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Darryl gives instructions to the Hippos diggers about the right way to lift.  He has a way with words and movement.

So far, so good!  Group 1 left Thursday morning from Minneapolis, connected with 4 people from 2 other cities in Philadelphia and were welcomed in Tel Aviv by 4 early arrivals: Rachel from Seoul, S. Korea (a returning volunteer), Will and Eric, who are first-timers and part of the LARGE contingent from Concordia, Irvine, and Arny, seasoned veteran of 4 years from St. Louis.  The Irvine group arrived about an hour later.

I had another whole day at home and got lots of stuff done!  At the airport Kristina mentioned that her arm hurt from the tetanus shot she’d gotten the day before.  TETANUS SHOT! Oops!  I had forgotten to get that task on a list.  So I spent an hour and half on Thursday at a walk-in clinic to get one.  Thank you, Kristina!  The doctor asked what kind of degree I had to go on an archaeological dig.  I told her the truth: I have a doctorate but am going as unskilled labor.  

I’m writing from the Philadelphia airport.  Six of seven of us are here by our departure gate; Anna is due in from O’Hare shortly.  Perhaps another day I report on “lucky Carl” and the first leg of our journey!  No internet connection from here, so I’ll have to wait until I get to Israel to p …

At that moment, I heard a voice say, “Dr. Schuler!”  I looked up, and there was Anna, whose flight got in early.  We all had a safe and uneventful trip over the pond by air and up to the Galilee by taxi.

The first Concordia team has arrived at Ben Gurion airport in Israel.  They have met up with four team members who arrived previously and are awaiting the arrival.of the team from Concordia Irvine.  The second Concordia team depart for Israel today (July 3).  The dig begins on Sunday 5 July.

Dr. M. Schuler

Welcome to Dig It!, the blog chronicling the final season of the Concordia University Team’s excavation of the NE church at Hippos on the Golan Heights in Israel.  Andrea Heiliger and I will have the JOY of posting daily updates once we’re in Israel.  But some of us (the Drs. Schuler) are living and breathing Hippos dig details on a daily basis now.

I have two running check lists, one personal and the other my duties at Regina Logistica for the dig.  Every day I’m whittling away at my lists …

Personal: Try on those boots from 2006 that have been in the basement for 3 years and make sure they still fit.  Check!  I wore them around the house one day, and they feel fine.

Dig Duties:   Purchase miscellaneous supplies needed for the dig.  Check!  The Drs. Schuler spent Friday night shopping at the local Super Target and Menards getting an eclectic number of items: first aid items (no explanation needed!), ziplock bags in assorted sizes (for storing the daily pottery finds), lunch bags (for collecting small finds like animal bones and glass), and blue paint tape (for re-assembling broken pottery).

Andrea and I PROMISE the blog this season will be MORE INTERESTING than last year’s.  Having read a couple of posts from last year, it won’t be hard to keep that promise.  I’m looking forward to taking brief movies on the dig with my new pocket camera and posting them here!  Bookmark this page and check it out daily from July 5 through July 30.

Dr. Rhoda Schuler, aka, Regina Logistica

The 2009 season (our final one) begins on 5 July.  The Concordia Team is coming together with about thirty volunteers again.  Excavation plans are in process.  The virtual dig site is undergoing revision.  Watch for more in the days ahead.