what a mandala is.

reminds Yong Soo that Buddhists don't actively seek to convert others to their religion.

Ivan can think for himself.

1.bp.blogspot.com/_2NIBT...

((Fff-- plurk fail. That link is a picture of a mandala.))

smiles, happy to tell Ivan what a mandala is. "It's basically a painting made out of sand."

he's fine not committing to any one religion, thank you. "A painting made from sand?" he asks Tibet curiously. "How do you do that?"

((omg, so pretty!))

grins, eager to tell him. "We use metal funnels with ridges on the top and fill them with a certain colour of sand. Then we rub a rod_

on the funnel to make the sand come out exactly where we want it to go. It takes a while to make, but it's quite rewarding."

((aren't they just beautiful? I've gotten to watch a few being made! It's *fascinating* to watch the monks work.))

if he could make a sand painting of sunflowers, if he wanted to.

he could if he practiced!

((They're so cool! The fact the monks are able to do something that detailed is ridiculously awesome.))

((I know, right? It's like they're superhuman or something. I love them though! They're so cute and huggable~ >3< ))

((Yesh! X3 We once took a field trip to a Buddhist temple.The monks were all these adorable little asian women and they were the sweetest!))

((It must be something about living in a monastery. All the monks I've seen are all happy and loveable!))

((That has to be it. There's so much happiness and love!))

((Yes! I'm lucky-- my church invites a small group of monks every year to come and make a mandala! I love to hug them. It's so fun!))

((Aw, that's so cool! Nuns teach in our school, but that's not the same...))

((Really? You go to a religious school then? [why thank you, Captain Obvious]))

((Yup. xD [you're welcome Lt. Sarcasm]))

((Do you like in the USA? *feels like a stalker sob*))

((Indeed I do. *it's okay, most people here are*))

((Ah, okay! I do too. *....isn't sure how to respond to that statement... Doesn't want to be stalked!*))

(( XD no worries, it's a loving sort of stalking.))

((Oh okay! Thant kinda stalking. Okay! 8D *has no idea what to say so she's just rambling*))

((pft, we've totally gone off-track XD))

would like to see a mandala like that. Or any mandala for that matter. "Can I watch you make this one?"

laughs at his eagerness. "I-I actually need to start over since I sneezed... But you're welcome to watch!"

((lol, we totally have 8D))

claps his hands together. "I would like that a lot!"

smiles at the larger nation, happy to see him happy. He likes it when people are happy!