Every day I usually skim through a few familiar newspapers. This morning I came across an article about archaeology in the Quang Nam newspaper. Quickly scrolling down to find the author’s name, I recognized a young colleague who was a researcher at the Quang Nam Provincial Museum.
Digging
How fast it has passed, just yesterday I was a talented undergraduate student at university, a young mother studying for a PhD, and now a female doctor making many contributions to a land rich in archaeological heritage.
Reading your articles about newly discovered relics and artifacts, your scientific but moderate, simple, and appropriate comments for readers... I am happy for your rapid maturity.
I am not an isolated case because I am lucky to meet and work with many talented female colleagues! Some are famous professors and doctors at home and abroad, many women are doctors and masters at research institutes, universities, museums...
Archaeology is an uncommon profession but always fascinating and interesting. I often receive questions about the profession of archaeology. The questioner usually starts with a new archaeological discovery and ends with a question like “are there many women in our country doing archaeology? Why do women pursue this profession… of digging?”.
Questions like these always make me think: Why and since when do we assume that this profession is for men and that profession is for women? And why can't women (should/can't) be archaeologists?
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the economy has developed rapidly, so society prioritizes economic, service, and applied engineering sectors. Meanwhile, social sciences and humanities are often difficult to find jobs, low salaries, difficult to live on, difficult to get married, difficult to advance... in general, difficult in all aspects. Even young people who want to study these sectors find it difficult to talk to their family and friends.
Although there is a “career guidance” movement, it still directs young people to high-income careers. Few families pay attention to their children’s personal interests and strengths, and even fewer direct their children to basic research industries and careers.
Archaeology is also a profession that does not receive much favor from society, due to the special nature of the profession. Because this profession has nothing but a basic salary and... passion!
Female archaeologist qualities
Compared to other fields of study, archaeology is not just about working in a lab or on a computer. There is more time spent actually working with hands in the field.
Every profession requires suitable qualities. For archaeology, there are long survey and excavation trips, difficult working conditions, in difficult and deprived places... Therefore, women always have to face all unpredictable weather conditions, rain, sun, hot and cold.
On each trip, at the site of the excavation, both men and women work the same. We also dig, shovel, sort artifacts, classify specimens, research and write excavation reports, attend scientific seminars to report on topics... The work always requires meticulousness and carefulness, high cooperation, and continuous learning from teachers, friends, and colleagues.
Women who pursue the archaeology profession seem to have these qualities in themselves. Responsible for the profession, with solid professional qualifications, they are indispensable members of each working session and research project.
Some of them also played key roles in the excavation, managing their colleagues in a “tough” manner but also taking care of everyone’s accommodation and living conditions. They have made important contributions to each achievement of the archaeological industry. In Vietnam, the world heritage sites and national heritage sites have a large part of the efforts of the archaeological industry, including the contributions of many of my female colleagues.
Loving the job, passionate about trips and new discoveries, women who have followed the profession always accept challenges and difficulties, because they have determined that it is their "career". To be able to pursue this career, women archaeologists must be in good health, although decisive in their work, they must always be cheerful with everyone.
And they are still women who fulfill their role as mothers and wives in their families, and are still women with romantic and gentle souls.
Archaeologists are considered detectives because they collect data and evidence and then come to conclusions. Female archaeologists are even more “sophisticated” - our male colleagues often joke with us.
Lifelong career
If any girl likes archaeology, then go for it, it's a very interesting major!
It is interesting because you get to travel to many places and experience many things. Our grandparents taught us “a day of travel teaches you a lot”. Female archaeologists often pursue this profession for life, because the more they work, the more new knowledge and experience they gain to guide their students and young colleagues.
Despite the hardships, archaeology always has students, including many female students! Rest assured, no female archaeologist has to worry about being “single”. Almost all of them have happy families! Don’t think that archaeology is always dirty and ugly, female archaeologists are still very feminine and always “elegant” at the right time and place.
Archaeology is not the most glamorous profession, nor is it the most leisurely or lucrative. Each profession has its own appeal and challenges, if you enjoy it, then pursue it. If you have to choose to pursue a career when facing difficulties, do not think that you have to “sacrifice” for the sake of the profession.
When we defy obstacles to marry the person we love, who would call it “sacrifice”, right? Nowadays, life has improved for the better, the life of an archaeologist is also different from before.
No matter what job you do, if you do it well - no matter how small - you will "gain" many things: satisfy your passion, have a unique and useful career. Gain more knowledge from diverse life, life will be richer. Most importantly, you can fulfill your dreams and take responsibility for your own life.
My female archaeological colleagues are like that!
Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/doi-tay-luc-tim-qua-khu-3143916.html
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