For this family, Mongolia wasn’t just about reindeer.
The perfect family vacation isn’t in Paris; it’s with reindeer in North Mongolia.
Mongolia is an unconventional travel destination for families, even more so for families with young children. With relatively harsh climates where temperatures could drop to as low as -40°C, this country is definitely not in every family’s top 10 Family Vacations list. So when this unit of three (Judy, Kevin and 10-yo Lucas) signed up for our Reindeer Expedition to North Mongolia, we were beyond intrigued.
Could it be that more Singaporean families are ready to explore beyond what’s conventional?
I decided to interview the young family yesterday evening, to understand more about their choice to embark on our expedition. Judy and Lucas were nothing less than honest with my questions. My time with them left me not only with a deeper understanding of their experience in Mongolia, but also with more evidence of how travel experiences serve up beautiful opportunities for a child’s nurture (refer to these gorgeous graphics my team has created to capture the insightful research I found, about how nature positively influences child development!)
Ah, also… You might want to read till the end of this article; that’s where I popped a bonus question for Judy, and earned myself a precious insight into parenting.
When you’re ready, let’s head into the interview. Seven questions in total, with the fourth one being my personal favourite.
I started the interview with a more ‘harmless’, but also important, question.
Q1: What were the most memorable moments for you during this trip?
With a spark of excitement in his eyes, Lucas replied almost immediately.
“Riding reindeer and horses! It was my first time riding reindeer and horses, and I got to ride them on my own too, which was scary but fun.”
Judy, who was seated on his right, turned towards him with a warm smile on her face. “I was worried at first, about him riding a horse on his own. But Lucas insisted he wanted to! He even fell off the horse during the ride… I was slightly shocked! I looked at him and went, “Oh! Are you okay?” Judy chuckled, sharing how Lucas simply nodded, and then got back up and onto the horse.
I laughed along, then prompted Lucas if he had any other memorable moments from the trip. I watched as his eyes focused somewhere below the screen. I would later realise that this is his way of gathering his thoughts before responding to my questions.
After a few seconds, Lucas tilted his face towards the screen. “Oh, the car ride was really long but the scenery, they were things I never saw before. We even got souvenirs made from reindeer horns! When I came back to Singapore, now everything looks so ‘technology’.”
Amused at his choice of words, I asked if it was because of the buildings and cars we see everywhere in our garden city. Lucas nodded.
I then diverted the same question towards Judy. She recalled this one moment where she looked at Lucas, and thought to herself,
“Lucas has truly grown up.”
With a content smile on her face, she then turned towards Lucas. “He was constantly helping our guide chop wood for the fire, and running in and out of the Mongolian yurt to help bring the wood in. And he would offer to help me pack, when it was time to gather our things before the sun set.”
Listening to Judy, a thought surfaced in my mind.
This is what novel experiences can bring to a family; opportunities to see a child for who they can be, beyond the daily routines of school and the comforts of home.
I was curious to learn more about how Judy and Lucas benefitted from their Mongolia expedition, so I leaned into this next question right away.
Q2: What was a change you saw in your son/parents after the trip?
Lucas was quick to reply. “My parents became more hardworking.”
Our young ‘chef’ at work!
Whenever the local guide begins cooking, Lucas comes in to help too.
Judy and I erupted with laughter.
“They have to earn money for this, and our next trip! And I also began seeing how hardworking my parents already am. They work really hard to earn money for us.”
Judy then chipped in with her own response. “Lucas became a lot more responsible for his homework. And he even began cooking more often!”
Amazed, I looked towards where Lucas was on my ZOOM screen. “Oh, why so?”
Lucas smiled sheepishly. “I saw the local guide helping us cook every day. So I wanted to cook when I came back to Singapore too.”
— Confession —
My personal curiosity took over for a few minutes here… I’ve always been fascinated by young children who love to cook.
I continued to probe further about his cooking endeavours. “What was the first thing you cooked when you came back?”
“Omelette!”
“Oh! Lucas, what’s your favourite thing to cook so far?”
He paused, deep in thought for a couple of seconds. “Everything!”
“Well, it looks like Mongolia has inspired a chef-to-be!”
Q3: Did anything change for you in the way you are in school, because of the expedition?
Lucas revealed that he felt more independent. “Last year, whenever I didn't know how to solve a question, I’ll ask my friends. This year (after the trip), I do it myself.” Judy’s eyes widened, seemingly proud and impressed. I smiled, finding his response ever so precious.
“How did your time in Mongolia help you feel more independent, Lucas?”
“I tried many new things. Which made me realise I can do many things on my own!”
Q4: What matters to you both most, in your relationship as mother and son?
For Lucas, the answer was simple. “Spending time together with my parents! On the weekdays, there’s not much time to spend together, since my dad is working and I go to school. So weekends are the best, I get to spend time with them! The Mongolia trip was really fun because it was ten full days with my parents, and it was full of new exciting things to see and do.”
“Oh yes, and there were many times where there was no (internet) connection! So we spent a lot of time playing games and talking together, there was a lot of bonding time for us,” Judy chimed in. Lucas bobbed his head up and down, seemingly recalling the moments his mum was referring to.
Judy thought about her response for a moment, before stating that “support” would be her answer. “Having Lucas always know that whatever he does, we are here to support him, and he learns to support us in return too.”
I invited her to share about moments during the expedition when she felt most supported from Lucas. “Ah, when it was time to pack! During the 10 days, I had to pack for me and Lucas and Lucas will often come over and help me, asking me if I need help packing. He will bring things over for me as I pack our bags. Lucas’s support here was really helpful since there is no light when the sun sets, so I have to pack fast.” I could see Lucas smiling shyly as Judy shared; it was absolutely heartwarming.
Q5: What is the next country you would want to take a trip to?
Lucas: “Iceland! I want to see the Northern Lights.”
Judy smiled at his enthusiasm. For her, she simply wants to bring the family on unconventional trips. “For example, Paris is not somewhere I’ll want to go. I want to go somewhere different, somewhere unique.”
Q6: What would you say to other families who are considering going on this trip?
Judy gently nudged Lucas to go ahead with his answer first. Lucas eagerly replied,
“You will get to ride horses and reindeer (by now, this was evidently his favourite part of the expedition) and see many new things you’ve never seen before!”
Nodding, Judy agreed that this expedition with Beyond Expeditions allows children, and even adults, to see more of the world.
“We really enjoyed the trip because these sights and experiences were new to Kevin and me as well. Having the guide there to take care of us, drive us around and even cook for us really helped make the entire experience even more amazing.”
Lastly, here comes my favourite part of the interview session. I dove a little deeper into understanding her parenting journey, and her answers here evidently show why such an unconventional travel destination like Mongolia doesn’t deter her.
Q7: Could I understand from you, what you feel are the greatest challenges in your parenting journey?
Judy: I’m so sorry that my answer may not be what you’re looking for. But I feel there is no big challenge for me so far. I just go with the flow, adapting to changes as they come.
Me: Is this a mindset you strongly hold onto in your parenting journey?
Judy: Mindset… yes, you can say so. It’s important to adapt to the environment as it changes, and I want to teach my son to explore boundaries.
Me: What do you mean by ‘boundaries’?
Judy: I get him to follow a few rules when it comes to behaviour, but beyond that, I encourage him to explore and try new things. I don’t limit him to doing only ‘good’ things. For example, I let him try sips of alcohol, and even allow him to gamble with us during CNY. I want him to keep trying things, and not limit how much of the world he gets to experience.
I turned towards Lucas playfully, all ready to ask the most important question in these 45 minutes. “So Lucas, which type of alcohol do you like most?”
Lucas ponders for a few seconds (I truly admire how he patiently answers questions at his own pace).
“None.”
Judy and I burst into laughter.
Judy: “For now… let’s see when he gets older.”
If you're keen to also bring your family on an unconventional vacation to see your children bloom in ways only nature can bring, join us in North Mongolia. The Reindeer Expedition is a favourite option for all our family expedition-ers! Living in traditional Mongolian yurts, meeting herders and their reindeer, riding horses through breathtaking forests; I’m 100% confident it will be an eye-opening experience for you.
Article written by: Valerie
Valerie, a freelance writer with a quirky infatuation with steamed buns and slightly bizarre food combinations.
(“Try soft-boiled eggs and hot milo!”)
She wishes to keep writing stories that bypass typical food reviews and appreciation of scenery, stories that inspire readers to pursue curious conversations about the unique cultures and lifestyles of every country.
