As far as living conditions are concerned, what should I expect during my stay at
Mongolia
?
The
living conditions of the placement will all depend on the area to which
you are assigned. Although a beautiful, friendly place, you should not
expect luxurious accommodations in
Mongolia. You will be placed within a welcoming family
setting, and you will have your own room. Also, most placements will
have electricity. Our host families are mostly educated, well-respected
people, who have experience with international students. In addition,
some members of host families may speak English.
When I’m packing for
Mongolia, what should I remember to bring?
It
depends on which season you’re coming. You may consider bringing are:
warm clothes, torch, sleeping bag, sunglasses, hat, jacket, sweaters,
boot, raincoat, first aid kit and sun block. Before you come, clarify
details and send us your decision which season you are going to come.
If I’m dissatisfied with where I am placed, will it be possible for me to change locations?
New
Choice will consider the request to move to a different location very
seriously and in many cases, it is possible to change the working areas
to better meet the expectation of volunteers. However, we cannot change
positions frequently without genuine, sufficient reason.
Can I volunteer at
Mongoliaat any time, or are there only certain dates, which the program is offered? Are the dates fixed or open?
In
Mongolia,the winter is long and cold (October to March)-with
temperatures often dropping down to minus 20-30’c. Some our programs
are offered certain season and the dates are fixed so you will see all
our programs and choose which you want. Our program starts on 1st and 16th of each month.
Do I need to make my own arrangements to travel from the airport once I am in
Mongolia?
When you arrive in
Mongolia,one of our staffs will be waiting for you at the
airport terminal. She/he will be holding a sign with your name (or your
group leader’s name) on it, so there will be no confusion. Please
remember to send your detailed flight itinerary so this arrangement can
be made.
Will I have enough time to explore
Ulaanbaatarduring my volunteer program?
There will be plenty of time for you to explore
Ulaanbaatarduring your volunteer program.
Will I need extra money? If so, how much?
New
Choice manages food and accommodation for their volunteers. So you
won’t need more money for these expenses. However, you ‘l need to bring
extra money in order to do:
· Snacks, treats and candies 2.50 US$ per day.
· For souvenirs or to explore night life
· Airport tax which you pay upon your departure of
MongoliaUS$13
· Visa extension fee or work permission fee
What forms of communication will be available for me to access in
Mongolia?Will there be Internet, telephones, and post offices obtainable?
Your placement will be in
Ulaanbaatarcity that is the biggest and capital city of
Mongolia.So there are many places in which you can use the phone and access post office and Internet.
Can I bring a friend with me to volunteer, too? Will it be possible for us to stay together?
We
allow people to come with friends or even in groups. Of course, you can
stay together. Please send some items about your friend before you
come.
What would happen if I decided not to stay for the entire duration of the program?
Once
the volunteer makes a decision and pays for the program fee, upon
receipt of invoice, New Choice won’t refund any program fee under any
circumstances.
What vaccinations will I need for
Mongolia?
This
all depends on what vaccinations you already have and what country you
are coming from. No specific vaccinations are required for
Mongolia.Some vaccinations, which have been recommended by
western health authorities, include rabies, hepatitis A, hepatitis B,
polio, typhoid, tuberculosis and tetanus. New Choice do not cover
liability and insurance of volunteers. Therefore, volunteers must have
appropriate insurance before joining the program.
What is your policy regarding payments? Are there any deadlines?
All
payments have to be done at the beginning of the volunteer program. New
Choice don’t accept monthly installments. If you want to stay longer
than your committed period, you have to inform New Choice and pay
accordingly.
What kind of food and accommodation should I except while I’m volunteering?
New Choice
manage food and accommodation from the first day to the last day of the
program in collaboration in Host family. You can have vegetarian food.
Our vegetarian foods include rice, noodle, vegetables and tofu. Due to
monetary constraints, for the volunteers who arrive earlier or who want
to stay longer, it is impossible to offer extra food and accommodation.
In this case, New Choice will help to find a good and cheaper place for
food and accommodation.
How much do visas cost, and how would I be able to get one?
Any traveller in
Mongoliacan stay on a tourist visa for 4 weeks. You can get
the tourist visa at the Mongolian embassy in your country. It is the
responsibility of volunteers to purchase and manage for their own visa.
If volunteer is going to stay more than a 4 weeks than need to apply to
the nearest consular or embassy of
Mongolia.
It will help volunteer to apply for
Mongoliavisa in the following:
1. 1 – 4 weeks need to apply only for “ J “ category visa
2. 4 – 12 weeks need to apply only for “ O “ category visa
3. Up –12 weeks need to apply only for “ HG “ category visa
Visa extension?
It is obtainable from The Office Of Immigration and Naturalization of Foreign Citizens in
Ulaanbaatar. You are allowed to stay up to 30 days on a tourist visa, and
then for any extension more a month. You must to pay for visa extension 85 USD. And if you want to stay and work more than 60 days, we have to
change your visa category before arrive in
Mongolia.
What do I need to know about traveling and sightseeing in
Mongolia?
According to the volunteer program in
Mongolia, you will travel and sightseeing. If you want to see
museums, concerts or circus, you will need some extra money. Also if
you want to buy gifts for your family and friends, you can buy them in
Ulaanbaaatar.
Where can I find more information about
Mongolia?
Once
you have registered for New Choice program, you will receive a
volunteer booklet that includes a short introduction to the country and
the region to which you will travel. Other sources of information can
be found at local library, bookstore, or Internet. Please visit our web
page (www.volunteer.org.mn) that will help you get ready for your volunteer challenge.
Where should I fly in order to get to my host-sight?
The only international airport in
Mongoliais in
Ulaanbaatar. So all international flights arrive and depart from there. You
are responsible for you ticket, but once you are in the country, our
representatives will meet you at the airport. Another option is the
Trans-Siberian, the train that runs in-between
St Petersburg(
Russia) and
Beijing(
China) stopping in
Ulaanbaatar. Many visitors to
Mongoliaprefer to use this for part of their journey. The main
points that travelers board the train in Russia are, St Petersburg,
Moscow and Irkutsk (by lake Baikal in Siberia) and Beijing in China,
the train runs both ways and about twice a week in summer. Remember
that you will need extra visas if you use the train and the Russian
visa will require a letter of invitation.
What is the best season to visit
Mongolia?
The best season to visit in
Mongoliais from April to end of October.
Mongoliais a country of four seasons with the annual fluctuation being almost 70’C! This means summer in the
Gobidesert can be +40’C while winter in the north can be –30’C.
Is it very cold in
Mongolia? Will I need to pack very warm clothes to accommodate for this?
You
will need to pack warm clothes if you come between October-March.
You’ll need scarf, gloves, beanies, sweaters, jacket and warm boot.
Also you need some warm clothes even in summer. Cause in summer
evenings, mornings and rainy days are so cold.
In 1990
Mongoliamade the one of the most peaceful transitions to
democracy that the world had ever seen and since then it has never
looked politically unstable. However day to day life in
Mongoliadoes see occasional petty crime such as pick pocketing and general theft, visitors to
Mongoliaare urged to be careful in certain areas of the city
where petty crime is more frequent. This is not to say that the level
is any higher than other developing countries where poverty often leads
to crime. Another ill effect of poverty is the prevalence of drunk’s
who generally are more annoying than dangerous. One can normally easily
spot a drunk whose general description is an unemployed man who is
middle aged and almost legless at any hour of day. Alcohol mainly vodka
is often seen as a destructive import from our neighbors in
Russiahowever; narcotics and illicit drugs are virtually unheard of in
Mongoliaand are regulated with extremely toughness.
If I get lost, whom should I contact? Is there an emergency number that I should know?
Please be sure to take telephone number of Co-ordinator before you leave for your destination. Once you come in
Mongolia, we will take care of you and also
Ulaanbaataris a small city (population 1.250.000) so you won’t get lost here.
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