Oops.

So, it turns out Americans aren’t the most self-aware citizens in the world. As if we hadn’t realized that already. I don’t know if it was the group mentality that perpetuated our ignorance, or the perception of Mongolians as rough, dog-eat-dog people. In any case, the group and I recently came face to face with our first experience of unintentional disrespect.

So here’s the story. Sagi, the owner and facilitator of our guesthouse, ended up no-so-subtly explaining to two members of our group last night that we are on the verge of getting evicted. This came as a complete surprise to most of us, me included. In retrospect I guess it makes sense. We are pretty messy. But, at least in my mind, our mess was a result of our sheer size. There are 27 of us packed into 3 bedrooms, with only 2 toilets and one common area. Some mess is to be expected. Especially when we all have laptops, cameras and iPods that require charging from a single shared power strip. Not to mention all our toiletries, bags, laundry, etc. To us, we were doing our best to live in harmony with the other members of our group, but it seems we forgot to take into consideration the perception of our hosts and their opinion of what is considered “normal,” respectful conduct. There is no doubt that Mongolians have different idea of waste than we do. For example, it is not customary to provide toilet paper or paper hand towels in public restrooms here. Nor is it common for restaurants to offer endless complementary napkins or glasses of water. The just have a different idea of what and how much is necessary. I don’t think it is motivated by the idea of sustainability, but by cost. In any case, it seems that Mongolians produce a lot less waste that Americans. To be fair, the American paradigm of endless supply has prompted us to come up with ways to effectively deal with waste, which the Mongolians haven’t quite done. But in any case, our expectations about waste and what is considered too much needed to be checked.

The garbage cans in the guesthouse were filling…quickly. To us, it seemed sufficient to pile our garbage around the cans once they were full – or perhaps in the hopes that it would be recycled. Sagi didn’t see it this way. To us, leaving our shoes on the floor in the front hallway seemed sufficient, even though there was a cabinet there designated for shoe storage. To us, removing our shoes before entering the building was enough. To Sagi, it was blatantly disrespectful to disregard the cabinet. Those of us on dish duty in the morning expected the dishes to wait in the sink for us until we go there. Our hosts didn’t like to wait, and ended up cleaning them for us much of the time. We became comfortable here, equating the space to a dorm, and disregarding the hosts and other tenants. We are used to being provided for, and used to having our space when and where we want it. We thought squeezing ourselves into this small space was effort enough. To Sagi and her family, were a big orb of destruction and laziness.

It would have been nice to have had some forewarning before a threat of eviction. But I guess it would difficult for anyone to approach a group of our size. And if Sagi’s standards for what is respectful are higher than ours, we may have been doomed from the start.

The group mentality didn’t help either. Once a few people became lax about something, we all assumed the standards had been lowered. Standards easily slip in a group our size. But we shaped up. We haven’t been kicked out yet, but our complementary breakfast has turned into more of a buffet than a made-to-order deal. Hopefully we will find a way to apologize and reconcile. In any case, it has been a good learning experience. And a lesson in humility and respect.

Life in the Countryside

Things are picking up now. We have only had a handful of days in class, and we are already getting ready for our midterm at the end of the week. It’s a crazy life these days. But some fellow pacrimmers and I agree that none of us have ever learned as much in two weeks as we have on this trip. Experiential learning at its best. I really appreciate it now.

As some of you know, from September 1^st-4^th we were lucky enough to go on a bus excursion through the beautiful Mongolian countryside. It was INCREDIBLE. The most beautiful natural scenery I have ever seen in my life. I really wish the pictures could translate it.

The connections we have through our program directors are unbelievable. First of all, the abbot of the monastery in Ulaanbaatar in which we meet for daily class accompanied us on our weekend trip, and was able to connect us with some otherwise untouchable characters. Our first night away from the city was spent at a breathtaking retreat called Old Man’s Monastery, which is the site of some pretty cool 17^th century temple ruins thanks to the Chinese.

The property now includes a small ger (yurt) camp and a ranch with some nice communal buildings for eating. And bathrooms! With toilet paper! And functioning flushers! This has become quite a luxury for us.

This place was amazing. I just can’t even describe how lucky I felt to be seeing everything. It was like a tiny pocket of heaven, tucked away inside an elbow of mountains. The only other structures for hundreds of miles were the occasional ger or wooden stable popping up on the flat land.

But with the remoteness comes some difficulties, especially for a 35-person tour bus. No paved roads out there. No speed limits. No gas stations. No rest stops. Hence the bathroom challenges. Finding a bush big enough to squat behind was like winning the lottery. And our toilet paper had to be packed out with us. Needless to say, we have all gotten a lot more comfortable talking about our potty patterns in the past month.

Anyway, back to the beauty. On our way to Old Man’s Monastery, we were able to stop by the Mini Gobi, which was a field of sand dunes where a few camel owners hang out. And we all had a chance to take a ride. It felt like riding a big, slow-moving carpet. But it was a great feeling to be in this wide-open space with the sun shining down, hanging out on the back of a camel. I loved it.

I also decided on a pretty cool photo montage that I’m gonna work on throughout the trip. I’ve started collecting photos of myself in cool yoga poses at every beautiful site we visit. I’ll try to turn it into something cool when I get home.

Here is the beginning:

Nighttime in the wilderness resulted in the most incredible star-gazing experience of my life. I realized that the Mongolian countryside is probably one of the most vast and sparsely populated places on earth, which alone lends itself to amazing sky views. The weather was also perfect, not a cloud in the sky.

The next day we woke up cold (the temperature changes in the desert are unreal) but eventually got way too hot by the afternoon. We followed the abbot on an impromptu tour of the ancient temple ruins and the active temples that have taken their place. Next, we took a hike/climb up the mountain to explore another set of ruins located at the top. That was a…challenge. A few of us were straggling and got separated from the group…and subsequently lost. We were hot. And tired. And starving. I failed to follow my cardinal rule – always bring snacks! But it was worth it. We trudged on. Group leaders and navigators emerged from our small group. And I’m starting to realize the gift of a good attitude and a good-quality conversation to any situation, no matter how grim. I don’t need food, just friends J Had I known the amazing lunch that awaited me, I would have been more than happy to make the trek.

After the climb, we reboarded the bus and drove a few miles to a private home/ranch where a group of local farmers had gathered to greet us! I’m starting to realize how warm and welcoming the Mongolian people are. The vibe out here is a stark contrast to that of the city. The pastoral people have a much more delightful spirit to them. They were more than happy to let us into their 2-room home and let our cooking crew use their kitchen. All 35 of us squeezed into their living room to eat. That was a pretty surreal moment. They performed an entire horsemanship demonstration for us, where a long herding stick was placed in the grass and the young guys would ride by, bend down on their saddles and attempt to pick it up. It was pretty fun to watch. But my favorite part was hanging out with the little kids. No verbal communication necessary. They made machine gun noises just like little Elliott! The universal language of childhood. They were delightful.

Lastly, we were invited into an old man’s ger for endless bowls of airag (fermented mare’s milk), various cheese-like sweets and unidentified boiled animal parts! My favorite! It was quite generous. We were able to speak to the man through the translator that accompanied us, and I was surprised to learn that he preferred life during the socialist time. Mongolia gained independence from the former Soviet Union and created a democratic government only ten years ago. He appreciated the order and equality between all citizens during the socialist time. I guess it makes sense because from his perspective, people in the city are getting richer and richer today, while his lifestyle remains the same, or perhaps gets harder. With socialism, there must have been a much more balanced division of labor.

After we said our goodbyes, we were off to another inn-style ger camp in Karakorum, the ancient capital of Mongolia. Not as exciting as our first night in the wilderness, but still an experience. The next day we visited Erden Zuu Monastery, which was once the most prominent monastery in Mongolia, but now has only one active temple. The rest are only open for tourism. Again, amazingly beautiful. I’m running out of words to describe this place.

I’m getting better at bargaining after my experience with the souvenir shops outside the monastery. I picked up some awesome jewelry and trinkets for the fam. Get excited you guys.

That whole weekend blew my mind. In retrospect, I can say that it was the best experience I had in Mongolia.

Pick-Pocketed...Almost!

On our way back from dinner at my vegan oasis I had a frightening experience. Jeremy, Connie, Anna, Veronica and I were walking pretty fast because it had gotten dark and the streets were starting to get crazy and a little more threatening. Alcoholism is big in Ulaanbaatar, and the vibe on the streets does a complete 180 as soon as the sun goes down. Our group had spread out a little bit and I was trailing a little bit in back.

I started to feel a really subtle vibration from my backpack and quickly realized that someone was unzipping it from behind me. I gasped really loudly and turned around to find a creepy, young looking Mongolian dude with his had inside it. He quickly pulled back and we made eye contact. I stuck out my palm and yelled, “What did you take?” Veronica heard me and stepped up to the guy, telling him to give back whatever he had stolen. He gestured to his empty pockets and started quickly walking in the opposite direction. Luckily, nothing was missing. Score = one for the tough PacRim chicks! Thanks V-ron J I’m so glad she was with me.

It shook me up a little bit and I felt kind of violated. Like I said, the personal space standards are much different here. We kept walking and I felt a little shaky for a while, but I’m glad it happened. I’ll be a little more careful now.

Lesson learned: pull both backpack zippers all the down on one side. That way, it is much harder to pull open that it is from the top. Thanks for that one, Jeremy. 

On a More Personal Note

I have been so happy so far on the trip. Hardly anything has fazed me, which is completely surprising. The “honeymoon” travel excitement hasn’t gone away. Ever since we left home, I have loved exploring and figuring things out. It’s like a game each time we reach a new destination: figure out how to use the currency, learn how to communicate, find the closest supermarket, the best restaurant, the best bathroom, the post office, the time difference, the social customs, the cool hangouts, the healthiest places to eat, how to be frugal and resourceful, etc.

I had a dinner date with Anna, my closest friend on the trip, a few days ago and I think after talking to her I figured out why my time has been so enjoyable. It seems odd that I feel so comfortable considering the fairly extreme conditions we have been subject to. But I think I have subconsciously given myself a break for this trip - I am going easier on myself than I usually do. I’m not as diligent about my schoolwork, but I don’t feel guilty about it. Classes are so much more rewarding here because I am fully immersed; I’m not thinking about the homework I need to do when I get home or the emails I need to send. I haven’t had to budget my time as strictly. I am taking this time for myself and it has been so rewarding. I’m going to try to keep this attitude when I come back to “real” life.

I’m learning to accept that things will happen as they happen. I can’t do a whole lot to change them at this point. To be honest, I don’t really count on anything anymore – not in a depressing way, but in an open-minded way. I’m realizing that my unhappiness is often caused by the expectations I set up in my mind for the way I want things to turn out. Without these expectations, I am free to decide how to approach every situation. For right now, I feel liberated. I think the Buddhist philosophy we have been learning about has gone to my head.

I also realize that I’ve been pretty lucky so far. There haven’t been any huge mishaps or mistakes yet. I’ve been ripped off a few times, but that’s about it. But I’ve also been pretty vigilant and aware of my surroundings. We’ll see what happens as things start to speed up. Knock on wood.

Good Eats?

I’ll admit, I didn’t have high expectations for the meals in Mongolia. I guess I was pleasantly surprised to some degree, but not blown away. Here are some of my observations:

• Fresh produce is rare. And expensive. Lots of pickled, canned, dried fruits and veggies in the supermarket. And “natural” fruit juices. Aloe Vera juice is popular here, and new to me.
• Dairy products aren’t always refrigerated here.
• Alcohol is dirt-cheap. And there is a huge alcoholism problem here. Go figure.
• Best food find so far: Luna Blanca Vegan Restaurant, near Sukhbataar Square. I hate to call this place my favorite restaurant in the city, because it is far from authentic.
• I have of course tried traditional Mongolian food, which is anything but vegan. Mutton is big here and so are dumplings. Its hearty and heavy fare. I had a mutton stew on the first day, just to give it a try. It was a fatty broth with four bone-in cuts of meat, which were basically completely fat.
• Lots and lots of fat. I’ve learned that the fat is the most prized part of the meat here. It makes sense I guess, considering the physical toll of the harsh climate.
• As much as I hate to say it being the adventurous eater that I am, it was really nice to have a place where I could count on something light and healthy that was a little more familiar. Believe me, I got my fill of mutton stew, mutton dumplings, and fermented mare’s milk. I promise that my culinary experience was sufficiently adventurous, Kari.
• I will say that my favorite traditional Mongolian food item is called “buuz,” which we pronounced “bows,” even though I think its supposed to sound more like “bodes.” This is a delicious steamed dumpling containing ground mutton (what else?).  They are warm and soft and total comfort food. Like steamed pork buns, but with less spice flavor and more meat flavor.
• There aren’t really any spices in Mongolian food. Even the Mongolian version of Chinese food was fairly bland.
• Mongolians like to share. Refusal is futile.
• The coolest meal I had was probably a traditional stone-cooked sheep stew/BBQ thing. Unfortunately, I missed the whole procedure of cooking because I was busy climbing a mountain with Sarah and Stuart (!!). It would have been right up my alley to watch them cook it though. Apparently smooth river stones are placed some sort of outdoor oven or smoker-like thing along with a whole sheep, which is cooked by the heat of the stones.

Regardless of the taste of the food, I had a blast exploring it and trying new things. Every meal was an adventure! I was lucky to have found some good foodie buddies who shared my zeal for unique eats. I’m such a dork. I hope to have more to report on the culinary front in the coming months when we start to visit places that are known for their cooking!

The Move to Mongolia. I love alliterations!

From the moment we stepped out of the airport in Ulaanbaatar, we have been attempting to make sense of that crazy, crazy place. I don’t claim to have it all figured out, but after seeing as much of this beautiful, harsh, and unpredictable country as a person possibly can in four weeks, I have a bit of insight to offer up.

Ulaanbaatar (UB), the country’s capital, is the undisputed heart of the nation, as it is the largest and most developed city by leaps and bounds. Our group was lucky to have taken root in a guesthouse right off the main drag, which gave us exposure to the good, the bad and the ugly of the area.

I haven’t decided if it was the shock of acclimating to our first Asian home, or if it was truly the craziness of the Mongolian way of life that created such an intimidating first impression. But in any case, I distinctly remember feeling like I was walking through an apocalyptic movie set as I ventured into the street during those initial days. It was like aliens were attacking and the entire city had gone into primal instinct mode: every man for himself. There were no rules. There were crosswalks, but as Aleisha so aptly explained, crossing them was like a game of Frogger. Stopping on the yellow line in the middle of the road was no longer dangerous, but necessary. We quickly learned to follow the crowd.

I often felt like the only one swerving my way around people on the street and in the department store. And personal space doesn’t hold nearly as much significance as it does in the States; people aren’t fazed by brushing up against each other on the street.

Vehicle transportation was just as unnerving. Two lane roads often become three lane, and speed limits are respected by very few, if they exist at all. But in a way, things seem to move more slowly than in many US cities. Not leisurely, but almost carelessly. Time commitments don’t mean much. Food makes it to the table when it makes it to the table.

We were initially disappointed not to have been given maps of the city by the members of our travel group in charge of logistics, but we soon discovered that maps wouldn’t have done any good, as there are no street signs. We were told the streets have names, but I never did see evidence.

Everyone acts on their own agenda, which is reflected in the city’s lack of public amenities. While there is constant construction and an apparent movement towards progress, Mongolians seem to have overlooked the necessity of a strong infrastructural foundation to the success of a city. There are no public bathrooms and no reliable water sources; drainage is poor - the streets puddle for days after it rains; public transportation is overrun and unpredictable; as I mentioned, traffic is brutally heavy and unregulated. But people aren’t motivated to fix these things. They are more concerned with capitalizing on more lucrative ventures, like the many high-end designer boutiques and fancy hotels that have been cropping up. The disparity between wealth and poverty is huge, and the two groups are constantly mingling.

But as we quickly discovered, UB is only half of the story.

You can’t claim to have thoroughly explored Mongolia without experiencing the grandeur of the uninhabited countryside. Through our weekly excursions we were given a chance to see first-hand the ways in which the culture is making the transition from a pastoral to an urban lifestyle.

The desolate, expansive geography and harsh climate have promoted a solitary existence for the Mongolian people since the beginning of their history. Ruggedness is a way of life, and they have been conditioned to be aggressive, resourceful and tolerant of what comes their way. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to survive a harsh, unforgiving Mongolian winter.

But on the flip side, the separation and tough living have created an undeniable camaraderie amongst the pastoral people; they are neighbors, no matter their proximity to one another. They seemed to me to have a much more delightful spirit about them than the city-dwellers, as was evidenced by their willingness to invite us into their gers and offer us endless bowls of airag (fermented mare’s milk), homemade sweets and unidentifiable boiled animal parts.

One particular group of “neighbors” was generous enough allow our 35-person crew to take a rest stop on their property and temporarily take over their kitchen and living room for our evening meal. It was a kind of generosity I’ve never experienced before.

Suddenly, UB’s seemingly unforgiving nature started to make sense. The city is still quite young and in the process of figuring out how to take advantage of their newfound independence while keeping up with the pace of the modern world. Their culture and identity is, and always will be, intimately connected to their unique environment and the lifestyle it promotes. Thus, attitudes that at first seemed severe, we soon began to recognize as a form of vigilance. These people aren’t insensitive, but robust and resilient.

Now that our time in Mongolia is done, I am more disappointed than I thought I would be. I find myself missing parts of the city that I never thought I would: adrenaline-pumping walks around town, my ability to assert my newly realized self-confidence, and the sense of community that our group’s close living quarters fostered. But that is the nature of this trip after all. As we continue on our journey, every day we are learning to recognize the gifts each place brings, and appreciate them while we can.

Back to Blogging

We’ve finally moved out of Mongolia and are on to a more tropical destination! Thus, I can officially inform you all of my amazing experiences in the land of Chinggis Khan. I periodically wrote some posts during my 4-week stay, so I will post them in the order they were written. Unfortunately, all of this happened a while ago, but being part of a university-sanctioned study abroad group, I have to comply with their safety regulations, which restrict us from posting any material about the countries we are currently visitng.

           

Before I get to the more personal stuff, I have decided to post something I wrote for the blog our entire travel group is writing. It’s got some good info on my first impressions of the city.

           

I’ll start by giving some background on the circumstances of our time in Mongolia. We were in the country for four weeks, the majority of which was spent in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar at a guesthouse. Professor Elizabeth Benard, program director and religion professor on campus, taught our first class here, which was an introduction to Buddhism. Through her many connections, we were given the incredible opportunity to visit some of the most significant Buddhist sites in the country and meet some amazing people. When we weren’t on excursions in the countryside, we attended class twice a day in a temple at Lamrim Monastery, a 15-minute walk from our guesthouse.

           

Our living quarters were tight, and took some getting used to. The girls were split into two rooms of 10 beds, leaving the 6 boys with their own room. Bunk beds all the way! But my roommates and I ended up having a blast together. It was like camp. Another hurdle was the bathroom situation, which I briefly alluded to in my final South Korea post. The guesthouse contained only two toilets and three showers, and hot water was a rarity. As was sufficient water pressure to ensure that everything would make it down…if you know what I mean. Things got dicey a few times. If you’ve read David Sedaris’s story “Big Boy” from his book Me Talk Pretty One Day, then you can imagine what I am talking about. If not, I encourage you to do so.

           

We rode camels, slept in gers, befriended nomads, and marveled at this vast country’s incredible landscape during our three excursions outside the city. No rules, no roads, no rest stops. These were by far my favorite experiences of the trip.

           

So here are some of my most significant memories of the past month, beginning with my thoughts about the differences between city and country life in Mongolia.