Hi! My name is Maddie Williams and I am a Fulbright College Honors student who is studying International Studies with a focus in Human Rights, Food Security, and Political Science. I am blogging as I spend my spring semester studying abroad in different parts of Mongolia (If I remember correctly, Arkansas has never sent students here before on study abroad)!
Mongolia is a developing country, and is a brand new democratic state, as of 1990. I am here studying this transition period and the geopolitics of a state like Mongolia. I am in an extremely unique situation in that I have had and will continue to have chances to collaborate with both governmental and nongovernmental institutions to dive into the struggles and success of democracy.
In just a few short weeks, I will be dropped off in the countryside of Mongolia to live with a nomadic herding family and participate in life with them for a while. I will keep all of you updated on the wonderful stories that are sure to come from those weeks!
I “speak” Spanish, and wouldn’t you know it, they speak Mongolian here in Mongolia! It is one of the hardest languages to learn, and I can attest to it. Usually I have 2 hours of language class a day, with 3 hours of practice after classes are over, and then 2 hours of grammar practice with my host family here in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city. This is all for my benefit, as I am also conducting research for my honors thesis back at the U of A. How else am I supposed to conduct interviews, after all?
To get ready for this trip, I researched and got all of the warmest clothes I could fit in the 2 bags that I was allowed to take (it went down to -27 while I was hiking part of Bogd Khan mountain)! I have all of my winter camping gear for my countryside stays, and I cannot emphasize enough how important warm socks are! To prepare for an immersed life here, I also tweaked my diet a few weeks before I left. They eat mainly meat, bread, and dairy products here-there’s very little fruit or vegetable consumption. I eat mainly fruits and vegetables. I did not want to spend my first weeks here absolutely wrecked, so I tried my best to prepare accordingly.
- Understand that you are going to look like a fool at some point. I came out with guns blazing in this department, as I stepped onto my first public bus asking about a certain stop in Spanish-yes, Spanish. Live into it, try your best to immerse yourself and recognize that you will not always going to appear like you know everything.
- Ask questions. I usually think that I can figure things out myself, and have thus far had a solid track record in that department. This did not and does not hold true here in Mongolia. Don’t be afraid of not knowing-you will miss out on valuable learning experiences.
- Take the hikes. Literally and metaphorically. Be ready to experience your country’s life and culture, have your yes on the table! Studying abroad has the potential to shape you in new ways, so say yes to new opportunities (but obviously be wise).
Until next time, Arkansas!
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Learn more about Maddie's SIT program in Mongolia.
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