A few people have even invited me to their homes for Mongolian food.
Mongolians are very proud of their customs. I have engaged with local people by trying activities that they enjoy. For example, horse riding is a treasured aspect of Mongolian culture and history, and it is very easy to do around Ulaanbaatar. I have joined a local riding club, and on the weekends, I travel about two hours outside of the city to Saraa’s Ger camp. When I’m there, I get to ride a horse for a few hours and I also get to know local Mongolians!
Another popular activity is hiking. There are lots of great places to appreciate natural beauty. The other Fulbright teachers and I joined a group called the UB Hiking Club. My favorite place to hike so far is Hustai National Park, where you can see wild horses.
Finally, another fun activity is kareoke! Ulaanbaatar seems to have a spot for kareoke around every corner. Most of these places have songs in Mongolian and in English. After a long week of teaching, I bonded with some of my Mongolian teachers by going to kareoke and trying to sing along in each other’s languages. It was a great way to relax and release stress!
We have also done our best to check out local festivals. In the beginning of October, the other Fulbright teachers and I travelled to Olgii in Western Mongolia to watch the Golden Eagle Festival. We learned about the tradition of eagle hunting and saw how the people of Western Mongolia live. At the festival, we ate local food, cheered for the hunters as they guided their eagles, watched the eagles land on the prey, and even got to watch a camel race and an archery competition!
It is also important to me to learn about social issues in the country.
