stepping on toes

Some do's and don't's when in Mongolia:

• If you bump someone's foot, you must be sure to shake their hand and apologize.  If you don't, it means you want to fight them.
• Don't point at people with your index finger (it's a little like flipping someone off).
• Don't whistle inside a ger (yurt) or house - it's seen as a summoning of spirits.
• When handling money, use your right hand, and don't hold it between your fingers - use your whole hand.

Some interesting customs and beliefs:

• Tuesday is considered a day of bad luck - to travel, have events, do anything major.  (Examples:  An area school rescheduled its graduation date recently to avoid having it on a Tuesday.  The flea market in Ulaanbaatar is always closed on Tuesdays.)
• If you stumble over the threshold when you enter a ger (yurt), it's considered good luck.  But if you stumble when leaving, it's bad luck.
• Children don't have their hair cut until they're about three years old, and the first hair-cutting is a big ceremony and family event.
• One of Mongolia's distinctive beverages is fermented mare's milk.  I've heard a lot of colorful adjectives used to describe it.  We'll most likely try it at Naadam in a couple weeks.