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Never knock on a ger
A guest walks in and sits down, and the family fixes food. Asking permission would insult them, as if they were not hospitable people. Someone stuck by a flash flood at two in the morning gets a fire and tea from the nearest family. Travelers who camp with their own tent will have a child show up within the hour with water and milk, sent by a mother who noticed a stranger in the forest.
They believe they are obligated to take care of anyone in their area. A woman in a wheelchair found that every broken curb brought hands to lift her over it, and at the opera two men on each side carried her up the Soviet stairs without a word, then walked away without waiting to be thanked. Children walked right up to her, and singers and dancers came to perform in her home.
How is a ger built?
A ger has a circular wall made of folding wooden lattice, a ring of roof poles, and a central crown ring that holds the poles. Layers of felt are wrapped over the frame and tied down with ropes. A family can put one up in about an hour. The doorway usually faces south.
Why is stepping on a ger threshold forbidden?
Mongolian custom treats the threshold as the neck of the household, and stepping on it is considered an offense to the host. Visitors step over it. They are also expected to enter without carrying a whip into the ger. The rule applies to guests and to family.
Why does Mongolia have such strong hospitality?
Mongolia is one of the most thinly populated countries in the world, with long distances between camps and severe winters. A traveler caught in a storm could die without shelter. Offering food and a place by the fire became an obligation, since any host might be a guest later. Visitors are given milk tea and dairy foods.
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