Meeting friends of friends in Mongolia

When I first announced that I was relocating to Mongolia to take this opportunity, some of the first reactions related to an old quip that people...at least, Americans...used to say when they wanted someone to get as far away from them as possible. "Oh, why don't you just go to outer Mongolia..."
"Back then" (whenever "then" was when this quip was commonplace), outer Mongolia used to signify a place where few people lived, where you were far, far away...disconnected.

Being here, I have experienced quite the contrary. In fact, through friends of friends, I've been introduced to 3 sets of Americans who are doing varied and interesting, things here. One is a Peace Corps Volunteer, two are journalists, and one is riding across the country on horseback.

Photo Credit: Taylor Weidman

I also recently met Nina and Taylor, who recently started the organization Vanishing Cultures Project. Their blog is fascinating and features the change from traditional lifestyles to urban existence as Mongolia continues to become one of the fastest growing economies and most rapidly changing places in the world. They've also visited Tibet and plan to visit Brazil next year to continue documenting vanishing cultures. Their work has been featured in the Huffington Post as well. I really enjoy the photos and stories. Thanks Jeff Wenzinger for the intro!

Kari in Khyelganat

Kari is a Peace Corps Volunteer, who is into her second year in Mongolia. She lives in a small soum (village) called Khyelganat, which is just outside of Erdenet (one of the largest cities in Mongolia, behind Ulaanbaatar). I recently took the overnight train (12 hours) out to Khyelganat, which is another 1.5h bus ride away once you reach Erdenet. There, I spent the weekend with Kari and another PCV learning about how Kari teaches English at the soum school, lives in a ger, heats the ger with a wood stove, fetches her own water, makes mozzarella cheese from scratch, etc. Thanks Nora Pittenger for the intro!

For a bonus, and something that will probably make you smile, make sure to make it to the bottom of the post. 

Last but not least, I was introduced to Erik, who was selected to race in the Mongol Derby in August. An excerpt from the race's website states, "The Mongol Derby is, according to The Guinness Book of World Records: longest, toughest horse race in the world. It's the Khaan's mother of equine adventures, a 1000 km multi-horse race across the epic wilderness of the Mongolian steppe. Its mammoth network of horse stations is a recreation of Genghis Khaan's legendary empire-busting postal system." Erik will be racing across the country on as many as 30 horses, camping or sleeping in the gers of hospitable Mongolian nomads that he meets along the way. Thanks Leah Alexander for the intro!

Kari, a friend Gracie and some other Peace Corps Volunteers put together this video with their Mongolian partners in Erdenet. I love it.