Great week so far,
considering I haven't posted yet this week (sorry Vamvakas) Ill start with my impressions from the beginning of the week. We started out this week with a trip to the monastery. The view alone was unbelievable, but the sisters were just as, if not more, incredible. They have packed schedules starting at 4am and are non stop after that. They are not only educated and articulate, but creative, artistic, and able to maintain an entire complex sustainably.
The monastery also supported the hard work and modesty of the women that run the institute. Both the sisters and these women have a wide variety of tasks they are capable of, but also show hospitality in many ways. The women here have made me feel at home in so many ways, and are always willing to help us in any way possible. Its difficult to explain to people what makes these women different. It's because they are more than cooks or cleaners, they do everything they can to keep this place running and to make all of the students happy. Beyond that, you will not hear them complain for a second about any of their tasks.
The monastery and even more so the institute have been a humbling example of hospitality, hard work, and modesty.