of the current largest site of child sacrifice discovered. In the time that I was there, the team I worked with excavated almost 50 victims and around 200 llamas. To work on such a site, we attended a variety of lectures, including Peruvian history, archeology, osteology, and anthropology. I learned both in the classroom and in the field. As it was common for us to rotate around the site, I never knew what would be uncovered that day. It was incredibly rewarding to unearth something new. Additionally, this aided in how I made inferences. I applied what I learned in lectures to have a deeper understanding of what I had found. For instance, some sacrifices had head wraps, or colored clothing. In class, we learned how this signified their age, why they were sacrificed, and where they were originally born.
Additionally, we were completely immersed in Peruvian culture. I loved being away from the major tourist cities such as Cusco, although I did make an extra trip to visit it after the program. We rode reed fishing boats, ate traditional foods, and visited a plethora of museums and sites. It was also interesting to see how museums were curated for local people, rather than tourists. In Huaca de la Luna, for example, signs were entirely in Spanish, and I found that there was more in-depth information than at the tourist sites that I visited in Cusco. As Huanchaco is a small town, with only a few people who spoke English, my Spanish skills quickly grew to the point in which I could comfortably shop at the local market. It was also fun to ask the locals where to find the best food and drinks--after all, Ceviche was invented in Huanchaco.
UF in Peru: Archeological Field School, June-August 2024
International Coursework
Global Experiences
This page details the international work that I have completed during my time at the University of Florida. My experiences range from a field school in Peru, to a museum night at the Harn, right down the street from my apartment.
In the classroom, my coursework has also reflected a transnational perspective. This was exemplified in my course Africans in the Americas, where we worked through 16th century African history up to 19th century American history. It connected cultures, people, and tradition across geographical boundaries. I loved being able to apply the methodologies I learned in the class to my own research. For instance, I work with the history of geology. After this class, I have begun to interweave European and Asian history into my contextualization. I believe that it added more background to my research to make it more credible.
I was able to continue this thread of education in Global Modern Masculinities, which traced concepts of gender through different geographic and temporal areas. My assignments ranged from masculinity in the Ottoman Empire, to Americans in the Gulf War, to the various dynasties in China. It was incredibly interesting to compare and contrast ideals not only on a temporal scale, but also geographical. Many times, ideas bled over the country's borders. History has patterns, and this course made it abundantly clear.
Finally, combining aspects of both of these classes, Transnational US History looks directly at the international connections forged throughout history. As of now, we are looking at the South African apartheid in the context of religion. I would have never thought to combine those two aspects, and it has opened my eyes to being more understanding of other areas of history. Although we did not deal with cultural history in the course, we have analyzed politics, religion, and business histories to draw connections in the history of international relations. I aim to apply this to my own research by looking beyond borders.
Despite my specialization in US history, these courses have encouraged me to look beyond the norm, adding nuance to my work.
Global Campus Activities
In contrast to my classes and field school, the global campus activities I participated in have a closer connection to my non-academic interests. The Museum Nights at the Harn Museum of Art allowed me to explore my artistic interests through a historic lens, with their hands-on activities allowing me to try techniques on my own. Above all, their introductory Museum Night for the French Art Collection was incredibly important to me. It was amazing being among the first group of people to view the new displays, and I loved being part of the international community at the University of Florida. Additionally, the short talks by the MUSE's gave me the student's perspective of art--something that I don't often get to see. The hands-on activities are also amazing and immerse me in the world of international art. At the French Art night, we painted wine glasses using impressionist techniques. My roommate and I still use them, and they remain a great conversation starter when we host. The live music, the activities, and of course the art itself transported us to France, making my appreciate my time there while traveling. These Museum Nights have also inspired me to travel more to see different paintings. Although I do not work in art history, I love the cultural aspects of museums, and I want to expand how I view them in other countries. As I cannot travel during the school year, this is a great placement option that also connects me to the community. I was able to meet other people who lived in France, and professors from France. The mixture of new people and those I knew were so welcoming and made me even more excited to learn more. Overall, the Harn does amazing work; it truly immersed me in an international perspective of art and culture.