When living in a new place, it is very important to be aware of how your actions are perceived by others. Sometimes certain actions that Americans find rude are not rude in some places, and certain actions Americans do not find rude are rude in other places. For example, it is very common for people (usually men) to spit on the street in Mongolia, but in America, it is generally rude to spit. Expectations can be quite different depending on where you are, so it is important to understand and recognize alternative perspectives in new places.
In Mongolia, if you are welcomed into somebody’s home and do the wrong thing, it is easy to offend someone. Mongolians are traditionally very generous people and family is always a huge priority. If you get the privilege of meeting a Mongolian family, it is important to always accept any food or drink that is offered to you. If they live in a yurt, it is important to enter the yurt from the left side. It is also always important to greet the oldest members of the family first. After you greet each family member, the family will expect you to sit down and make yourself comfortable. Once you sit, someone will hand you a beverage. Mongolians drink a lot of hot milk tea. It mostly consists of milk, salt and butter, but also has a small amount of black tea inside. Salty hot milk sounds a bit strange, but it is actually very delicious.
