SUMMER SCHOLARS BLOG : Genevieve Connell
A view of the Ger exhibition, featuring examples of gers (or yurts), the traditional one-room households in Mongolia
Land of the Eternal Blue Sky
The entire past two weeks have been a blur. Within the week and a half before my arrival in Mongolia, I had to mobilize all my energy and resources into finalizing my work contract, booking flights, securing accommodations, enrolling in insurance, procuring paperwork, and of course packing. After around 19 hours of flight, my body had nearly molded to the shape of the plane seat. From New York City to Seoul/Incheon to Ulaanbaatar, the plane rumbled and rolled down the runway and finally came to a stop, though the nausea continued. It was the morning of Saturday, May 11, 2024.
The driver was waiting at the terminal exit, sign in hand. Genevieve Connell UNDP. It was the first time I saw my name on a sign at the airport. I thought such things only happened in movies or for distinguished corporate workers. On the drive from the airport to Ulaanbaatar, or UB as the locals say, a vast landscape sprawled out before my droopy eyes. An infinity of hills that had yet to emerge from the kiss of winter rolled by, the kind of hills that shaped the skyline, softly, humbly, and that were speckled with cows and other livestock. The kind of hills that carried the wind freely through the grasses that had yet to green. Gers—the traditional Mongolian one-room household (yurt)—also sat atop these hills.
As we approached the city, little by little, car after car after car seemed to pop out of nowhere until after a while, we were caught in a standstill. In passing, I noticed a giant—and I mean giant Carrefour sign on the side of the road. What the—now what on Earth is a Carrefour doing here?! Never had I expected that one of my first big sights of Mongolia for the first time would be a massive French supermarket chain. I suppose this is what us scholars in the development field would call the effects of globalization. At long last, we arrived at the aparthotel early in the afternoon, I checked in, immediately had a small dodo (nap), and then took a cup of SHIN Ramyun for dinner before clocking out for the night.
Sukhbaatar Square
My first few days were spent strolling about and exploring the city center. Waking up on Sunday morning, my sole objective was to walk to see where my workplace was. The UNDP Mongolia Country Office is located slightly north of the city center and is surrounded by embassy row. Within a few hundred meters, you can walk past the United States, China, Canada, and Germany.
It is said that the traffic in UB is just awful because of the constant congestion, multiple lanes everywhere, and the fact that pedestrians do not have the right-of-way. Luckily, I did not yet have to battle the hordes of headlights charging down the roads at me like a raging bull until later in the morning. Compared to New York City traffic, UB traffic is much quieter. There are some honking horns but nary one shouted profanity—at least that I know of with all 5 words in Mongolian that I can recognize. While there is the occasional insufferable motorcyclist that lets it be known to the world that we can indeed hear their ferocious VROOM VROOM VRRRRRROOOOOM screaming down the street, the city and traffic as a whole are much quieter than the Bronx. I felt right at home. I scuffled down the sidewalk, the thickness of smelly exhaust puffing behind in the dust of each car. Despite being called the Land of Eternal Blue Sky, naturally my first full day out and about after my arrival was a bit cloudy.
I found my workplace, the UN House, right next to the German Embassy. Outside the embassy was a rather colorful and dynamic bear. Not a real bear of course.
I then walked down the avenue lined with restaurants, cafes, and even a music store selling traditional Mongolian instruments, and came across the Chinggis Khaan Museum. It was one mass of a grey cube, but a beautiful grey cube with a golden figure on top. In fact, it was quite modern compared to much of the soviet style residences across the city.
Sukhbaatar Square is the center of all major public festivals and functions. I was just in luck as I had stumbled across the annual Ger Exhibition. Gers, or yurts, are traditional one-room households in Mongolia consisting of a cookstove or oven at the very center which connects to a chimney that goes out the middle of the roof. Along the interior perimeter are the beds and living spaces. Each of the Gers on the square featured a different family and various businesses and crafts from artisan wooden tools to touring theater troupes. I weaved in and out of the Gers until a great falcon caught my eye. Such a large bird wearing a tiny metal hat. Towering above it all was the Government Palace, a massive building with white columns and a blue glass facade flanking both sides of the largest and roundest Genghis Khan statue I have seen in my life.
Once I had my fun on the square, I made my way back to the aparthotel and stopped at Mandu House on the way for spicy ramen and vegetable dumplings.
As with many of the other countries I have been privileged to visit, Mongolia has a very meat forward cuisine with many of its prominent traditional and non-traditional dishes featuring beef, pork, mutton, and yak. Likewise, I have had to be much less strict in my vegetarian diet. Food and cooking are one of my greatest passions in life, so while I wouldn’t normally choose a dish featuring meat, it has been a step into unfamiliar territory to try dishes that contain a bit of it. However, the best way to learn about a culture and connect with people is through food. It is a universal language around which identity, warmth, family, and the heart of a society revolves. I am sincerely looking forward to trying more and exploring more of the richness that Mongolia has to offer.
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The above are select excerpts from Genevieve Connell’s blog. You can read all her blogs in their entirety here
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Our Summer Scholars Blog, a collection of reports from post-grad scholars that UNA-NYC has sponsored globally, showcases our fellows' experiences with UN agencies and non-governmental organizations in the country where they are working. Learn more about our Summer Scholars fellowship program and fellows here.