I am quite a tall person. To be specific, I am approximately 190 centimeters or 6 feet 3 inches tall. In Europe, this is above average, especially in Ireland (my home country). However, my height usually does not have a major impact on my day-to-day life. When I go to a concert, it can be helpful to have a good view, and occasionally I may bang my head off a low ceiling. These are relatively rare occasions. Before departing on this journey to Nepal, I had heard from various sources that the Nepali population has quite a short average height, relative to the rest of the world.
The average Nepali man is 162 centimeters or 5 feet 4 inches tall. While this was not a major concern of mine prior to embarking on my long flight to this beautiful country, it did cross my mind that my height could have a larger-than-normal impact on my daily life here. In this article, I will outline my experience as a relatively tall man, amongst a relatively short population.
A head of steel
First, I must note that my head has taken quite a beating. Low ceilings and doorways are common in the local communities and my awareness of the dangers posed by these architectural hazards for the tall is not always very sharp. Moreover, I have taken many bus journeys from my locale of Tinpiple to the bustling centre of Kathmandu and seats are often difficult to come by. As one might guess, local buses do not offer plenty of headspace for their tall standing passengers.
Also, Nepali roads can often be bumpy, creating a perfect storm. My head has had to endure many meetings with the roofs of various buses. Consequently, I believe my head has adapted to these conditions, and my tolerance for these head bashings is growing exponentially. By the time of my departure in two months time, my head may be indestructible.
Fascinated gazes
A major part of my work with VIN is to conduct workshops in schools, and this means plenty of interactions with children of various ages. While my name and nationality is often of limited interest to them, my height never ceases to be a source of entertainment. Many children have asked me about my exact height, and others simply approach me and state “you are very tall”, to which I must agree with them. A common act is for a child to stand on a chair beside me, in an attempt to see the world how I see it.
My favourite interaction of this sort has been with one local adolescent, who told me that he hopes that he can be as tall as me one day, to which I replied “maybe you will be”. He seemed doubtful but agreed that this may be a possibility one day. I hope he makes it.
Final Takeaways
Overall, being tall in Nepal does not offer too many disadvantages. Yes, one may bang their head if they do not take care, and it may be a point of fascination for some local people, but this can lead to very positive interactions. Some tools are not made for people of my height, such as the type of sweeping brush that is common here, which requires a lot of bending on my part to use properly.
Moreover, the counters in my kitchen are quite a bit lower than they would be in a standard European kitchen, which can make the act of chopping a vegetable slightly more challenging. Despite these very minor problems, I can recommend Nepal to any tall prospective volunteer, it is a beautiful country for people of all heights.
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