Nothing happened this week

The week after the medical mission was very uneventful. Basically nothing new happened. We had English class all week, including 3 private sessions with Leonidas (which are becoming more and more stressful each time). Leonidas has finally, after a month, learned the conjugations for To Be...that's just one reason why it is frustrating.

Other than that, Theo and I played some backgammon and watched a couple pirated movies...the new James Bond, and the new commedy by Ben Stiller, Tropic Thunder (which I would not recommend).

Sister Stephanie left on Saturday for home. It was fun having her here and hearing about things back in MN. Before she left she did receive a gift from a family who she had helped. She had raised money to put one of the sons through college. The mom was extremely grateful and therefore gave Sr. Stephanie a chicken...yes a live chicken. Sr. Stephanie carried it back to the monastery where she ended up giving it to a cook because he said he wanted to start raising chickens...she didn't want to think of it as food...although when we asked a monk what the word for pet was (in reference to the chicken) he said ¨lunch¨.

As Thankgiving is approaching I am saddened that I can't spend it at home with family. I think the monastery has a nice meal prepared anyways (because there are still two American monks here) but it wont be the same. Never the less, I still have plenty to be thankful for.

Family
Friends
Food and clean drinking water
A home
Clothes
Humor
New adventures
Learning a new language
Worldly perspectives
A new President
Conversation
Silence
Opportinuties
...and the list goes on...