Gear Change Up

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

B.Y.O.T.P. And other adventures in Chinese public bathrooms

Being a woman, there will inevitably be a line. And the Chinese know how to "make" a line, they just don't know how to "stay" in line. No fear, no mercy. They are not afraid to cut you, especially the 4'6" women in their eighties. So don't be afraid to bite. Once obtaining a stall (preferably my own (with doors (and walls))), I look down to see that it's not a western toilet. I don't panic. Chinese use squatting toilets. The user must assume the position that the name implies. And yes, for an inflexible cyclist with a bad knee, this is not easy. So I take a deep breath (but not too deep), remember what Bela Karolyi said ("Yew kan dew eet"), and focus. Upon finishing, I discover that the Chinese are not big on toilet paper. This is not a problem because I have learned to bring my own. And not to be afraid to use it. I have also learned to traverse the city slightly dehydrated to keep experiences such as listed above to a minimum. Sure, on the one hand, this is how normal chinese live. I think to myself, "Self, don't you want the cultural experience?" To which Self responds, "Must you have every cultural experience?"

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