Mongolia revisited: Rita Schuepbach’s thoughts on returning
Visiting her friends in Mongolia, whom she has known since her stay in Darkhan from 2010 to 2012, was the original idea of Rita Schuepbach, a Swiss primary school and German language teacher, when she set off in July 2017. But she didn’t want to fly directly to Ulaanbaatar, no. As she had started spending her school holidays by cycle touring in Europe and loving this way of traveling, she thought of combining the two beloved things. She decided to ride her bicycle from Switzerland to Mongolia. She is now spending the winter in Istanbul.
Between 2010 and 2012 you taught at School No. 19 in Darkhan. What made you decide to come to Mongolia?
The world is calling me, I long for changes and exploration, I want to see what is out there. I always admired people who do not just talk about their dream of traveling, but actually do it. Usually I prefer to go to a foreign country and stay there for a longer period, to live with the locals and to do some work – this is how one can learn about the culture and understand the challenges of a country more deeply. It helps me to get certain calmness towards many issues and puts in perspective the relatively easy and quiet life in Switzerland.
Actually it was a mere coincidence of several short-term decisions that I ended up in Darkhan. I wanted to go to Central Asia because I love the lonesome and arid sceneries of the steppe and mountain ranges. I was also interested in the nomadic and rural lifestyle, but didn’t know too much about it before coming to Mongolia.
Not many foreigners who come to Mongolia learn Mongolian, as you did. Was it difficult?
It is very important to me to at least try to learn the language of the country I visit. Knowing that I would stay in Mongolia for a certain time (in the first place I thought I would be there for one year), it was clear to me that I wanted to make the effort. During the first weeks I was desperate and thought I wouldn’t be able to remember the very foreign words or to distinguish the unknown sounds. The words were so totally different from all other languages I had been in touch with before – I couldn’t manage to link them to any other words I knew. But soon I started to make links between Mongolian words and memorizing them like that. As soon as I knew the alphabet, I started to read and write and got very motivated by realizing that I progressed more quickly than previously thought. After half a year I was able to express myself and travel in Mongolia on my own by public transport. I enjoyed surprising the locals by knowing some Mongolian and I am sure that having had a great time and wonderful memories of Mongolia is partly thanks to the possibility of communicating with the people directly.
Why did the stay in Mongolia leave such a deep impression on you?
I was and still am fascinated by the rich traditions and culture which are still very vivid. I simply love the sight of a vast steppe, some yurts in the far distance, a herd of sheep and goats and a herdsman in a deel riding his horse. Adding to this the melancholic tune of a horsehead fiddle – such a scene transmits a deeply harmonic and calm feeling. It creates a touching, very authentic atmosphere when the sublime nature and the humble human being meet – in Mongolia this is still part of the daily life, but of course not everywhere. In reality you will more often see the traces of a fast industrial development which suggest just about the opposite of the magic experience I described before. Mongolia struggles with the challenges of corruption, exploitation of the rich natural resources, unemployment, emigration, alcoholism, and insufficient public education system etc. – many problems which in my eyes are all depending on each other.
The economic situation is a daily challenge for the country, but especially for many individuals and families. If I hear about the low wages and pension, about the high expenses for example surgeries at a hospital, an apartment or a yard in the capital or even for a wedding, I am surprised of how most people still manage to lead a normal and even happy life. This is another fascinating feature of Mongolia. Even if a situation looks really bad and as if nothing would work out well, there will be a solution. Mongolians are truly creative survivors in the daily struggles. On the other hand, I remember missing a proactive attitude towards bigger changes six years ago. It seemed to me that most individuals would just accept things how they are and always had been. I explained this impression at least partly by the communist heritage. Now, in 2018, I sense a slight tendency of innovation, of more long-term thinking and investment, more movement. I hope it was not a wrong impression of mine!
You chose to return to Mongolia by bicycle!
I think cycling is a perfect way of traveling. It’s slow; I can stop anywhere I like and get in touch with the locals, but I can still cover reasonable distances. For me it is important that it is an ecological means of transport, because I want to add to the destruction of our planet as little as possible. When I visit a country I don’t want to bring them even more contamination, noise and traffic.
Unfortunately I couldn’t follow this rule consequently because I had to fly out of Mongolia due to the lack of a visa to one of the neighboring countries. Cycling combined with camping also allows me to feel a maximum of freedom. It is a very peaceful way of traveling, with a great amount of spontaneity, self-determination and independence. I love that!
Is that why you usually travel alone?
Yes, traveling on my own is precious to me because of the freedom which comes with it. I can just follow my own needs and wishes.
Additionally, I am more open to meet people who cross my way and their reactions towards me as a solo traveler are mostly more open and curious than if they meet a couple or a group of tourists. I perceive the country and its people more intensely; all the impressions and contacts come directly to me. Sometimes this can be a burden and it would be a relief if there were somebody to share the many impressions and responsibilities with. As always there are at least two sides to it!
You traveled through many different countries. Can you tell us some of your experiences?
As a general experience I’d
like to mention the overwhelming hospitality and generosity of the people. It was always touching to be invited for tea, a meal or to stay overnight by friendly, smiling and waving total strangers! When I cycled in Turkey, Iran and other politically instable countries, I sensed a strong disharmony between the news one can read or hear in the media and the reality I was confronted with. I met the simple people, talked with them, got a small insight into their lives and realized that many of them indeed suffer from the political and economical problems of their country, but nevertheless lead a normal life and didn’t lose their hospitality, happiness, and humanness. My distrust of the media grew a lot. I think they manipulate our perception of the world simply by the mere selection of what they inform us about – which usually just includes the negative, breaking news, and almost never the normal life of the vast majority.
In Turkey, I often stayed with strangers who let me be part of their lives for a short time. In Trabzon for example, I was invited on a fishing excursion. In the evening we prepared the self-caught dinner right beside the boat at the harbor.
In Tajikistan I met the young German language student Shanni who invited me to her grandmother’s house in a village in the Pamir mountains. I was received with a very tasty dish of local, simple products, which had been prepared by the daughter, mother and grandmother. The four of us sat on the Tapchan (traditional Central Asian seating) in the garden and wondered about the others’ lives. Shanni translated all the questions and answers and the time passed too quickly. When we kissed each other goodbye the next morning, the grandmother gave me a pair of self-knitted socks in a typical
Tajik pattern. On so many occasions I got gifts from people who had opened their doors and hearts to me – when I felt showered with non-material and material presents anyway.
What were the difficulties you had during your 14-month journey?
Fortunately, I am able to say that I didn’t face any dangerous situations. For me the biggest challenges were when I twisted my knee in a dark Turkish staircase and when I fell sick while cycling the remote Pamir highway in Tajikistan. These were the moments when I had to be strong and patient with my body even though I felt so weak. Otherwise, I sometimes became tired of the uncertainty, of the many unknown factors. If you don’t know in the morning where you will end up in the evening, if you’ll find a nice and safe spot for your tent or a friendly host, this can be stressful at times. So from time to time, I allowed myself some resting days in a hostel or at the home of a member of the couch surfing or warm showers communities.
During the past weeks you have met again your friends here in Mongolia, friends with whom you have kept in touch.
I am very thankful to my Mongolian friends that they stayed in touch with me and welcomed me once again very warmly even though it’s been six years since I had left Mongolia. It shows me that, despite the cultural differences and the far distance, it is possible to keep friendship alive. I have to admit that back in 2012 I left Mongolia partly because I felt that I would never be a full member of the society – not only for the simple fact that my appearance is different. Also I had the feeling that I could never be as close to my Mongolian friends as to my European friends because we have a too different background and would not be able to understand each other’s deep thoughts and sorrows in the same way. But having returned now and experienced the sincere and genuine hospitality and interest of my friends again, I think that there is another quality in these friendships, which I certainly don’t want to underestimate.
You now plan to spend the winter in Istanbul. And your plans after that?
Yes, I like to spend the winter in one place, to have a rest from being on the road. Last winter I stayed in Tbilisi, Georgia and had a wonderful time teaching German, studying Russian, volunteering in a village school, doing some small excursions. I would like to do something similar in Istanbul. In spring I will cycle slowly towards Switzerland. I want to see my friends and their children. After that, depending of how I feel, I will go on cycling for another year or settle down. This openness to whatever comes up or crosses my path has been part of the planning of this journey from the beginning – but at the same time it was helpful for me to have a clear goal: Mongolia!