Special tour guide in Mongolia

With a bright smile and engaging storytelling, Ochirjantsan Bilegsaikhan - affectionately called "Tung" by Vietnamese friends - is a special tour guide for many Vietnamese tourists when they come to Mongolia.

Ochirjantsan (left) instructs Vietnamese tourists on how to ride horses on the Mongolian steppe - Photo: TRAN HUYNH

Behind that image is a journey of many efforts, aspirations and passions of a young man pursuing a medical career.

Ochirjantsan is a final year medical student at Etugen University (Mongolia). The 25-year-old spent two years studying at Hanoi Medical University on a scholarship from the Vietnamese Government.

From the school named after Uncle Ho

Ochirjantsan Bilegsaikhan is a former student of Inter-level School No. 14 - a special school in the capital Ulan Bator (Mongolia) named after President Ho Chi Minh . School No. 14 was established in 1949 and is one of the cradles of training talented people for Mongolia.

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth, the Mongolian leaders decided to name the school after President Ho Chi Minh. In 2009, a statue of Uncle Ho was built on the school campus.

Here, students learn Vietnamese, sing and dance Vietnamese folk songs, and learn about the S-shaped country through books and extracurricular activities.

"Since I was little, I learned about Vietnam through singing and dancing lessons at the Vietnamese club. At that time, I was very curious about the people, culture and history of Vietnam," Tung said.

After graduating from high school, instead of studying abroad in Russia as originally planned, he decided to apply for a scholarship from the Vietnamese Government to study medicine.

At the end of 2018, the 19-year-old boy arrived in Hanoi after a 4-day journey by train from Ulan Bator through Beijing and Nanning (China). For Tung, that train trip was an opportunity to witness the change of weather from cold winter to tropical climate.

Overcoming language barriers to pursue medicine

Starting with the Vietnamese language course at Thai Nguyen University, the Mongolian student was named Tung by his Vietnamese teacher. "For the first 3-4 months, I couldn't say a single sentence. Vietnamese has tones while Mongolian doesn't have any accents. Just learning pronunciation was very tiring for my tongue," he shared humorously.

In August 2019, Tung entered Hanoi Medical University to start studying medicine.

"I chose Vietnam because I felt the closeness and friendliness in the culture and people. In particular, the medical industry in Vietnam has good training quality and lots of practice. Although studying is difficult because of the language barrier, I am still determined to pursue it," Tung shared.

The journey of studying medicine in Vietnamese for a foreign student is extremely arduous. Specialized subjects such as cardiology and anatomy are already difficult for native students, but for Tung, everything is almost like "learning in the fog". At that time, the COVID-19 epidemic broke out, causing the study to be interrupted and even more difficult.

Language difficulties, prolonged online learning, and the inability to keep up with specialized subjects, especially cardiology, forced Tung to return to Mongolia to continue his journey to reach his dream of becoming a doctor.

Tung is currently a senior student, with a 3.4/4 grade point average. He plans to take a residency exam in cardiology, a field that made him struggle during his first years of studying in Vietnam.

Tung (first row) cheered for the Vietnamese Robocon team at the final round of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Robocon competition held in Mongolia on August 24 - Photo: TRAN HUYNH

Becoming a tour guide nurtures dreams

That day, when we landed at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, a stocky young man was waiting to welcome the group of tourists from Vietnam. He spoke Vietnamese fluently and happily introduced himself: "I'm Tung, the person who will accompany our group throughout the days of exploring Mongolia."

Tung quickly won the hearts of Vietnamese tourists thanks to his deep understanding of the history and culture of both Mongolia and Vietnam. At each destination, Tung not only guides, but also tells vivid stories, subtly comparing the two cultures, making the journey lively and meaningful.

Every trip with Tung is a discovery not only of the vast grassland scenery, but also a journey connecting people and culture.

As the eldest of three younger sisters, Tung was always conscious of not putting any more burden on his parents with his studies. When he returned home and was no longer receiving a scholarship, he decided to pay for his own tuition and living expenses by working as a tour guide every summer (from July to August).

When summer comes, Tung takes on the role of enthusiastic tour guide, leading Vietnamese tourist groups to explore the Mongolian steppe. Recently, he has taken on the role of local tour guide for a travel company founded by Zolo Zolkhuu, a former student of Hanoi University of Civil Engineering.

His current part-time job brings him an income of about 50 USD per day, a quite impressive figure for a student in Mongolia. "Now I can take care of all my tuition fees, personal expenses, and even buy my own car," Tung shared with a smile.

With the dream of becoming a cardiology resident, Tung understands that his time as a tour guide will soon end: "Once I become a doctor, I want to focus completely on my profession."

Always want to connect Vietnam - Mongolia

Mr. Zolo Zolkhuu, director of TDM Tourist & Maikhan camp, commented: "Tung is a special tour guide. He not only leads tours but also tells fascinating life stories that inspire tourists.

Although he only works during the summer, Tung is a very professional, enthusiastic, thoughtful tour guide and always wants to connect Vietnam - Mongolia. Tung is very good at Vietnamese and has a deep understanding of the history of the two countries. Tung is the pride of our company."

Want to return to Vietnam to study for a master's degree

Ochirjantsan took a photo with the author at the statue of Uncle Ho in the campus of Inter-level School No. 14 named after President Ho Chi Minh in the capital Ulan Bator (Mongolia) - Photo: HONG PHUC

Although living in Mongolia, Ochirjantsan still maintains a strong connection with Vietnam. He maintains the habit of reading books, watching movies and listening to music in Vietnamese. According to him, this is one of the ways to practice Vietnamese to improve quickly.

Vietnam is still a dear memory in Ochirjantsan's heart. He especially loves Vietnamese cuisine, with dishes that have become unforgettable flavors such as pho, bun cha, fried rice and bun bo Hue.

He still cherishes the dream of returning to Vietnam to study for a master's degree in medicine. "The first time I came to Vietnam, I didn't know the language and had no medical knowledge.

Now I have a more solid foundation and really want to go back to study. Vietnam has always been a place where I receive a lot of support and warm affection," he said.

TRAN HUYNH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/huong-dan-vien-dac-biet-o-mong-co-2025090722390352.htm