Ssarak Dyreackthanose --- Ssarak took hold of the pumpkin carefully, so as not to extinguish the candle within. [color=f7941d]"Hmm, I believe I understand now. The face would be clearly visible from a distance at night. Mine is..."[/color] He began, his voice trailing off as he looked over to his own pumpkin. His own attempt at carving had not gone nearly as well. Initially, he had wanted to carve the form of a dragon, but he had erred in his strength and had been far rougher than he should have. As such, his carving did not really look like anything at all. Nevertheless, he shook his head as he smiled. [color=f7941d]"You know, I believe I was far too ambitious in my design. I suppose you can consider it an...abstract art piece."[/color] Returning to the topic of Meirin's monastery, Ssarak believed he understood well how Meirin had been forced to live. Although, it seemed like they had been forced to for very different reasons. [color=f7941d]"Anyway, you say your lifestyle was minimalist out of tradition? I am unsure how to feel about that; I suppose it depends on how their resources are saved. If they insisted on surviving on little so they could keep a large stockpile of reserves, I believe I could understand it. Your life, it seems, was quite similar to mine, so I can certainly understand why you would prefer the college's lifestyle. Indeed, I find myself quite enjoying the luxuries the college provides. Abundant food, water, shelter which completely protects against the elements; it all seems extravagant. It has actually been somewhat difficult to adapt to. I still find myself being needlessly conservative with resources. My furniture is sparse, my baths short, and I still feel uncomfortable wearing anything that is not leather. Cloth is quite new to me, and somewhat itchy. In my village, I often wore just simple loincloths; sometimes more, if we had the leather. Although, I still do find it to be a superior material. It is much more durable than cloth, and can even be made into armor, if properly hardened."[/color] Shaking his head again, Ssarak gave a chuckle. [color=f7941d]"Hmm, now I am going on a tangent. I believe you may be...rubbing off on me. Regardless, I should have no issue adapting to your monastery when we visit, except for perhaps the food. I find eating fruits and vegetables to be...laborious. I cannot usually tear them like meat, and my teeth are simply horrible for chewing. Perhaps I will simply stick with soup? I am just hoping you do not find it necessary to change yourself [i]too[/i] much upon your return. I understand you will likely want to...tone down some of your new habits for them, but I rather like the person you are now. I like that you are comfortable talking, and comfortable expressing yourself. I believe that the person you are is someone worth expressing."[/color]