Couchsurfer No. 119

Couchsurfing is a non-profit network connecting travelers, or "surfers", to locals, or "hosts". Over 2,990,000 surfers and 1,300,000 hosts currently signed up in 240 countries, the network offers a chance to exchange the cross-cultural experience through meeting new people, and staying at their home. Interested in meeting the locals and peeking into lives in different regions, we started using the network during this journey. Aside from an terrible accident of me braking a lamp at our first host's home, we have had wonderful and unique experience in each and every places we stayed at.

We were looking for a host in Mongolia, and came across a family of six living in a ger. We immediately sent a request, but it was a day before our requested date that finally got in touch with him to learn that he will come pick us up at our guesthouse. Next morning, we met Begzsuren, a dark skinned man of my age with a shaved head and a smile. He told us which bus to take and where to get off, as he will catch up with his bike. With our backpacks, the small, crowded local bus was definitely not a simple task, especially trying to look out the window for the bus-stop count. The bus spitted us out on a dusty dirt road 20 minutes later, surrounded by huts and gers. Locals kept their eyes peeled on two aliens that just landed, in search for a sign of familiarity. Soon later Begz found the vulnerable duo, and led to his shelter.

We entered the ger, to see that it was a functioning home unlike the gers at the guesthouse. Near the center was an iron stove with a chimney going through the ceiling. Shelves and miscellaneous were piled up and covering the entire wall, and on the colorful chest were small shrine and framed photos of the family and friends. The wife and three girls aged 9, 6, and 5 were home at the time, and the oldest son was out herding cows. Begz suggested us to sit down, and lunch was served. Huarem, diluted hot milk, orom, milk-cream, and arol, cheese-like hardened dairy chunk were served. To our surprise of thinking there will be lamb served with every meal, we learned that the family eats very little meat during summer for two reasons; financial and inner-body cleansing. After a healthy meal, we sat with the oldest daughter to clean the wild flower, Tan, which they picked from the field to make spice.

Begz took us for a walk up on a hillside and explained that the area, simply known as the ger district, is located along the riverside in a valley, and the lifestyle is much dependent on self-sufficiency. Some, like Begz, commute to the central city, but with no running water and little electricity, living in the area is simple and not at all easy. Begz's house, for example, uses electricity for a single bulb light, a TV screen with a computer, a radio with no volume control, and occasionally the washing machine. No shower, no toilet, no internet, and their family outing include picking wild plants to make jam. He couldn't respond to our couch request as he was not at the office during Naadam holidays.

Usually, providing meals for guests are not a part of host's responsibility, but with a tiny contribution, Begz' family offer them. Dinner was homemade yogurt and bread. acquired taste is one way to phrase the dairy-based dish, but for the experience and the cleansing we delivered a bite after another. When the bowl was empty, we thought we were finished but were told that licking a plate to show the gratitude for the cook was customary in this country...ahh, customs. As guests we must do what is respectful, but my mind is too Europeanized to even allow myself to stick my tongue out after a meal. I glanced over to Sahe and learned she is far more accepting and brave than I was. On the first night, best I can do was to collect all remaining on the bowl with my finger and slurp them quickly. I remained my cowardly status, and Sahe proudly won her point.

Children are very hard-working. During the summer vacation, the son takes five cows down to the river all day every day, while the oldest daughter collects and dries cow dung used for burning fuel, and cleans the house. They sleep together in a row, and there is no secret kept from one another. On the second day we began to contribute to their daily works, and for me the most memorable experience had to be building a outdoor stove out of cow dung, dirt, and remaining water of yogurt called "yellow water". They became a member of Couchsurfing in 2008, and since then had 118 groups of visitors stay with them. Children has no hesitation to spend time with strange invaders, and even the five year old tries hard to communicate with us in English, telling us "no cheating!" while playing UNO. Some visitors wrote about them in a book, some made a short documentary. We wanted to do something special for this unique experience and decided to draw a picture.

Instead of choosing one, they requested me to draw a picture of their mother cow. Providing enough milk for most of their meal, the cow plays an important role to their family's life, and so it was an honorable request. It was not easy drawing a black cow in the sunset as they spend most of the day by the river, but I was able to complete it by the following morning, and give it to them after I neatly licked off my bowl at breakfast. The experience here was something to be remembered.