So. I'm not very good at the whole blogging thing, but I'm going to follow in Andy's footsteps and give it a shot since so many of you wonderful people actually want to know what I've been up to!

I just finished a one-month meditation course in Kopan Monastery in Nepal (Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism from the Galupa tradition--the one the Dalai Lama is from). It was super intense. Not at all what I expected, although I'm not quite sure what I expected. It's strange being back in the rush of the rest of the world after being with 200 or so westerners trying to better themselves through buddhism and 600 or so monks or nuns (the nuns mainly stay in the nunnery so we didn't see them much).

If you want to see pictures I started a photobucket account and told everyone to put up pictures! Hopefully someone will start uploading soon, the username is kopangompa

Ok. So lifechangingnes. I don't really know how to describe how I've changed because I don't think that outwardly I've changed much. I'm still the Ece you remember! I just feel calmer and more aware of my emotions and the emotions of the people around me. Though I feel calmer I have a whole lot more stuff buzzing around in my head.

Anyway, I'm picking Andy up in the airport on the 26th and we're going to do a trek of some sort through the Himalaya! The mountain air will be good as I still need to do some meditation and work out how I'm suppose to interact with the world with all this new knowledge. I didn't take refuge (Buddhist version of a baptism I think? haha I don't really know what a baptism entails) but I'm taking a lot of stuff from the Buddha Dharma (teachings) and trying to make myself a better person!

And after the trek we'll probably be heading down to Bodha Gaya to listen to some teachings from the Dalai Lama!!!

:D I love you all very very much!!!!!