Toilets - The last bastion of culture

Having travelled a good bit I can’t help but notice that the world is becoming more and more homogenised - I’m sure it won’t be long before they install a Starbucks at the top of Everest or a McD’s inside the pyramids. However, there is one area that seems to resist cultural pressure more than any other and that’s the good old toilet.

  

I guess most people are familiar with the western toilet. It’s made inroads in pretty much all parts of the world. I climbed a mountain in Sichuan once. At the top there was a set of toilets, one of which was western. The foreign toilet had a sign outside that said “Aliens shit here” – google translate has a lot to answer for. However, you really have to go to Japan to see toilets pushed to the technological limits.

In Japan, some – not all – Japanese toilets have the typical western style, but on the side they have add a whole new level of servicing.

For a first timer, the Japanese toilet experience can be pretty daunting. The desire to experiment, crossed with not being able to read Japanese can lead to some surprising, but not unpleasant effects, including “auto washing” and seat heating. Sadly, I didn’t have a toilet like this in my home when I lived in Japan or I would have been more inclined to experiment.  I doubt the full joy of Japanese toilet could be experience in a one night stay at a hotel, but if anyone cares to elaborate on their own experiences I would love to know more.

Not far across the water in China (and in many places in Asia), the Western toilet is still something of a novelty and the squatter toilet is king.

For western folk, this one can be a challenge. Frankly, most of us just don’t have the balance and flexibility to use these comfortably, but with a bit of practice you soon get the hang of it and find a technique that works for you – a sturdy wall is your friend.

Like the western toilet, the Asian toilet comes in many varieties from the ultra-modern to ultra-disgusting. While I got used to the Asian toilet itself in general, what I personally could never get use to, were the country and service station toilets in China.  Most of these amount to little more than a rectangular hole in concrete floor looking down onto a mountain of well … you know - One place I went to had a couple of pigs on the other side tucking into the mountain.

Another thing with the Chinese toilets was that a lot of the time, especially in more rural areas, there is no divider between any of the holes meaning you would be squatting next to, and sometimes face to face with, someone else. The most impressive thing about this is that the Chinese are totally nonplussed at the idea of taking a dump in front of someone else and will often be take a bit of extra time to have some and read a newspaper. For myself though, I couldn’t manage such “openness” – curse my Britishness – and found myself waiting another three hours or so until the next stop.

Indonesians also have some interesting toilet habits. They tend to have a good mix of western and Asian toilets (although I think the western ones are more for the rich types, but I could be wrong). The special addition to the Indo toilet is the lack of toilet paper and the inclusion of a hose or water bucket (the hose is a sign that you are making in life as well, I guess).

The idea, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, is that you use the hose/bucket and your hand to clean things out -  A much cleaner finish than paper most will admit. However, it also means that in Indonesia you should never use your left hand to give people anything, as this is your “poo hand”. This can be very tricky for a lefty like me to get used to.

I’m curious what other toilet habits are out there that I have yet to discover. When I travelled in South America it seemed that all public toilets had no seats. Does anyone know why? Is there some trick in desert countries involving sand? Did anyone ever explain the shell thing in “Demolition man”?

Enquiring minds want to know.

A series of random (and sometimes unfortunate) events

OpenStreetMap Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s been a while since I last posted an update. Mainly because things have been a bit hectic and I haven’t really had time to sit down a sort out my own thoughts, but the story goes a little like this:

I returned to the UK after Indonesia with the intention of doing a PGDE (teaching qualification) at the university in Aberdeen. It had been quite a challenge to get into the school and get funding, mainly because of the distance and because I had been living outside the UK for so long. In the end, however, I was accepted.

I went back home and lived with my Gran for a bit and found a little job teaching English in Glasgow. It was a fairly nice time as I got to meet up with people, like my friend Paul who I hadn’t see for some time. I also got to see my family again – I had been unsure about living with my Gran but we ended up getting on really well. I also got a chance to meet up with my Dad for the first time in many years, which all seemed to work out well.

Despite all this, after a short time back in Glasgow I was ready to leave again. In part this was itchy feet, in part I was bored and in part it was the grim place that is Glasgow. I was excited about the idea of going to Aberdeen, but worried as well that it would be the same story as Glasgow – that is unimaginative people and generally grim situation all round -with a few exceptions of course.

I needn’t have worried. Shortly before going onto the course I got a phone call from Aberdeen telling me that the course I was planning to study had been cancelled due to their not being enough students enrolled. I have to admit I was disappointed, but it opened up a lot of opportunities and I found myself considering a whole world – quite literally – of options.

In the end my choices were narrowed down to returning to Indonesia; going to the middle east to make some cash or going to south America and chancing my luck. The Indonesia option was appealing on many levels. I like the place and the school, but I think my wander lust was pulling me in other directions. Saudi was tempting on some levels, not least as I could save up a little for my masters. However, the whole male/female separation did not sound fun. The south America idea was also tempting, not least because I could wait unit January and save up to do the DELTA course there.

Then a fourth option came up. A chance to go to Canada and see and old friend. So in the spur of the moment I decided to give that a go and ended up in Canada for three weeks. The trip had some nice moments and I even got a chance to visit the USA and I went to a casino for the first time – what tourist could resist going to an Indian casino? My friend even managed to win a couple of hundred dollars after playing the slots for a few minutes.

The trip, of course, came to an end and I found myself flying south to Buenos Aires in Argentina, where I still am now. I’ve been able to find a place to stay – although it’s a massively over priced box in a shared house. I’ve also found work with a couple of companies doing freelancing. I have to say, it’s not what I’m used to. The pay is terrible and it’s impossible to work out how much I’ll have each month as classes are often moved or cancelled (I don’t get paid if they give more than 24hrs notice). I’ll need to sit down an work it out, but I’m not sure I can afford to stay here with the amount coming out and going in. Argentina has massive inflation problems at the moment. It seems I couldn’t have picked a more “interesting” time, financially speaking

That said I enjoy the classes. It’s nice to be teaching adults again and the students I teach seem to be quite interesting people. Most of the work I’m doing is with mid-high up people in big companies like HSBC and Johnstone and Johnstone, which is something new for me. The people at the schools seem nice as well, but I miss the security of a proper job.

I’m also a little disappointed by BA itself. It seems like a regular slightly run down European city. I guess I was hoping for something more foreign. Or at least something with more of a South American flavour.

My plans for the DELTA also hit a familiar rut. I had been planning to do it as a distance course for the first of three modules and do the rest as an intensive in January/February. Of course, after I arrived I got a familiar sounds email which said something to the effect of delta one course being cancelled because there are not enough people – where had I heard that before?

So what am I doing here? Well it’s a good question and one I’ve asked myself quite a lot in the past couple of weeks. On one side, I don’t want to be too hasty. The work has been picking up and I have lots of classes now and city wise I get the feeling that there might be a lot of interesting people and places here if I could break the surface – maybe once my Spanish improves? There is also the option of doing all three DELTA modules in January and February – that is if I have enough money left and the course is not cancelled. So I guess I just need to wait and see what happens at the end of the first month or so.

Saying that, I’m also keeping an eye on the job boards to see if anything interesting comes up. If someone offers me an interesting well paid job, I’ll probably get on a plane.

Endings: the winters of our lives.

       It's hard to really appreciate a place until it is time to leave it behind. It won't be long before I'm heading back home to UK, before making my way back to China. It's really got me thinking about my life here and the things I'm going to miss, that I might not have considered were I going to be staying here a long time. Knowing that a change is coming has forced me to really reflect on the things I'm going to be without and the things I will be glad to leave behind.

       I would be lying if I said that Japan was the place for me. In many ways I find it too western and too work oriented; at least the side of it that I have seen. However, I am going to miss some of my lifestyle here: quality food, cheap dental and medical care, a place to go running, a wage that translates alright when I head back home to UK. Probably more than that though I'm going to miss the people. I've made some friends here, both foreigners and Japanese, and I have developed some connection with at least a few of my students; I even got a going away present from some of them. It will be a little sad to say good bye to everyone and I wonder if I would have realised this, were not for the time limit on how long we have left together. 

     I think that's the great thing about leaving: about knowing that the change is coming. I've been trying to practice mindfulness for a while now and never has it been so easy than when change is just beyond the horizon. The thought that is soon going to be gone makes you really focus on the things around you. But I'm not fully in present. Part of me is looking forward to going home to see family and friends. Another part is looking to China and is already planning spring bicycle trips and I glad to have the excitement of the new place that is waiting on me.  

     I'm sure, in time, I'll be looking back to Japan and remembering only the good things and wishing I could have some of them back. Maybe if I enjoy this leaving time now, in the future I wont miss it anyway near as much as I would otherwise... maybe.