It is difficult to imagine how the livestock manage to graze on such barren looking earth or how the locals manage to make a living out of livestock farming here. The town Altai is at an altitude of 2100m, surrounded by hills and with a population of nearly 30,000. The Kranendonks will be living on the edge of town in a ger, a traditional round felt tent. The surrounding landscape is treeless, stark and dramatic. The climate is harsh but predictable.
Winters are long.
But, the dryness makes the cold easier to bear and the constant, brilliant sunshine makes a big difference. The status of nurses in Mongolia is very low as is their standards of training and medical knowledge. Paul and Marja will have their work cut out providing advice and guidance and further training to newly qualified nurses on all aspects of patient handling and treatment.