Student of Vipassana

So, I am sure that you are aware that I am breaking a rule or two by writing right now. There are 8 Precepts that I am to abide by while here at Wat Chom Thong, then many other rules that are in my best interest (meditation) to follow, but I just needed to get out.
The Temple is wonderful, to put it in a single word. I arrived and was given a guest room, with a private bath, a mediation mat, two sets of white clothing to wear (must be worn, and are much like pjs), and a rule book. I have been assured that the rules have been in place to better my meditation practice, and I am sure that is true, but some rules just need to be broken.
So let me paint a picture of my day. I wake up at 4am (or I am suppose to) meditate in my dark room until 6am (which convienintly a rooster starts to crow around 5:30 to announce day light), which from there I go to the dinning hall to have breakfast. Breakfast, hmmm. Yes, we are not talking eggs, or pancakes, or cereal even for that matter. We are talking Thai breakfast, so rice and veggies, served one way or another. From there, off to meditate, or wash my yesterdays clothes in a bucket for tommorrow. Then I meet with Kate, my teacher to discuss my meditation, answer any questions, and to give me more guidance. From there off to meditate before lunch, which is served at 11am, and will be my last chewable meal until tomorrow morning. Then, I am off to meditate.
So the question is, "Tara, how is your meditation going? Are you enlightened yet?"
Uh....good days bad days, and nope not yet.
Yesterday proved to be a very hard day for meditation. I was questioning if I will be able to last 2 weeks. But I heard the voices of those that love me, hearing your encouragement and support.
hmm, let me see, how can exlpain what it is that I am doing with my hours every day.
You see, Vipassana is unlike other forms of meditation. I am not just trying to calm the mind, but except the mind. Other meditation is like placing a rock over some grass. Without sun, the grass stops growing and dies. But if you remove the rock, the grass grows again. Vipassana is like a shovel, digging deep to remove the roots so that the grass with never grow.
So far I have three types of meditation. Prostrating, walking and sitting. Prostrating is much easier, because your mind easily focuses on the movement, and therefore isn't easily distracted. Walking meditation is a bit more difficult, but then again, you are moving so it is easy to focus on the movement.
Sitting has proven to be the most difficult (literally, it hurts). So as I meditate a thought may come into my head, and I am to acknowledge it (thinking, thinking, thinking), or my knee may hurt (hurting, hurting, hurting). Most of the time once these are acknowledged they go away, they are imperminant, which is a large focus of the practice.
There is much I have learned, and heaps more to come.
It is difficult to still the mind and the body, though I am finding it far more difficult to still the body then the mind.
So one last note. This is a blog. I want you to communicate with me. Now please for a moment understand that I am in Thailand, where the people speak Thai, not english. So not only do I listen to myself all day, I listen to the Thai speak there language, so really all I hear is myself. So what I am trying to say is, please talk to me. I want to know that you haven't seen the sun in days, or that my house is still standing, or that you are bored of my babble, anything. That is partly why I have been doing this, to stay connected with you, so throw me a bone here!!!! Ok, enough said. I hope all is well. You are in my thoughts, yes, even my meditation thoughs. Wishing you all well, happy and peaceful.