Yesterday, in an effort to be social, I joined my roommates on the Hash. What is the hash? Apparently, they happen all over the world in all the ex-pat communities. It’s like a group run/hike on a course set by the Hares (or Hairs) through the landscape of whatever country they are in. They went over some rules I didn’t understand, something about x’s and checkpoints, circles, and false trails but I think that just applies to the runners. I was on the walking team… I’m not about to look like a crazy person running around with white people and other foreigners. The Himalayan Hash here in Kathmandu is the highest hash and pretty much goes through the hills of Kathmandu Valley. By far, it’s the strangest thing I’ve been participated in… at least in a long while.
Picture this… 70 or so foreigners running/hiking through the rice paddies and poor living areas of Kathmandu leaving small heaps of shredded paper (to mark the way, of course) every few feet and making a lot of noise along the way (even at the gate of a monastery). Then picture at the end of the course, those same 70 foreigners standing in a circle in someone’s ex-pat yard forcing newcomers to chug a beer while everyone else sings the “official” hash song. That would be the hash.
The walking was nice (albeit weird to just be traipsing through Nepali neighborhoods and rice paddies) because I’m glad I got see a different part of KTM and got to hike some. It’s supposed to be a chance for people to meet other ex-pats and chat. I spent my hike talking to my Californian roommate and discussing how absurd the Hash concept is. I got some great pictures and avoided falling or leeches. So that part was nice.
The ridiculous frat party games after, I was not into. I’m not a joiner to begin with and I’m definitely not into being told what to do. So when it came to the forced drinking games, I did not participate. My Cali roomie and I stood and observed the other foreigners. The Hash crowd is a little older, I’d say maybe most of them are 30-50 years old. They come from all over. There was a bunch of Canadian pilots/flight attendants, some Filipinos (none of which approached me of course), some Irish, and of course, Americans. Doesn’t the whole thing seem very American?
I have to say the whole thing freaked me out. If I were to get married and live abroad (whether in Nepal or some other place where they have the Hash), is that what all my Saturdays would be like? They do it EVERY Saturday. They even have a Grandmaster. Yeah, I know. Gordon, is this what we have to look forward to?
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3 comments:
What an odd thing for people to do...I guess that the hash is bringing a little bit of the US/EU to new places. I mean you have a trash trail, loud talking, and drinking at the end. Don't we just call that a bar crawl in the US?
Ummm, that's kind of odd. /mom
It sounds like it could be fun, except you don't like anything forced (dancing, drinking, socializing).
But, at least you're meeting people - except filipinos, natch.
i know, right? seriously. i don't think i'll be doing the Hash again. it's so NOT my scene.
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