The Wild West

Any time someone heads to Western Mongolia, there is always a risk that he or she will not return alive. For this reason, only the smartest and bravest Peace Corps Volunteers are sent to this region. At least that is what some of us proud Western Mongolian residents once claimed.
Flying into Khovd Aimag is quite dramatic, as the plane descends into town, a large salt water lake is directly below and once on the runway you are surrounded by 4000 meter snow capped mountains. Khovd is also unique to have a population that contains many different Mongolian tribes and a large Kazak minority, which accounts for over 10% of the province's population. As Mongolia is one of the most ethnically homogeneous countries in the world, with the large majority of residents being Khalk Mongolian, any aberration from the norm is fascinating.
During our trip, we had the opportunity to visit a young Kazak high school student, who had attended some Mercy Corps trainings on felt production and made beautiful Kazak rugs. From talking to her, we learned that her older brothers had moved to Kazakhstan, which is quite common, and they now worked on construction projects. While she was nearly 18 years old, she had never visited Ulan Bator or Almaty and only once left her home province to visit neighboring Bayan Olgi, which is the Kazak stronghold of Mongolia. When we asked her if she wanted to visit Kazakhstan, she said that she once had an interest, but now she wants to pursue a medical degree in Mongolia. While she is fluent in Kazak, she and many other Kazaks have never formally learned the language though their school system, as instruction is conducted in Mongolian. Also the religious influences in her life seem small, as her parents only visit mosque during Ramadan and the New Year's celebration of Nuarz.
After visiting three different provinces, it has become obvious that Mongolia is going through a severe drought and this winter will be extremely difficult for herders. Although there were early rains, a late frost stunted the growth of grass and the last rainfall for many provinces occurred in May. When we spoke to one vet client, we asked how many animals he planned to treat next spring. He said that there were 16,000 animals in his district, but surely by next spring the number would decrease, as many animals would perish over the winter. While we hope for the best, there are many indicators that point toward another dzud, especially as disaster often strikes after the best metrological and economic years, as herders continue to increase their herd size.