Rebecca Delacruz, a rising senior majoring in international relations and minoring in classics and archaeology, traveled to Spain this summer for an archeological adventure of a lifetime. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Delacruz always dreamed of going abroad, especially to an active archaeological field site in a foreign country. Inspired by her love of history and a desire to learn about a country’s origins and culture, Delacruz eagerly signed on to participate in the Pintia project. This excavation site is located in Padilla de Duero (Valladolid), where Delacruz and other students from universities around the world, worked together to unearth the past. Delacruz gained invaluable hands-on experience and enjoyed collaborating with other team members.
“Experiencing first-hand what archaeologists do in their day-to-day field work was eye-opening. For example, learning all the steps such as brushing the dirt, sorting the ceramics by material, and cleaning all the findings. The Pintia team did such a good job in immersing the students into Spanish culture with food excursions and trips to cultural sites throughout the country.”
Additionally, all the digging really paid off. Delacruz made a significant find during her excavation.
“I discovered about 43 different pieces in a tomb I was digging. It is one of the greatest finds in over 10 years.”
A local Spanish newspaper, El Norte de Castilla, covered the story. According to the article, forty-three ceramic pieces, such as vessels, daggers, and tongs were unearthed in one of the graves they were excavating. The find marks quite an important milestone for the Pintia Team, which has been working on this site for over thirty-nine years.
Delacruz is grateful to William Fulco, S.J. , from LMU’s Classics and Archaeology Department, for this opportunity. “Father Fulco was with me every step of the way,” she said. Global learning is an essential part of the BCLA experience. Whether it be participating in an archaeological dig, taking a global immersion course, or studying abroad, there are many ways to cultivate cross-cultural awareness. In this particular case, Delacruz was mentored by Father Fulco who, thanks to generous Archaeology Department donors, was able to help make her field experience possible.
Educational trips abroad allow students to immerse themselves in different cultures and make important contributions to their areas of study through research and fieldwork . Delacruz shares, “My favorite part of the whole trip was visiting the castle in Segovia, Spain where I learned about its restoration and the impact of the castle’s renewal on the city.” Upon returning home from the trip, Delacruz realized that she learned a lot about herself and now eagerly looks forward to planning her next travel experience.
