Life on the Project
Housing
SWAD staff and students are provided with accommodation in a shared house in Safara, in the village centre. The house has four bedrooms that accommodate three or four students each. The kitchen, the two bathrooms, the living room and the terrace are also shared, so it is the group’s responsibility to keep them clean and tidy. A rota with basic cleaning tasks will be designed to be carried out by all participants. You can get public wi-fi at the village’s main square (a two-minute walk from the house).

Meals
Three meals and a morning snack are provided on working days. Breakfast will happen at home and students will prepare it themselves. Every participant should prepare a morning snack before leaving the house in the morning, which commonly consists of a cheese sandwich and fruit. Lunch will be in the village centre.

We will do our best to accommodate students with special dietary requirements or food allergies, but those candidates must contact us before the beginning of the project. Students will have the pleasure of eating traditional Portuguese food from the Alentejo region.

Transportation
SWAD provides the transportation to the site on all working days and during field trips. On free days, there is a lift to Moura at 10 am, but students must make their own transport arrangements to return to Safara, which is easily done by sharing a taxi (around €25 per trip). Students must purchase their flight tickets to and from Lisbon, Portugal. We will meet the students at Lisbon airport and take them to Safara. At the end of your stay, we will bring you back to Lisbon airport.

Health & Safety
Students at the excavation must provide their own health and travel insurance. Please make sure that your insurance covers medical care in Portugal.

Please let us know of any medical condition, allergies or any health related issues before the project begins. If using permanent medication, please bring enough for the whole duration of the excavation season. There is a pharmacy in Safara, but Portuguese medicines might not have the exact same composition as the ones you usually take. The closest hospitals are in Beja and Évora, at about one-hour drive from Safara. There are first aid kits on site and in the dig house. The directors are certified first aiders.

Working in Alentejo in the summer is very hot and dry, and students are expected to spend long hours outside. Therefore, make sure you bring at least 2 litres of water to the site and keep hydrated even if you do not feel thirsty. Sunscreen and a hat should be used at all times when working. You should wear light clothes but sturdy shoes (no sandals or flip-flops allowed). Excavation work is highly physically demanding and very dirty, so you will get sweaty and dirty. Use working clothes on site and leave nicer clothes for after work sessions.

 

General Schedule

Mon-Fri: 7am – 7:30am – breakfast
8am – 1pm (excavation) – 30min break at 10am
1.30pm – lunch
3pm – 6pm (lab work, lectures)
8pm – dinner
Saturday: Free day (Only breakfast is provided).
Sunday: Field Trips