coptichymns.net - Sharing the Joy of Coptic Hymns Around the World

tonyhabibi

posted on May 15, 2008 - 12:03 AM

i wanna go around next week . for 2 weeks , but i have been search nd i have been unable to find someone to go with . everyone tells me not to go by myself ...... but i actually would prefer going by myself ..... but the thing is i live in new jersey and i have never been there .... i dont know how to get there .... and te whole thing with the Grey hound bus is really confusing . Also , i dont want someone from the Monastary to drive all the way from there to the airport to pick me up ..... and i also would feel extremely uncomfortable with that , and also uncertain .

Any advice for a person who wants to go , but has no one to go with , also , is going by myself rcommended ..... also , can i givthem short notice of my arrival , and will they be fine with that ? .... i want to stay 2 weeks ..... is that okay ?


Also .... i have fallen very deep into sin .... VERY DEEP .... i feel te monastary , will be my revival ..... this is why i want to do it ....and also , i want to experience that life for 2 weeks ...

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Joined: Apr 09, 2004 | Posts: 1220
Location: IN THE back of your mind .navagating through your heart , resting in your soul .

petermansour

posted on May 15, 2008 - 12:08 AM

I would love to go, but I have school! lol

But good luck and pray for me. Here are the rules to the retreat house!

http://www.stantonymonastery.org/retreathouse.asp

Joined: Jul 26, 2007 | Posts: 17
Location: St. Mary's COC Baltimore, MD

David_the_King

posted on May 15, 2008 - 12:19 AM

If you wait til summer you will probably find someone to go with. What sucks is that it is so hotttttttttttttttt

Joined: Nov 04, 2002 | Posts: 837
Location: St. Abanoub and St. Antony COC Norco, California

jshouk

posted on May 15, 2008 - 12:29 AM

they greyhound thing is not all that confusing...u go to the nearest greyhound from where u land and take the bus to barstow.
Let them know and they'll pick u up from there, it's 20 minutes away. As for notice, i think they like 3-4 weeks notice..not sure

Joined: Jan 29, 2006 | Posts: 29

geomekhaiel

posted on May 15, 2008 - 01:17 AM

Tony, this topic was made for me to answer! haha

I go to the monastery very often (was just there for a couple days last weekend). If I were you, I would go by myself just because I think that you will benefit a lot more. The simple reason for that is because the more familiar people from the world that you have the harder it will be to focus while you are there. You will find yourself a bit more tied to your friend than to the presence of Christ in the monastery. The key while being in the monastery is to get closer to Christ and friends only hinder that.

On the other hand, if you go with a father (or teacher of some sort) than I think that you might just end up hindering them....but you will also probably end up benefiting more from watching them.

You need to contact abouna samaan in order to ask permission to go. I doubt he will have a problem with you staying there for two weeks because there are often people who stay that long.

As far as getting to the monastery goes, I think that the grayhound idea isn't that bad. If you don't mind the fact that it will take a little bit longer to reach the monastery than it will probably work out well for you. You will end up getting dropped off at barstow and then calling someone from the monastery to come and pick you up.

George Mekhaiel

...if you have any further questions pm me or just post here.

Joined: Aug 05, 2003 | Posts: 1712
Location: Saint George COC

tonyhabibi

posted on May 15, 2008 - 02:10 AM

thanks ..

as i mentioned before ive never been there .....

Which airport is preferred , LAX , or Las Vegas ?

Also , i dont wanna be that type of person who bothers the Der , to drive 20 minutes to come pick one kid up ..... thats why i prefer another with me , by the way , who will pick me up ?

It just takes a big risk .... Going to a place ive never been , waiting for someone ive never met , to come pick me up . .... or rather .... planning my trip around some egyptian guy to pick me up ....this is not such a good idea ....bu faith in god goes a long way .

Also , even though i am the quiet type .... i dont want to be such a burden on them , ... like having one kid .... stay there for 2 weeks .... .

Also , cant anybody , from coptic hymns meet me there man ?
Wheres the loyalty for one of your fellow members ?

jk . o just would feel better if i had someone else with me not so much when i arrive there ... but to be with me while i am going there ....( airport , and bus ride ) ,,,,

Anyways .... pray for me . im trying to find cheap tickets ... airfare .

Joined: Apr 09, 2004 | Posts: 1220
Location: IN THE back of your mind .navagating through your heart , resting in your soul .

geomekhaiel

posted on May 15, 2008 - 03:57 AM

- Onterio Airport is the closest (only about an hour and 15 mins from the monastery). LAX or Long Beach Airport are the next best airpots...both of which are over two hours from the monastery. Long Beach is a little closer to the monastery than LAX.

- There is no big risk or anything. Just make sure to contacts the monks before going and take down a phone number. If it helps you out, i'll give you my phone number and you can contact me if everything goes south. Just pm for that one haha

- I understand that this is your first time going and that you are probably a bit nervous because you have no idea what you are about to go through; but let me assure you, most people feel this way, and it is normally a good trip.

George Mekhaiel

Joined: Aug 05, 2003 | Posts: 1712
Location: Saint George COC