Of Toilets and Things

I have written a few times about Chinese toilets, a.k.a. "squatty potties."

One does not use them unless one absolutely has to (assuming that "one" is more accustomed to the western pedestal toilets), as we westerners were not born with quads of steel. 

Meaning, any attempt to use them has the frighteningly high chance of being very, very bad. 

At school #7, there are only traditional Chinese toilets. 

You can see it, below.

Notice there is no toilet paper. 

Each squatty potty has its own stall, but none of them lock. 

 Just outside the stalls are the sinks. 

The sinks are gross, there is no hot water, no soap, and no place to dry your hands.
This is why I always carry around a bottle of hand sanitizer with me. 

Have I mentioned that the restrooms stink really, really bad? 

I have to hold my breath each time I walk past them because the smell is so awful.

It is very true that in order to find a restroom in China, all you have to do is follow the smell. 

However, I must say that I'm glad there are stalls in the women's restroom.

I've been told by some of my students that the men's restroom has only one stall. Instead of a row of stalls, there is a sort of trough along the far wall that eventually angles down towards a drain. 

No wonder it smells so bad...

Luckily, the restrooms at school #4 are a little different. 

 First of all, they don't smell as bad. 

I'm not sure if this is because they get cleaned more often, or because the students are just more sanitary. 

 The sinks at #4 are the same as #7 with no hot water, no soap and no paper towels. 

However, there is one MAJOR difference...

Behind these two doors in the photo below is something very unexpected. 

 Behind each stall in the restroom is a normal squatty potty, except for the last two on the left. 

 As long as you have the special keys to open them, these last two stalls have normal pedestal toilets. 

 Huzzah for being able to sit and do your business at the same time!!

 But remember, even if you find a normal western toilet, don't forget to bring your own toilet paper. 

Because for some reason, that concept hasn't arrived here yet.