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• Mongolia is in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south.  It is the 15^th largest country in the world (it is a little smaller than Alaska).   It is one of the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign states.  The population is approximately 3.5 million and the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, is home to roughly half of the country’s population.  There are two additional cities with populations more than 50,000 and ten cities with populations between 20 – 30,000 people.  Approximately 30% of the population is under 19 years of age.
• It is on the same latitude as Seattle.  The land is covered by grassy steppe, mountains to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south.  Sections of the country reminded us of Utah, Arizona, and Montana.  The rolling green steppe reminds me of sand dunes in the Sahara desert in Morocco.

• It is a multiparty parliamentary democracy governed by a democratically elected government.  Elections took place on 6/28/24 while we were in Mongolia.  Election campaigns can only occur within a designated 14-day period.  Ulaanbaatar residents expressed concerns regarding poor air quality, horrendous traffic, and lack of affordable housing in the capital city.  In the countryside, some herders are blaming the government for the loss of their animals.  Election day is a holiday and many businesses were closed.  Mike read a book Cracks in the Eternal Blue Sky by Erik Versavel and learned about the extensive corruption that exists in the government.  There are lots of vacant buildings under construction and we learned that developers get loans.  The developers pay themselves and the commission to the banker and when they run out of money to build the building it sits vacant.  The country has so much potential, it is extremely sad. 

• We talked with people about the 1990 Soviet collapse.  It was an extremely difficult transition, and it has taken years to adjust and develop commerce.  When you think about it, today’s Mongolia is really only 34 years old.
• Between 1990 and 2017, the largest groups of migrants were from China, Russia, and South Korea.  As of mid-2020, the international migrant population was 21,345 which is about 0.7% of the total population.
• 52% of the population is Buddhist, 41% have no religion, Shamanism is also prevalent.  Traditional Shaman do Sky Burials when someone dies.  They offer the body in death on a tall mountain for vultures to eat it and continue the circle of life.  We saw several of these, from a distance, on mountain tops. 
• One year of military service is compulsory for all male citizens between 18 and 25 years of age. Many serve as border control to retain Mongolia land. 
• 1 US dollar = 3,400 Mongolian Tughriks (we needed to pay some lodging in cash so we’d have over 1 million Tughriks in our wallets – which was less than $300 US).  Here is a picture of Mongolian money that is the equivalent of .70 US cents. 

• A gallon of gas costs $3.00.  Gas stations are serviced (no self-serve). 
• Major industries include: construction and construction materials, mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, and gold), oil, food and beverages, processing of animal products, cashmere wool and natural fiber manufacturing (from goats and sheep).  Mongolia is the 2^nd largest producer of cashmere (China is #1).  We saw several huge semi-trucks stuffed with animal hair.  Women tend to hold skilled jobs and often high-level positions like CEOs.  The movie industry is growing; approximately 30 feature films are released each year.
• About 30 percent of the country’s people are nomadic herders living in dwellings known as gers or yurts on the country’s vast open steppes (the animals roam everywhere, there are very few fences). They use dried animal dung and/or coal to burn as heat.  An extreme weather phenomenon known as the dzud killed more than 7.1 million animals in Mongolia the winter of 2023-2024, more than a tenth of the country’s entire livestock holdings, endangering herders’ livelihoods and way of life.  Dzuds are a combination of perennial droughts and severe, snowy winters and they are becoming harsher and more frequent because of climate change.  They are most associated with Mongolia but also occur in other parts of Central Asia.  This is contributing to the rural-to-urban migration taking place. 
• There are more horses than people – around 5 million.  There are about 70 million livestock (sheep, cattle, yaks, horses, goats, and Bactrian camels-a rare breed that inhabit few places in the world and have two humps).  They refer to sheep, goats, cows, horses, and camels as their “five treasures”.
• We were told that the land is free, a Mongol can be on any land that has not been purchased.  After you have lived in a location for a few years, you can complete the process to own the land.  Tourists and locals can pitch a tent almost anywhere and they do. 
• They bury tires halfway into the ground to divide property lines instead of using fences.
• Life expectancy is 71 years of age (USA is 76).
• 18-year-olds can get their driver’s license. 
• Legal drinking age is 21. 
• The country has 7,867 miles of paved roads out of 68, 972 miles.  Most country roads are dirt paths and very bumpy. 
• Public Holidays (*most celebrated): New Year (January 1), *Lunar New Year (February 10 – 12), *International Women’s Day (March 8, the men do everything), Buddha’s Birthday (May 23), Children’s Day (June 1), Election Day (June 28), *Naadam (July 11 – 15), Genghis Khaan’s Day (November 16), Republic Day (November 26), Independence Day (December 29).
• Naadams are beautiful celebrations.  The atmosphere is happy and festive.  Locals dress in gorgeous traditional clothing.  You can feel the pride, connectedness and community among the Mongols.
• Long distance bus tickets have the license plate of the corresponding bus, so you know which bus to get on.
• Long distance buses serve as shipping companies.  On our 13-hour bus ride we had two drivers.  One driver stopped the bus on the side of the road and the other driver ran to get two big containers of milk.  Later we met another bus, and he transferred the milk to that bus. 
• Children would get very excited when they saw us (sort of like kids do when they go to the zoo and look at the animals!).  They would smile, say “hi”, wave, and want to talk with us.  We loved it!
• There are times we felt like celebrities as several people asked to take pictures with us, even though we hadn’t had any type of interaction with them.  Maybe it is because we are typically in hiking clothes, boots, and our sunhats and they think we are from the Outback and related to the late, great, Steve Irwin (or maybe they think we look ridiculous and want to show their friends the oddities they encountered). 

• Breast feeding is very much a part of their way of life and takes place in public without any covering.   
• Volleyball seems to be the sport of choice across the country. 
• The system of placing Facebook Ads to find a ride somewhere is common and we did it a couple of times.  The rider pays the driver a pre-determined amount to ride along to a shared destination.  Great for the environment and cheap. 
• They use the Tinder dating app.
• The English translation for how they answer the phone is “Are you there?” and the person on the other end replies “I am here”. 
• They flash their car lights and beep their horns lightly to alert others of their presence and indicate “I’m here”. 
• American movies, TV shows, and music influence their culture.  Our friend, Shinekhuu, learned much of his English watching the tv show Friends. 
• I realize I speak 3 languages – English, smile and charades.  The Mongolian language is difficult.  We found a 4 minute You Tube video to learn how to say thank you (and I still have NOT mastered it!). 
• Nomad families are so generous.  Anyone can stop at any time and they will provide food, milk tea, and water.  Mongolians in general are so hospitable!  They share everything, and love to give flowers and gifts.      
• My bathroom “requirements” and expectation bar has been lowered significantly.  I have established a ranking system.  I get excited when I have a flushing toilet in the same building as me and even more excited when I can flush the toilet paper.  Using a ceramic floor squat toilet in a restaurant is better than using a bench seat outhouse in the countryside.  I would rather go outside (Mike says Mongolia has the most beautiful bathrooms) than squat over a missing board on the floor of an outhouse. 

• The internal battle for us continues regarding tourism and the impact to the environment.  We want to see one of the most pristine lakes in the world and the largest lake in Mongolia, yet our being there and taking a boat ride is harming the lake.  Tourism gives jobs, so locals have higher incomes and at the same time it impacts the ability to fill customary jobs that pay lower wages as everyone wants to be a tour guide and get tips versus working the types of jobs they used to do. 
• Vendors are not pushy in Mongolia. 
• Many businesses and homes have water delivered to fill their water tanks or they carry their water from a lake or river.  Much of the Mongolian way of life is like taking a step back in time in so many ways.  Many Mongolians shower using wash basins. 

• The power goes out frequently in the countryside (Mongolia gets its power from Russia). 
• I always felt safe, even hitchhiking!   
• It is customary to shake a person’s hand if you stepped on their foot.
• Many Mongol men share their bellies with the world.  They pull their shirts up when it’s hot and rub their bellies. 
• Many smaller towns do not have an internet presence for making lodging reservations.  You need to call the property directly (what?  make a phone call?  how do you do that??)
• Many restaurants provide warm mesh cloths to clean your hands before eating.  Some restaurants provide disposable gloves with messy burgers

• In many places throughout Mongolia, kindergarten registration is first come first serve.  Not all children get into classes.  Elementary school classrooms may have 50 students. 
• We asked a few people to share what they think of when they hear “USA”.  A 23-year-old man said guns and death 😥.  A 28-year-old woman said New York City at Christmas time and freedom.  Our 16-year-old male tour guide said Texas and the wild west.  An Estonian woman on one of our tours with us said she thinks of New York City.  A 15-year-old boy told us Target, Dollar Tree, and Prime energy drink.  We asked how he knew about those things, and he replied, “Tik Tok”.  Our 29-year-old friend, Shinekhuu, said he thinks of Hollywood (movies and TV shows) and the army (in the news).
• We saw many 3- and 4-year-olds with shaved heads.  We learned that Mongolian children get their first haircut between 2–5. Depending on the lunar calendar, boys receive their first hair cut in their odd year and girls in their even year.  It is a big occasion for the whole family.  Guests attend and cut a strand of hair, saying their best wishes to the child, and give a gift and money.
• People generally don’t point fingers, instead they extend their entire hand.
• Little girls wear gorgeous frilly dresses. 
• They put bath towels over welcome mats so they can easily clean the mat by washing the towel. 
• Mars candy bars do not have almonds like they do in the US (we’ve noticed this in other countries too). 
• Golden Gobi produces the best choco raisins!
• I couldn’t find contact solution in grocery stores or pharmacies.  Found it at an optical lens store. 
• Dinosaurs are a big deal in the Gobi Desert.  Mongolia is believed to have the largest dinosaur fossil reservoir in the world, with scientists discovering more than 80 genera from over 60 fossil sites. 
• Native plants are used to heal ailments.  We saw pinecone syrup being sold to cure coughs and sore throats. 
• Their hot cereal is made from barley.
• They smoke skinny cigarettes.
• Many nomads own snuff bottles that have been in their families for decades.  Thankfully, we were aware of snuff practices and we were prepared.  When visiting a nomad family, we were offered the ger owner’s snuff bottle.  It is rude to say “no” to Mongolian hospitality.  We opened the bottle, smelled it, and pretended to put a little on our finger and sniff it (I am pleased that I can continue to say I have never used snuff…that’s not something on my life’s to do list). 

• I have grown tremendously when it comes to being a freak about germs.  I am grateful to Mongolia for teaching me to release and let go of fear and internal stress over things that used to consume my energy.  In Mongolia, eating is typically done communally, using your fingers.  Mongolians LOVE butter and some will dip their bread in a big dish of butter and re-dip it with each bite.  Guesthouses we stayed at basically rinsed used dishes (who created the rule that you need to use hot water and soap?).  In nomad gers we would all drink airag (fermented horse milk) or milk tea from the same cup.  The same dishes or knives that were used for raw meat are reused without washing for cutting watermelon.  The cook may use the outhouse and return to continue preparing the meal without washing their hands.  The cook may collect dung for the cooking fire and not wash their hands before handling food.  It’s hard to say when the blankets were last washed in the ger bed that you’re sleeping in (I now perform a sniff/visual test on linens – if it smells good enough and looks clean enough it’s fine.  You couldn’t have convinced me 6 months ago that I would use some of the linens that I’ve used during my time in Mongolia.).  I am a better person for having observed and participated in this way of life.  I have started the process of releasing and letting go of a few of the many “rules” I’ve created for myself. 
• Mongolians are focused on today (what a great way to live!).  They don’t generally make plans more than a day in advance and definitely don’t commit to anything.  When we were looking for a ride from Dadal to Chingiss City on the day before we needed the ride, people told us to come back on the day we needed the ride.  When trying to make plans with friends, they wouldn’t commit until it got closer to the designated date.  Businesses may close early or not even open during regular hours (sometimes they put a sign on the door “rest day” so you know why they are closed; you never really know when a business will be open).        
• Just like in the United States, small towns lack fresh fruits, veggies, and juices without sugar.  It makes me so sad that everyone in the world doesn’t have access to healthy foods. 
• Mongolia produces a lot of dairy products.  There are many types of milk and our taste buds are not accustomed to many of them (so it can be quite shocking to taste).  We learned that the milk that resonated best with our taste buds was labeled as “Premium for Export”.
• Queuing generally doesn’t happen, and people will jostle in line to buy things, board a bus, etc. 
• The country air is sweet, clean, and fresh (something in the air bothered my allergies periodically). 
• We were in Mongolia from June 17^th to September 9^th.  The temperatures ranged from 23 to 86 degrees.  We experienced extensive rain a few days and one day of snow on the first day of summer, June 21st.   
• Some of the modern nomads have washing machines.

• We really like traditional Mongolian music, especially throat singing. 
• We met an inspiring American woman in Khatgal.  Trina opened her home to us and gave us a tour of their impressive operations.  We enjoyed the 45-minute documentary about the missionary work that Trina and her family are doing in Mongolia.  The movie also provides great insight about what it’s like to live in Mongolia.    
• Things we will take away and continue to use:  crossing our forearms to indicate no – we called it getting the X and would often happen at restaurants if we ordered something they didn’t have; showing our pinkies to indicate something is bad; extending our entire palm/hand versus pointing.    
• I will always be grateful for our time in Mongolia.  History is not one of my favorite subjects.  However, I learned quite a bit about Genghis Khan and his leadership style.  Although he did horrific things, that I don’t agree with, to expand his empire; there are things I do admire.  He demonstrated true concern for his people.  He understood the value that women bring to the world.  I wish all world leaders had the same respect for religious freedom and different beliefs as he did. He understood love and respect on a level that I want our current world leaders to embrace.  Our journey through Mongolia taught us invaluable lessons about resilience, adaptability, and the importance of human connection.  I learned so much from the amazing people and their way of life.  Mongolia and the people in it pushed me further out of my comfort zone than I anticipated.  It helped me progress with my personal goals for living this chapter of our lives.  It reinforced for me the beauty of living simply, that we don’t need much to be happy and spending time with people you enjoy being with is one of the greatest gifts of life.  The deep love I felt from the people we met was unexpected and I will cherish it forever.  It is clearer to me than ever that you don’t need to speak the same language to receive and give love.   We will miss Mongolia.  The people and the country will forever hold a special place in our hearts.   

Our path around Mongolia