Staying in a ger: eleven things worth knowing first

A ger is one round room that a family has lived in for generations, and it has an order to it that everyone inside knows without discussing. None of it is difficult, and getting it roughly right is noticed and appreciated.

Coming in

• Do not step on the threshold. Step over it. This is the one rule with no flexibility.
• Move clockwise once inside, and let the stove stay on your right.
• The back of the ger, opposite the door, is the place of honour and usually the head of the family's. Wait to be shown where to sit.
• Men traditionally sit on the west side, women on the east. Guests are placed, so simply follow.

Being given things

• Take anything offered with your right hand, or with both. Supporting your right elbow with your left hand is the polite version.
• The bowl of airag or tea goes round. Touch it to your lips even if you do not want it, then pass it on — refusing the bowl entirely is the one thing that reads as rude.
• Do not leave the dregs in a cup and hand it back; pass it back with both hands.

Small things that matter

• Do not point your feet at the stove or at anyone, and do not put anything into the fire that is not fuel. The hearth is not decorative.
• Do not lean against the wall lattice or the roof poles — it is a tent, and it is holding.
• Ask before photographing anyone, especially children and elders.
• Whistling indoors is thought to call the wind. Nobody will explain this; they will just look at you.

What it is actually like to sleep in

Warmer than you expect while the stove is lit and colder than you expect at four in the morning after it goes out. Someone usually gets up to feed it. Keep your jacket within reach of the bed and you will sleep straight through.