Help us at our family guest house in Karakorum, the ancient capital of Mongolia

Infos

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  Description

  We are a Polish-Mongolian couple based in Karakorum, the ancient capital of Mongolia placed in the heart of the country, around 360 km from Ulan Bator. My name is Agata and I come from Poland. I came to Mongolia as a researcher and found my home here. Tamir Samandbadraa - my husband, who is a well-known Mongolian artist and calligrapher and I live in an old house that we are turning into a guest house. The house has four rooms, a restaurant room, a little library, and a calligraphy studio. There are also a couple of yurts in the backyard. There is a lot of place outside that can be turned into a garden or recreational spaces.
  
  Our place is located just next to the local bus station and marketplace. It is a 15-minute walk from the biggest attraction of Karakorum - the Erdene Zuu monastery, archeological museum, Mongolian calligraphy and art center L'Ecrin - Erdenesiin Khuree founded by Tamir, and only 3 km from the beautiful Orkhon river valley.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Projets artistiques

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Baby-sitting et jeux créatifs

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Accueil / tourisme

  Entretien général

  Aide informatique/internet
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  You can
  - learn about Mongolian culture and life in the Mongolian countryside
  - visit the historical capital and one of the most important Buddhist centres of the country
  - learn calligraphy or painting techniques (Mongolian calligraphy from Tamir and Tibetan calligraphy from Agata, oil painting etc.)
  - try Mongolian cuisine, the traditional food and horse milk drink, all natural and fresh from Mongolian countryside
  - we can help you arrange a horse trip or give you other advice on travelling in Mongolia
  - and many others

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  Projets impliquant des enfants

  Ce projet peut impliquer des enfants. Pour en savoir plus, consultez nos directives et conseils ici.

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  Aide

  There is a lot of work of all kinds that you can help us with. We need help with any of the following:
  - small renovation works in the house
  - plumbery etc.
  - arranging space in the backyard
  - gardening
  - decoration of the building from the inside and outside
  - social media promotion, website
  - taking good photos of our place
  - cooking
  - preparing beds and cleaning rooms for the guests of our guest house
  - all kinds of housework like cleaning the rooms, washing the floor, doing laundry, washing the dishes etc.-- playing with our son
  - any other type of work you can do!

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Courant
  Mongolian: Courant
  Polonais: Courant
  Russe: Courant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  Cet hôte a indiqué qu’il souhaitait faire partager sa propre langue ou en apprendre une nouvelle.
  Contactez-le pour en savoir plus.
  
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  Hébergement

  You can stay in one of the rooms or in the yourt depending on availability and your preference. We can accomodate a family or a single person. We can provide food (breakfast and lunch or dinner) but sometimes we will involve you in meal preparation! It is possible to arrange vegetarian or vegan food options (ingredients). For meet eaters there is no better place than Mongolia as Mongolian diet consists mostly of meat and milk products.

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  Autres infos...

  If you want to stay at our home please read all the information carefully. When you write to us wanting to apply for a Workaway experience please :
  1. let us know that you accept the rules of the house (mentioned below in the following text)
  2. leave your WhatsApp number so that we can have a quick video call before you arrive (don't worry - this is not a job interview, just verifying that you are a real person from the internet profile :))
  I WILL NOT RESPOND TO MESSAGES THAT DO NOT CONTAIN THE ABOVE TWO POINTS.
  Also, be prepared to show us your passport when you arrive. When you stay with us it is important to understand that we become one team and we are responsible for each other. You should also know that there is a child at home so you have to be ok with children around.
  Another thing that you should know: we are not your parents and we won't teach you personal culture, work culture or basic housework skills so you should know how to clean the dishes or wash the floor before you arrive. Thanks!
  We reserve the right to finish our workaway agreement immediately if you break any of the house rules or turn out unskilled. Mind that it's a WORKaway, not CHILLaway or something like this :P
  
  
  FAQ:
  1. How to get to Kharkhorin from UB?
  The best way is to take a bus from the Dragon bus station in UB. It leaves every day at 11 am but be prepared to get there earlier to get the ticket. It costs around 25 000 tugriks per person (6 euro). It takes about 6 hours to get to Kharkhorin. (We will send you precise instructions before you come.)
  
  2. What is the weather like in Kharkhorin?
  Mongolia has a continental climate: very cold and long winters, with temperatures that often reach-30°C, and short, but warm summers. The summer lasts from June to August and it is the warmest time. In spring and autumn, you can have "four seasons on one day", the weather is unpredictable and changeable. The first snow can happen in September in Kharkhorin and it can still snow in April. Please research carefully the months in which you will be traveling.
  
  The sun shines on average 257 days a year and Mongolia is called the "Country of the Blue Sky". The difference between temperatures in the day and in the night can be high, so be prepared with a few layers of clothes.
  Kharkkhorin is known for its strong wind which brings up a lot of dust in the air from time to time.
  Kharkhorin is located at an altitude of 1540 meters above sea level.
  
  3. What should I bring to Mongolia?
  First of all, take some warm clothes. A sleeping bag can be useful too. Most days are sunny so a hat to protect your head and UV cream will be a good idea. A pocket knife, a torch, and some camping accessories might be useful depending on your plans for travel. When you visit Mongolian families it is good to bring some gifts with you so something small from your home country might be nice to gift to people. The climate is very dry so you might need some hand cream etc. depending on your skin condition. If you plan to go to the countryside or do horse riding some high shoes are recommended.
  
  4. Is it possible to use a MasterCard for everyday transactions?
  In Kharkhorin (and in the Mongolian countryside in general) most places refuse foreign bank card payments. However, you can use your card to withdraw money from some of the ATMs (for example from Khan Bank's ATM) and then use cash for transactions. It is recommended to come to Mongolia with some cash in EUR or USD and exchange it in Ulan Bator. In Kharkhorin it is also possible to exchange currency but only in one bank and sometimes they refuse the "ugly" banknotes.
  
  5. How much cash should I bring?
  This will really depend on your plans for travel so I can't answer this question shortly. Do some research on your plans and destinations :)
  
  6. Can I hitchhike in Mongolia?
  Yes, you can hitchhike in Mongolia but it is not for free. It is more like a "blablacar" and you should pay for the travel, the payment will depend on the length of travel.
  
  7. Is it safe in Mongolia?
  It is safe in general if you follow some of the rules. Beware of the dogs, don't pet them, they can be very dangerous because their job is to protect the home from strangers.
  Keep your valuable things and money in a safe place, don't leave them visible because they will get stolen. Don't show your wallet full of money in public places. Keep your things organized. What is on the table belongs to everyone.
  Be careful with drunk guys. If you don't know what the Mongolians are capable of, reread the Mongolian Empire and Chinggis Khaan history :D they are the fighters :P
  Also, if you plan to horse ride it will be safer to book with a professional tour company. Most of the horses in the countryside are half-wild, not really tamed, and can hurt you. Make sure you have insurance!
  
  8. What other things should a foreigner know when coming to Kharkhorin?
  The time in the Mongolian countryside goes from day to day. It is good to be flexible and adapt to the situation rather than plan everything precisely in advance.
  Research what you want to see and experience in Mongolia and enjoy your time!
  
  Rules of the house:
  1. Be kind and respect each other (of course!). Communication is the key!
  2. Clean after yourself NOW (not after... Or tomorrow...). We need a clean person. If you see something is not clean please help us and clean it.
  3. Keep common spaces tidy.
  4. Give equally as you take.
  5. If the door was closed, when you enter/leave, close it back.
  6. Every day we talk about our plans for the next day so that we can organize our work and sum up the day.
  7. Don't put dangerous or breakable things on the level of the toddler (there is a child in the house)
  8. Don't leave things outside unattended (the wind or dog or someone will take them)
  9. If you want to help and don't know how, check if: there are dishes to wash, trash to collect, floor to clean, kitchen to clean, food to prepare, etc
  10. If you don't know something, ask! We are nice people! :D
  
  Make sure that you accept and follow the rules. If you have more questions feel free to ask but remember that Google has a lot of good answers too! Do some research on your own 😀 Thanks!

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  Cet hôte a indiqué qu’il aimait accueillir les digital nomads.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  Cet hôte a de la place pour les vans.

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  Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

  Cet hôte a dit qu’il acceptait les personnes voyageant avec un animal.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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