Theres a huge pressure on youth to get married young and have children. Its a vestige of older culture. The family I stayed with gave me an apt on Peace Ave. for 3 weeks.
At age 45, this women was a grand-mother already. Constant pressure to have children.
I went to a hair-cutting ceremony. I believe they do not cut the infant's hair until a certain age, at which point they shave it bald. Boys 4 and Girls 3 (They explained it having something to do w/the lunar calendar. I didn't understand it fully). The family is enormous, at least 40 people. The family I stayed with- the 45 year old woman had 3 brothers, 3 sisters, tons of cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. All of these people had multiples kids. Big big families.
Although I didn't go, there is a country-wide famous competition Nadaam in July. This is basically a Mongolian Olympics- spear-throwing, horseback riding, wrestling, etc.
The rich and famous younger-youth do not live in UB during the bulk of the year. They live/study in London, Paris, Milan, Russia, China and come home for the summer.
Other brags- Went to the gun range. Fired AK-47, dragunov sniper rifle, pistols, machine gun, tommy gun. I even shot off a soviet-style RPG. I had the option of driving a tank and firing a missile out of the tank, but i passed on it. For a 100 bucks extra and an earlier phone call, they will drag a car unto the field and douse it w/gasoline and let you shoot it w/the tank.
Not me....
I almost had a heart-attack before I pulled the RPG trigger. Crazy adrenaline rush.
At age 45, this women was a grand-mother already. Constant pressure to have children.
I went to a hair-cutting ceremony. I believe they do not cut the infant's hair until a certain age, at which point they shave it bald. Boys 4 and Girls 3 (They explained it having something to do w/the lunar calendar. I didn't understand it fully). The family is enormous, at least 40 people. The family I stayed with- the 45 year old woman had 3 brothers, 3 sisters, tons of cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. All of these people had multiples kids. Big big families.
Although I didn't go, there is a country-wide famous competition Nadaam in July. This is basically a Mongolian Olympics- spear-throwing, horseback riding, wrestling, etc.
The rich and famous younger-youth do not live in UB during the bulk of the year. They live/study in London, Paris, Milan, Russia, China and come home for the summer.
Other brags- Went to the gun range. Fired AK-47, dragunov sniper rifle, pistols, machine gun, tommy gun. I even shot off a soviet-style RPG. I had the option of driving a tank and firing a missile out of the tank, but i passed on it. For a 100 bucks extra and an earlier phone call, they will drag a car unto the field and douse it w/gasoline and let you shoot it w/the tank.
Not me....
I almost had a heart-attack before I pulled the RPG trigger. Crazy adrenaline rush.
WIA- For most of men, our time being masters of our own fate, kings in our own castles is short. Even those of us in the game will eventually succumb to ease of servitude rather than deal with the malaise of solitude