Inner Mongolian girl laughs with her camel by her side. The little girl’s name is Butedmaa and she was just 5 when this photo was taken by photographer Han Chengli in 2003.
Not sure if most people know this, but Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region within China, distinct from the independent nation of Mongolia, which was historically referred to as Outer Mongolia. Located in northern China along the border with modern-day Mongolia and Russia, Inner Mongolia is home to both Han Chinese and ethnic Mongols.
I had the opportunity to spend a week in Inner Mongolia when I was a teenager (my first time going abroad). I slept in a traditional yurt, wrestled in the mud, rode a horse through a hail storm, and ate a lot of goat, yogurt and cheese. My host family was extremely generous and gracious, and always made sure I was well fed.
After dinner one night, I went for a long walk during sunset and all I could see were sky, cloud, and hilly grass in all directions. When night finally fell, the sky filled up with a barrage of bright stars. It’s still the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. Hope to visit again soon!