Pre-Arrival:

 

Did the project staff provide you with enough information beforehand to organize your packing for and travel to the project?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          0          6          2          Average: 85%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Was the pickup arrangement made prior to the project adequately seen to by project staff?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          0          1          7          Average: 98%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Comments:

 

• Specify the need for a trowel.

 

Housing:

 

Were the living accommodations provided by the project adequate for your needs?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          0          0          8          Average: 100%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Comments:

 

• Adequate? They were awesome!

• The conditions were great and the "Tantis" (the ladies of the houses where we stayed) were perfect

• Very, very nice!

 

Food:

 

Were the meals provided by the project adequate for your needs?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          0          1          7          Average: 98%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Comments:

 

• Surprised and glad that a vegetarian option was available.  On the other hand the “meat” substitutes were more industrial than some would prefer.  Breakfasts always excellent. Potatoes always excellent. Tantie Leana did yeoman’s work, given the circumstances.

• It was nice to have a veggie option, even though we were warned beforehand that dietary restrictions could not be catered to.  Also the addition of lunches was super cool.

• Yum

• The meals were fantastic.

 

General Logistics:

 

Did you encounter any problems with the accommodations, food or travel?

 

• No. But please add the bus schedule for Sat and Sun and if possible the Deva schedule.

• None at all

• Na

• The trip in was a little hairy, but manageable. I really enjoyed the trips Alec helped arrange.

• Apart from the lack of hot showers during the first week, everything was cool.

• Getting from Budapest to Simeria was confusing.  If in the future you could provide times and train instructions (the seat, wagon, etc.) that would be useful.

• None.

• Some travel, but fairly minor.

 

If so, did you ask the project staff for assistance?

 

• Nein

• Alec helped to make weekend trips upon request.

• Da

• Yes. They were all very helpful.

• Yes, it was due to train delays.

 

Was the project staff able to address your concerns to your satisfaction?

 

• Yes

• The staff seemed to know what was going on both in and out of the field and were able to handle everyone’s issues that came up.

• It was really great.

• Da Da

• Yes

• Very much so

 

Lectures:

 

Were the formal lectures presented informative and useful?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          3          1          4          Average: 83%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Were the formal lectures presented interesting and engaging?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          2          2          4          Average: 85%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Did you find the supplementary materials provided informative and useful?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          3          1          3          Average: 71%

Evaluation participation: 7/9 (78% of participants)

 

Comments:

 

• Very interesting, couldn’t have been more engaging and enthused.

• They were interesting, but I found them to be only somewhat engaging

• It was cool having a quick talk by Marius, maybe next time have Angie talk about her work too?

• I was not here for the majority of lectures.

• The lectures provided me with excellent background information that was both interesting and helpful in the excavation.

 

Excavation and Survey:

 

Were the instructions provided by project staff in the field clear and helpful?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          0          2          6          Average: 96%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Did the project staff offer you a thorough theoretical understanding of the methods being employed?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          1          3          4          Average: 88%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Did your participation in the project offer new understandings of archaeological field methods?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          0          2          6          Average: 96%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Did you feel actively engaged in all aspects of data collection in the field?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          0          1          7          Average: 98%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Comments:

 

• Alec did a terrific job making sure everyone learned everything and got practice.

• It would have been cool to do a proper surface collection, considering the stuff that Paul is always picking up.

• The staff was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful in all aspects of the project.  It was very useful to have Marius and Angie there to assist in teaching us about Romanian archaeology and share their experiences.

 

Laboratory:

 

Were the instructions provided by project staff in the lab clear and helpful?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          1          3          4          Average: 88%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Do you feel you gained an understanding of the analytical methods employed (i.e. phosphate soil analysis, typological sorting of ceramics, etc.)?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          2          3          3          Average: 83%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Did you feel actively engaged in all aspects of analysis in the lab?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          0          4          4          Average: 90%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Comments:

 

• I enjoyed learning the lab techniques.  I now feel like I have a solid foundation in archaeological methodology.

 

General:

 

Did you feel overall intellectually engaged with your work?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          1          3          4          Average: 88%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Was the project staff able to adequately answer all of your questions?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          0          1          7          Average: 98%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Were your interactions with the Romanian staff informative and helpful?

 

                      Poor    1          2          3          4          5          Excellent

Evaluation:                0          0          0          0          8          Average: 100%

Evaluation participation: 8/9 (89% of participants)

 

Comments:

 

• Too few work hours- too much doing nothing, even allowing for the weather.

• It was really cool having Marius and Angie working with us, so we could get a better feel for Romanian archaeology.  All of you guys were very helpful and patient, considering how much we all complain.

• Our project supervisor, Alec, along with the Romanian staff were absolutely incredible.  They were great teachers and were always there to offer assistance.  They worked very hard to make the project both successful and enjoyable.  I am so glad to have had the opportunity to work with them.

 

Overall Comments:

 

Please provide us with your thoughts on what you found most rewarding about your archaeological experience on the project:

 

• Instructions in field methods, esp. survey.  The lectures were a necessary and worthwhile part of the project.  I would gladly have had 2-3 times as many lectures.

• I found it a wonderful learning experience and thoroughly enjoyable.  Due care was given to our needs and considerations and Alec was an excellent supervisor.

• Honestly, the people were the best.  Our staff and Romanian hosts were incredible.  Everything they did was kind and helpful.  Alec was one of the best supervisors I’ve ever worked for.  The environment stimulated great learning ad friends for life.

• I now have more of a technical understanding of the greater archaeological method and process than I thought I would, considering we have only been here for five weeksIt is rewarding that we can excavate, draw and use the total station without being worried that we are doing it wrong. The group has been super amazing, which makes working in the field so much easier.  I now feel like this is something that I could pursue in life, which is totes awesome sauce.

• I liked the overall understanding provided of Roman and Dacian activity in the area and specifically at the site.

• The most rewarding aspect of my archaeological experience  on the project was the group dynamic.  It was amazing to truly come together as a team and share the same experiences.  Everyone worked well together and helped each other learn and improve as archaeologists.  I feel like I have gained incredibly valuable knowledge on this project that will be a great asset to me in future excavations.

• As cheesy as it sounds, the most rewarding thing about the experience was being able to share it with others of a like mind.  Much was learned and discussed over the past five weeks, and I feel like we’ve all grown from it.

 

 

Please provide us with your thoughts on how the project might be improved as a field student experience:

 

• I’d love a bit more contexts on methods and evidence. Example, Alec mentioned you could tell what was foreign clay products vs. local, however we never saw any foreign examples.

• Everything was super perfect; we got to travel weekends, go to the waterpark, drink at Déjà vu.  DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING

• Encourage students to learn as much Romanian as possible before they arrive, more detailed train instructions.

• More beard

 

Other comments?

 

• Please sir, may I have some more?

• 10/10

• Alec did a great job making sure that each student saw and understood important artifacts taken from the site; weekend arrangements were fantastic, and Alec went out of his way to make sure everyone was taken care of; great experience! Thank you!