Thursday, January 17, 2008

Bathrooms

Bathrooms, not a common blog subject, but they are like so many other things. In the United States, we take them for granted. Nearly everywhere we go we can find clean bathrooms with toilet paper. Not always, but most of the time. Not so in Honduras. Nicole has always said, quite honestly, that I was a bathroom snob.

I have already discussed water issues, so therefore, where there is no running water in a community there are no flush bathrooms. The other day when we went to paint the kindergarten building, I just did not drink anything before we left. I knew in that community the bathroom (outhouse) was down a hill so steep that the only way I could get there was to slide down on my bottom. And if that is not deterrent enough, there is turkeys running everywhere and pecking as I slide. Been there, done that, not going to do it again. Some bathrooms are better, some are worse. In addition, some of these lovely little places don't have doors that close tightly and may swing open at any time. And that is not even the worst of the bathrooms. Trust me, I know where the good ones are and I know where a bunch of the really bad ones are and I try to stay away from those.

Where there is running water and flush bathrooms, you cannot flush toilet paper, so many places just don't provide that necessity. Of course, I carry it in my backpack. Some places provide paper in most unusual places. At the mall, there is one huge roll. You stand in line to get paper before you go in. Yesterday, I was in a place that the roll was at the top of the door. Not convenient, if you don't see it up there first.

Today Jen had to meet some friends at the Marriott and we took her. I just had to enjoy a nice clean bathroom with toilet paper that I could flush while I had the opportunity. Rarely do I pass up the chance for a clean one.

Oh, by the way, I am not quite as big a bathroom snob as I once was. As much asI would like to be, in Honduras, I have no choice.

Terri

Terri

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the mental picture I had of you sliding down the steep hill on your bottom with turkeys pecking at you. :) And I could hear your shriek as the door blows open on your outhouse! (IF you had gone there!)

A sense of humor is one of the most important things to bring to Honduras, huh?

love you, Janet :)

mandnfitz said...

all this talk of going pee pee makes me think of a pullups commercial. Mommy, wow! I'm a big kid now.

Ginger said...

Dear Terri,
I will never wipe again that I don't think of you. Just now reading this blog.
I have had such a busy 4 days that just having time to sit on the pot was rare.
But the joys of 4 grands well worth it.
Have a good day.
I know you will do the best you can considering the circumstances.
Love,
Ginger