UCF Study Abroad- Archaeological Dig in Turks & Caicos

Tracy Ayotte Start Date: Feb 12, 2020 - End Date: Jun 10, 2020
  • Turks and Caicos Islands

My Travel Story

by: Tracy Ayotte Start Date: Feb 12, 2020 - End Date: Jun 10, 2020
I firmly believe being able to work in the Turks and Caicos conducting a genuine archaeology field study is an absolutely marvelous opportunity for anyone; to be able to peek into the past in a secluded and beautiful part of the world in my eyes is truly extraordinary. But unlike everyone, I hope to make a career out of opportunities like this. My name is Evan Ayotte and I am a junior at the University of Central Florida currently pursing my Bachelor’s in Anthropology. I have had my eye on pursuing anthropology for an extensive amount of my academic career and now that I am a UCF Knight, I plan to reach new heights in my academics.

Being able to conduct real anthropological field work and stepping outside the classroom for the first time is more than I could have hoped for. I have read about how field work is conducted but receiving the exact know-how of it all is priceless and I’m ready to add this experience to my skillset. This course is required for my major, but that is no excuse to not to get the most out of the experience before me. Amazing opportunities like this will fulfill my requirements and I am pursuing them to the greatest extent.

            I will be able to graduate while looking for more field work and already have previous experience, something that cannot be replaced no matter how good my grades or GPA may be. My curiosity wonders if this trip will give insight into what I plan to specialize in, something that is currently a bit of a struggle. Within anthropology there are extensive amounts of opportunities in different kind of professions, and within those professions one can then specialize in different regions of the world; and to be able to dip into real field work and start to discover what suits me more and provide a bit more clarity over the situation.

There is always the possibility that I could end up moving away from the subfield of archaeology and opportunities like this may not be as valuable. Nevertheless, making that decision without experiencing a deeper opportunity from real anthropological fieldwork would be an ignorant one and possibly a grave mistake for my career plan altogether. I have enjoyed my time in the classroom immensely, but I can only prepare myself for so long before I am just making up excuses on why I am not progressing given the opportunities like this trip are readily at my disposal. With that in mind, I am taking the initiative and pursuing this opportunity to grow, while still being able to continue to work on my academics just in a different way; an avenue that prepares me in the ways that the straight forward college experience cannot.

I want to tackle a lot of problems facing the world, but I am only one person, so receiving the ability to grasp what some of those options are is not something I can pass up. One of the reasons I hold such a great interest in anthropology is because it establishes a voice to people who usually would not get one, so they can be spoken for and remembered. In this case, in the Turks and Caicos, we are giving a voice to those of which who are long gone, and of whom little is known as of today. I do not think it matters what time period a person is from, everyone wants to create a legacy, to be able to make an impact with their life, and to not be forgotten.

As an anthropologist, whether be a cultural anthropologist, archaeologist, or any of the other subfields they work to unveil what has been lost and forgotten. With all of that in mind, as one may have guessed so far, I want to be a part of that. I want to be able to look at the culture of the world old and new and just see how it all lays out and connects. That may sound like a strange statement for some of us, but it is true for me and I am reaching out to get that process really started with a fascinating experience within the Caribbean this summer.     

To try and summarize things, I was really unsure about what I would be pursuing this semester or the next and what would be right for me, but when I first gained knowledge of this summer course it would not be something I would pass up lightly, so I am currently pursuing this to the best of my ability given the resources UCF provides and whatever I can do on my own accord. Anthropology is something I plan to never stop pursuing for the rest of my life. I want to know all the stories humanity and our world must tell, and within this field it will be my job to listen and record those stories.

On top of everything, I wish to help where I can, where one can tell the story, they can improve it as well, abiding by the consent of those involved of course. I am on cloud nine with the possibilities in front of me, which could be some of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I am forever thankful for any help I receive from my loved ones, school, and anyone else to further my education. 
  • Turks and Caicos Islands

Updates

2

  • Trip Update

    Obviously, this trip has been canceled, but funds have been placed into a special study abroad account for when the program starts back up. The archaeology department will be booking again and we are continuing to save for a future trip for Evan's senior year. Thank you again to everyone.
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  • Thank You!

    Thanks to everyone that has donated so far. We're almost at the cost of the airline ticket, so we are measurable! We appreciate the support of family and friends to make this once in a lifetime adventure possible!
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