As I have said before, communications is a bother for us at the monastery. E-mail is a trial with only one line out (for telephone, internet and fax) and that used rather a lot, and the dial-up incredibly slow when we do get it; and also our cell-phones don't work at the monastery! Now, for some people, this may sound attractive, but when you have loved ones at home that would like to hear from you, then it is a bit of a pain. It's no point you telling them that you are very busy, and that you don't miss them much because they don't belong in that context and so you can't miss them if they don't belong there - they don't want to hear that sort of thing. They want to hear that you love them and miss them, that everything's fine with you (no matter how close to death you actually are), and that you look forward to coming home to them (even if you actually want to stay out there forever). Now, one person I do like to talk to is my ten-year old daughter, and so when I can get away from the monastery when she can get my call, I like to call her, and here I am calling from the citadel of Aleppo. Later that night we had the luxury of an internet cafe!! A computer each, with a fast link!! It was heaven! Of course I'd rather have been at the Baron drinking Syrian beer, but when people gotta e-mail their loved ones, it takes precedence.
Robert
