Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
holidays and summer. These days, mobile phones are ubiquitous at nomad camps, allow-
ing herders to stay in touch with friends, family and business associates.
Life on the steppes is by no means easy or idyllic. Constant work is required to care
for the animals, cook food and collect dung and water. It is also a precarious life - one
bad winter can kill an entire herd, instantly wiping out a family's fortune. Life is even
harder in the Gobi Desert, where grass is sparse and just one dry summer can threaten
livestock.
A WOMAN'S WORLD
Women enjoy a great amount of freedom in Mongolian society. They always have,
dating back to a time when Mongol queens helped rule the great Mongolian em-
pire.
In the countryside Mongolian women are often in charge of managing household
activities, such as selling sheep, bartering for flour and rice, or managing the family
cash reserves. These responsibilities usually fall upon the woman of the house be-
cause the men are often busy herding livestock, making repairs around the home
or travelling to market.
Women also tend to achieve higher levels of education because, on average, they
go to school longer than men (80% of higher-education students are women). Men
often need to stay behind in the countryside to take care of ageing parents and
their livestock. As a result of this lopsided male-female ratio, it's estimated that wo-
men hold some 70% to 80% of skilled jobs in Ulaanbaatar.
City Slickers
Mongolians have carried their rural traditions with them into the city. The unplanned ger
districts around the capital seem just a step away from the countryside. Wags also note
that driving habits in UB tend to mirror the way Mongols ride their horses. Mongolia's
strong democratic values are another reflection of nomadic traditions and their basic ten-
ets: freedom, independence and pluralism.
Life in the city is changing as more Mongolians become accustomed to an urban life-
style. Ger districts in Ulaanbaatar, once considered a regular part of the fabric, are on
their way out as developers transform these areas into modern apartment complexes.
Youth culture is highly influenced by Western TV, music and movies. A thriving cul-
ture of rap music exists in Ulaanbaatar. You'll also spot skaters, Harley Davidson biker
gangs, girl bands, punks and a handful of neo-Nazis. But the traditional Mongolian way
of life is far from dead. In fact, its restoration is a unique blend of foreign trends and
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