My name is Nicole Lau. This fall I will start my senior years at PSU, studying Anthropology. I love anthropology, and I hope after graduation to focus in cultural Anthropology. However, this summer I will be participating in the C&I Landscape Archaeology program to Cilicia, Turkey. This program is a hands on trip which will cover concepts for Landscape Archaeology and gives an introdution to the GIS program. The program lasts from May 23rd until June 18th and I am extremely excited to go.

In a little more than a week, I will be getting on a plane to Istanbul, Turkey. We will be spending the first three days in Istanbul before getting on another plane to Hatay. We will spend the most of the trip in Iskenderun, if we are able to get research visas for archaeological research. We were not able to obtain research visas before leaving for Turkey, due to a change of administration in the Ministry of Culture. Because of the reorgainization, there have been delays in all matters dealing with archaeological projects. If we are unable to get the research visa, we will take an 11 day tour of Central and Eastern Turkey, going from archaeological site to archaeological site. While l like both plans, I do hope we get a hold of a research visa, so that I can get some hands on practice for archaeological survey in the field. Last semester I took Forensics Archaeology with Dr. Dean Snow who had taken us outside to practice some of the procedures dealing with an archaeological dig, but it was informal (yet very fun). With this trip, we would have field practice that doesn’t involve a lawn outside of the Carpenter Building at Penn State Main.

I am getting ready to pack soon. I have been going around trying to get all the stuff that I will be taking with me to Turkey. I still have to buy myself some insect repellent. I have also been informing different people of my trip, ranging from my bank to my boss for my summer job (trying to explain why I will be coming back from school so late).

I am extremely excited to be going to Turkey. This will be my first trip abroad. While I am excited, I am also nervous about getting through the airport security and flying to Turkey, because this is also the first flight I will be on. I hope to get through all the processes fairly smooth, and not cause too much of a back up. I am also starting to wonder how much stuff I have to pack, and how difficult it will be to take around Turkey.   

Location: 58 Buck Rd. Dover, PA