Thank you for sharing your travel experiences.
Yeah, that's a problem in reaching out to see and learn from foreign cultures. I also would want to see what's alien to me and to learn something from that strangeness. As language cannot be overcome at once communication by words cannot take place. Another form of communicating must be chosen. What an interesting experience...
I really do wish you the very best and look forward to what you'll write. What I most would like to do is to visit the monks. Do you think it's decent to take some pictures of the monastery?
Good luck to you, health and encounters.
Hug the panda for me.