Recently, living in Changzhou has been a little like camping. A little too much like camping, actually. There are the normal reasons like sleeping under a mosquito net tent, hiking over a construction site to the bus stop and squatting to go the bathroom. Lately, however, another reason has been moved to the top of the list and that is the lack of running water. This has been an ongoing problem since the beginning, but it hasn't gotten really bad until now. For example, almost since we got here, the water shut off every night from midnight until about 8am. This means that most days I brush my teeth using water from my water bottle which is now located in a rather permanent spot next to my bathroom sink. Since we are near to the building of a new road, there has been some problems with the pipes and we have been without water for about four days now. It is getting annoying to not be able to do laundry, wash dishes, take a shower or wash my hands. The students are without water as well and I am amazed at how well they deal with these kinds of issues. They complain, but not near as much as I would imagine Hope or OSU students if these kinds of shenanigans were pulled on campus.

The racks and racks of kleenex packets. Every girl keeps little packets of kleenex with her for toilet paper - thus, the kleenex industry is huge and you can get whatever your fanny fancies from designer Hello Kitty to plain pastels. Currently, I am using fairies.

The bathrooms have been a little bit of an adventure as well. My apartment is outfitted with one western toliet (upstairs) and one squatter toliet (downstairs). Most public places, however, only have squatters and the other Chinese women definitely have me beat in this area. Some of the bathrooms are fine, but others are pretty gnarly especially since toilet paper is not flushed but just thrown away in the trash can beside the squatter. It is a coordinated woman (most of the time with heels and tights/nylons) who can successfully balance on the slippery pee-covered squatter surface, de-pants, relieve herself and then recover and exit without several possible (and routinely experienced by me) mishaps. Things get really crazy when a) the squatters have no doors b) you forget to bring your kleenex with you (toilet paper is not provided anywhere) c) you are wearing flip flops d) there are no squatters but just one long public trough e) you are on a moving train. I do not recommend any of the latter for the squatter novice. This takes practice and I am lucky that my parents taught me how to squat while camping at a young age. Who knew this skill would be valued later in life half a world away?

2 comments

1. Amanda on November 24, 2009 at 9:42 AM

   I loved this post, Sarah! And it doesn't sound like the kind of camping I've done with you...unless you routinely string together silverware outside of your apartment to try to catch a raccoon. :)

    
2. Erica on November 25, 2009 at 12:19 AM

   I am so spoiled with my comforts. I honestly don't think I could get by happily without my "Western" toilet and brownies.