August 5, 2015
Hi I’m Kaitlyn and I’m from La Crescenta, California! I’m with UCLA studying anthropology and I love learning new things! I’m specifically interested in osteology, bio-archaeology, and forensics. A lot of the professors at my school work in field schools and mention IFR’s programs often. I wanted to gain field experience so I went to browse the site. I chose Blackfriary for a few reasons. One, my last name is Ireland, so naturally I had to visit Ireland! I looked at the Spike Island option but I was drawn to the medieval aspect of the Blackfriary. I had done a project on King Richard III recently in school and it got me really interested in medieval times and friaries. Two, this project covered all the basic field work I wanted to learn as well as more specialized aspects. I know I made the right decision choosing the Blackfriary! I have loved every minute I have been here.
I really want to gain experience in an active site and be able to better understand the processes that occur in order to accrue data. I would also love to gain more knowledge about bio-archaeology. So far I have been here for three weeks and I am loving it! I started out learning basic techniques. I have cleaned cuttings, taken levels and co-ordinates, and learned how to properly record for post excavation and data entry. I also learned how to draw sections and plans! While in Cutting 9 I found some DHB, a pelvis and a femur, which I thought was pretty cool (especially since I want to learn how to handle human remains). The experience here is amazing! The staff are awesome and very friendly. I even love the curriculum of lectures and field trips that accompany our field work. I think it provides, us students with an excellent context for the work we are doing. At this point, I am looking forward to learning new things and soaking in every minute of this experience, I’m never going to want to leave!
