hashing, marastoon-style

last friday, the hash took place at a compound called marastoon, a bit outside of the city. beautiful views, + the hosts were wonderful people from the education/culture ngo, PARSA.



fiona + i arrived thinking that we would be setting out for another hiking adventure. instead, this "survivor hash" featured competitions. two teams were formed + given challenges, + those who did not show a winning spirit were traded with the other team or voted off entirely.

watching all of this take place was the amazing afghan fighting dog (still a puppy!), shariq. one of the people from marastoon rescued him when he was a baby. he is the most gentle dog you would ever hope to meet + a loyal best friend/protector of one of his co-habitants, a tiny kitten.



first up: catch, wash, henna, + decorate a goat. the team that finished first won, but there was a bonus for the goat voted by afghans to be the most beautiful. we won on the first count, but not the second. the goats were so patient!



here is our dear donkey unloading after he was burdened with breakable food items (eggs, tomatoes, etc.) + run through a long field (we won!).



sadly, i do not yet have photos of competition #3 (burqa races). v. v. v. difficult to run relays in a burqa, but we still triumphed.

round 4, kite flying, was a total bust. there was v. little wind + we couldn't keep the kites in air for more than a few seconds. following that debacle through which our afghan companions demonstrated smirking endurance, predictably, the kites were turned over to them + within a few minutes were high up there.



shariq was heartbroken not to be able to join us in the field.



the final round was too dumb to photograph + v. indicative of hash humor. relays with one person carrying a plunger (stick facing forward) between their legs + the other waiting with a roll of toilet paper (requiring plunging) between theirs. you get the picture. and yes, we won.

friday's hash was fiona's fifth, which meant that she had to be inducted as a hasher. the ladies argued vehemently that her hash name be "burqa down" (commemorating her spectacular burqaed fall in the relays + her valiant recovery).

one hasher went on an extended rant about the hometown of both fiona + kabubble spiritual advisor, dave mcmullin, claiming that fiona's hash name should imply a dig at her newton, massachusetts origins. however, with so few americans present, his joke fell flat. after way too much discussion, the hashers settled on "sucks him dry." poor dear.