queries from ellen

another Pinay, Ellen, sent the following message ..

" Hi! have u heard of the Naran group. They said that they have a dept store in UB. their website can be accessed. would u know about them? They’re hiring some pinoys to work for them and im one of them. just need to know more about the conditions there. is it easy & safe to go around the city. are there a lot of english speaking mongols. how do they work?what do you do there? thnks for the replies…appreciate it!:)"

dear Ellen,

Naran department store is one of the more up-scale stores in the capital, Ulaanbaatar (UB). I have done a bit of shopping there but do not know enough of the working conditions. There are no big malls like SM or Robinson’s. Most manufactured goods including food items are imported, hence, expensive.

On the whole, don't expect the same work ethics that you may be used to in the Philippines. If you will be assuming a managerial/supervisory position, stock up on patience, tolerance and good strategies to train your staff to be efficient, professional and customer service oriented.

UB, it seems, is comparatively safer to go around than most cities elsewhere, although the usual safety tips apply, ie. avoid walking around alone late at night, etc. I said comparatively safer because unlike other cities, most street violence does not involve deadly weapons that result in serious injuries or death. Mongolians can be hot tempered and very aggressive such as in traffic encounters and resort to fist fights.

No serious break-ins, robberies or hold-ups have been frequently reported. Be careful of pickpockets as these abound. I could not ascertain the rate of assault against women, such as rape and kidnapping, but there have been incidences involving Mongolians and even expatriates.

The main modes of transport in the city are the trolley and gas-fueled buses, private individually-owned non-metered taxis and "cadillakad." There are one or two companies with metered taxis that may be called by phone. One sticks out the thumb to hail a cab. Fare is calculated based on the number of kilometers ran at about Mnt400-500 per kilometer.

English is not widely spoken. Strive to learn basic essential phrases to get by -- shopping, giving directions, etc.

UB is known as the coldest capital city in the world. Temperatures can go as low as minus 40 degrees celcius or lower during winter, especially from midnight to dawn. Daytime temperature in the height of winter may average minus 25-30 celcius. However, buildings -- homes, offices, shops -- are usually centrally heated during winter, as well as cars and buses. Central heating is turned on in mid-September and turned off in mid-May. Hot and cold water is also open all-year round, except for some weeks in summer when repairs and maintenance of the water system are done.

Except for a very thick jacket if you arrive in winter time and preferably some thermal underwear, don't bother filling your luggage with winter clothes. These are easily available cheap in UB, especially at Narantuul Market. Fill-up instead with tuyo, daing, sinigang mix, essential medicines such as biogesic or whatever if you have a special medical condition, cuticle remover and such paraphernalia if you are the type who'd do your own.

The staple food of the Mongolians is flour-based (bread and noodles), eaten with meat (mutton, lamb and beef) and a limited variety of vegetables. Don’t expect to find kangkong, daing, labong, fresh seafood, bagoong. Imported ampalaya and sitaw sometimes appear in some markets. Pork, chicken and rice are also imported. Mongolian food is mostly boiled or broiled, flavored with salt and pepper. If you are picky with food, then you have a problem.

Undergo a thorough medical check up before coming. If you have a serious medical condition and have no health insurance, think twice about living in Mongolia, or at least be armed with a medical evacuation provision in your work contract. The Mongolian health system is not well developed and cost of medical care is very high.

The Pinoy community in Mongolia is small but well-bonded and could be your support system. Know more about them in this blog site. I will later post some contact information.

If this is your first time to go abroad, remember that everything will be different from what you're used to. Open yourself up to adjustments in the Mongolian environment and culture, behaviour and ways of the people. Do not judge harshly , yet stand up for your rights. You may encounter bouts of loneliness, depression and misery, but you must learn how to manage these. You will need to draw from deep within you for strength and tenacity. Your ability to survive will be defined by the firmness of your decision to take the risks and leave home in the first place. Put your faith and trust in God.

Good luck …