"Would you like to go to Mongolia?" asked Dr. Jennings. "Uh...of course," I replied. And that is truly how my journey to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia began.
My name is Tad. I live in Lexington, Kentucky with Jackie (my wife) and Spicy Belle (our chocolate lab retriever). My work and passion are one and the same. I work with Kentucky's cities to improve the quality of life for the citizens of our Commonwealth. One way to help our own cities is to visit other places, talk with people who have a different perspective and find practical solutions that are working in other places. Inspired education through shared experiences.
Would you like to go to Mongolia with me? Well, jump on board, and we'll go together. That, in a nutshell, is the purpose of my blog. I want to chronicle my experience from beginning to end. Even though I'm going alone, I'd sure like to take a bunch of friends along for the ride. I'm sure this is going to be an adventure like none other that I've experienced.
"Why Mongolia?" you ask. The University of Kentucky's Martin School of Public Policy established a partnership with the U.S. Department of State to participate in the Legislative Fellows program. The Fellows program is a cultural exchange program that brings up and coming foreign leaders to the United States to experience life in the United States for a few weeks. In exchange, the host organization nominates a representative to travel to the visitor's home country. During the spring of 2012, my employer, the Kentucky League of Cities, agreed to host UK's first Mongolian Fellow. I was privileged to organize the agenda and share the mission of our organization with Khatanbold Oidov, our visitor from Mongolia.
At the conclusion of his visit, Dr. Ed Jennings and Dr. Doo-Oak Kim of the Martin School asked if I would like to be nominated as UK's exchange visitor to Mongolia. Fortunately, I was able to take some time off from KLC in order to go. I feel excited, honored and humbled to have the opportunity.
Was visiting Mongolia on my bucket list? Honestly, no. Should it have been? Maybe! Those who have visited - and yes, I actually know folks who have been there - Mongolia is not to be missed. It's one of the last great frontiers and the second most sparsely populated country on the planet (after Greenland). It's called "Land of the Blue Sky." As a University of Kentucky alumnus and sports fan, that suits me just fine because I bleed blue!
September 14, 2012 is the departure date. So, hang on! It's going to be a ride we'll never forget.
My name is Tad. I live in Lexington, Kentucky with Jackie (my wife) and Spicy Belle (our chocolate lab retriever). My work and passion are one and the same. I work with Kentucky's cities to improve the quality of life for the citizens of our Commonwealth. One way to help our own cities is to visit other places, talk with people who have a different perspective and find practical solutions that are working in other places. Inspired education through shared experiences.
Would you like to go to Mongolia with me? Well, jump on board, and we'll go together. That, in a nutshell, is the purpose of my blog. I want to chronicle my experience from beginning to end. Even though I'm going alone, I'd sure like to take a bunch of friends along for the ride. I'm sure this is going to be an adventure like none other that I've experienced.
"Why Mongolia?" you ask. The University of Kentucky's Martin School of Public Policy established a partnership with the U.S. Department of State to participate in the Legislative Fellows program. The Fellows program is a cultural exchange program that brings up and coming foreign leaders to the United States to experience life in the United States for a few weeks. In exchange, the host organization nominates a representative to travel to the visitor's home country. During the spring of 2012, my employer, the Kentucky League of Cities, agreed to host UK's first Mongolian Fellow. I was privileged to organize the agenda and share the mission of our organization with Khatanbold Oidov, our visitor from Mongolia.
At the conclusion of his visit, Dr. Ed Jennings and Dr. Doo-Oak Kim of the Martin School asked if I would like to be nominated as UK's exchange visitor to Mongolia. Fortunately, I was able to take some time off from KLC in order to go. I feel excited, honored and humbled to have the opportunity.
Was visiting Mongolia on my bucket list? Honestly, no. Should it have been? Maybe! Those who have visited - and yes, I actually know folks who have been there - Mongolia is not to be missed. It's one of the last great frontiers and the second most sparsely populated country on the planet (after Greenland). It's called "Land of the Blue Sky." As a University of Kentucky alumnus and sports fan, that suits me just fine because I bleed blue!
September 14, 2012 is the departure date. So, hang on! It's going to be a ride we'll never forget.
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