What if someone born and raised in the American Midwest were suddenly immersed in the culture of a Buddhist monastery in rural Thailand? This is a true story told with unflinching introspection and honesty - along with generous helpings of humor and warmth. William Reyland's vivid and detailed descriptions of people and places carry us instantly half way around the globe. An admittedly naïve aspiration leads, by a tortuous path, to deeper understanding-and along the way we are offered a glimpse behind the saffron robes into our common human predicament.