Early next year I will be able to take 5 weeks off work and plan to use most of the time on retreat. Apart from a weekend at Satipanya retreat centre (here in Shropshire, UK) I’ve done little formal Mahasi style retreats and would like to use the opportunity to do a longer one. I’m currently looking at MBMC in Penang and have been impressed by their web-site as well Daniel’s keen write up in MCTB. However, looking at the wiki on this site there is a note about the ‘variability in teacher availability’.
 
Can I ask does anyone know how old this note in the wiki is and if the situation has changed? Has anyone been recently? As I’ve done plenty of retreats here in the UK including three months last year (with Triratna at Vajraloka in North Wales and solitary retreats) I’m confident that I can apply myself to the schedule and just get on with it, with or without much teacher input. However, it would be good to hear about MBMC if anyone has just been.
 
Also, I plan to go towards the end of January and will be there during Chinese New Year (on 19 Feb). However, I imagine that so long one is already at the centre, there should be little to no disruption of practice? Or does MBMC celebrate this in anyway?!
 
Thanks in advance for any help,
 
Nick

If you have the time and are interested in traveling, consider Panditarama Lumbini, which gets very good reviews these days and has a very good teacher.

Thanks Daniel, have just read wiki entry here on DhO and a quick look at their website. Hadn't seen it before and it looks very good. If anyone has recently been would appreciate any other reviews (and/or for MBMC).

Cheers,

Nick