Hi! I’m Smiti and welcome to Habits of a Travelling Archaeologist. I am an archaeologist and I have trekked around the world a fair amount for the past ten years. I have done a variety of archaeological work in many countries (Hungary, India, Ethiopia, Oman, France, etc.) and lived in a couple of other countries too (UK, Germany, Greece). Here I share my experiences and some useful information about archaeology and travelling. This post will give you a brief overview of what you can expect to find in this blog.
In order to effectively research and travel, I try to maintain some general habits and most blog posts will center around them. If there is a particular habit you want to read up on, check out the menu tab “Habits” and each habit is listed there. Simply click on it and you will be redirected to all the posts that the habit encompasses. Here they are:
Habit #1: Travel Smartly
Travelling can be exciting, overwhelming, chaotic, life-changing, and a whole host of other adjectives at the same time. Still, we can be smart about it.
Habit #2: Keep Learning
As archaeologists, we are trying to figure out what was going on in the past. Trust me, there was a lot happening and in order to attempt to figure out what was going on, we need to know a bit about everything. Since most of us don’t know it all, we need to keep the learning going.
Habit #3: Get and Stay Organized
Getting organized is one thing, but staying organized is another. Both are important and we all could use some new ideas and refreshers.
Habit #4: Build a Great Network
Networks have been important in the success of many ancient civilizations and leaders. This still holds true today.
Habit #5: Fuel Creativity
We all know creativity is an important skill and sometimes we need some strategies to keep the creative process going.
Habit #6: Make Contributions
Whether it’s publishing your own research or forwarding on a job opportunity, contributions come in many forms and it’s important to make them. Sharing is caring so let’s spread the information.
Habit #7: Rest and Relax
Between work and travel, we need to make time for R&R. While we don’t do this enough, we should make a habit out of it.
Habit #8: Have a Personal Life
Archaeology and travel are great; however, they can be challenging at times. What keeps me sane is making time for my family and friends. No matter who or what makes up your personal life, it’s important to have one.
Habit #9: Experience the World
Part of the reason I got into archaeology was not just to see the world, but experience it in a way that most tourists don’t get to. It’s not all whips and snakes (thank goodness!), it’s actually so much more.