Monks in contemplative orders spend most of their time inside the walls of the monastery praying, while those in active orders leave the monastery to serve others. Some active orders assign monks to work far from a monastery. In communal orders, the monks spend time with their fellow monks, working, praying and eating together. In eremitic orders, monks are discouraged from interacting with each other and spend most of each day in their cells. Monastic orders are typically started by important religious figures who devote themselves to maintaining the traditions and working on the causes established by the founder.
Some monasteries offer guesthouse accommodations to outsiders who agree to follow certain rules, such as observing curfews and periods of silence. You may want to consider a monastic retreat, in which you will take part in the daily routine of the monastery.
Depending on the order, there may be more than one level of novicehood. This process can take up to one year, again depending on the order.
You may try writing letters or emails to Buddhist teachers in your area and opening a correspondence.
