Students from Boston Public Schools just returned from a ground-breaking exchange between public schools in Mongolia and Boston. During the exciting three week exchange students visited three different regions of Mongolia -  UlaanBaatar, the capital city of Mongolia; the Gobi desert; and the rural Nairamdal Center.

Highlights from the trip included:

• Exploring media and freedom of press with news agencies in Mongolia
• Interacting with students in local schools
• Learning about Mongolian families through a week-long homestay
• Gaining an in-depth understaning of Mongolian history and culture by visiting museums, folk concerts, and cultural centers
• Enhancing civic engagement by volunteering in local schools, orphanages, and environmental centers
• Practicing journalism skills by interviewing Mongolian herdsman and their families in the Gobi desert
• Touring  natural landscapes of the Gobi including: the Moltsog Sand Dunes, Eagle Valley, Baynzag Flaming Cliffs, and the Haytsgait Valley
• Creating a newspaper in collaboration with Mongolian peers
• Developing leadership skills by facilitating intercultural dialogue and creating presentations about culture, democracy, freedom of rights, and personal interests

Please view the photography slideshow for images from the Mongolia exchange: