Page 56 - Mongolia & the Gobi Desert

• And on the subject of utensils—you may want to practice your chopstick skills before you
arrive. Most restaurants can provide western utensils on request, and even small local
places will have Chinese-style spoons (broad “scoopers” used for soup with dumplings).
But chopsticks are the norm, and may be the only utensils provided when visiting a
family home.

7L^_Wd [WPL^P VPP[ TY XTYO _SL_ O`P _Z N`W_`]LW OTʬP]PYNP^ special meal requests are not
guaranteed in China. If you have a special meal request, we will do everything possible to
assist, but standards in China are not the same as in the U.S. See the Health chapter for
more details.

Truth behind the stereotypes—Russia

Despite the many years of closer understanding between the U.S. and Russia, many of the
current stereotypes of Russian society are holdovers from the Cold War era. Although Russians
(like many Europeans) may be critical of the U.S. government, this does not mean that
Russians dislike the American people; in fact, surveys reveal that many Russians aspire to a
lifestyle similar to their U.S. counterparts. Vodka, although still popular, is not usually drunk
with a meal the way beer and wine are. And religion is making a steady comeback from the
oppression of the Soviet years.

Shopping

There may be scheduled visits to local shops during your adventure. There is no requirement
to make a purchase during these stops, and any purchase made is a direct transaction with
the shop in question, subject to the vendor’s terms of purchase. O.A.T. is not responsible for
purchases you make on your trip or for the shipment of your purchases.

Returns
If you discover an issue with an item, you should contact the vendor directly and expect that
any resolution will take longer than it would in the U.S. We recommend that you keep a copy
of all your receipts, invoices, or contracts, along with the shop’s contact information. Keep in
mind, local practice may vary from U.S. standards, so don’t assume that you have a certain
number of days after the purchase to speak up or that you are guaranteed a refund.

Crafts & Souvenirs

Mongolia

8ZYRZWTL ZʬP]^ XLYd ʭYP N]LQ_ T_PX^ L_ RZZO []TNP^ɨNL^SXP]P WPL_SP] RZZO^ _]LOT_TZYLW
clothing, hats, musical instruments—these are just some of the items to be on the look out for
while shopping in Mongolia. Generally you can pay with local currency only, although some
businesses will take credit cards and occasionally you can use U.S. dollars (see the previous
“Credit Cards” and “Currency” sections for details).

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