-In China, most homes contain a Western style toilet. Almost every toilet in public restrooms is a squat toilet, meaning you must squat to use them. The alternative is usually a hole in the ground. I will not describe the view below. However, there are 2 related stories (not gross ones, I promise).
-Toilet-related Story #1: In the small town, I was given directions by my friend’s father to the restroom. He pointed across the street. So I crossed the street and walked around a building which I assumed was the restroom from the smell. I entered and saw the usual holes in the ground, with small dividers between them (short enough that people can converse with each other). There were 2 women. At first, I turned and left. But I couldn’t see another door outside, so I thought, “It’s a small town, men and women probably share the restroom…there’s a small wall, and I have to go…so I don’t care.” The second time I entered, I was given a quick scolding in Chinese, “You can’t come in here!” Even if they had said, “Welcome! Come squat next to me and let’s have a friendly conversation” the harsh sounds of their dialect would have convinced me to leave. But I remained calm and asked the important question: “Where is the men’s toilet?” The one replied, “On THAT side,” and pointed to the wall. I discovered the men’s room after circling the building once more.
-Toilet-related Story #2: I just discovered the first Western Style toilet I have seen since arriving in China, and ironically, it is the place where I am staying, in the room next to the shower & squat toilet room. It took me 6 days to find it.
-Bonus Toilet-related Story: In South Korea, you can also see squat toilets. But in addition to them, they have extremely high tech toilets. When you sit down, they automatically begin heating the seat. You can change the temperature, squirt water upwards to wash yourself, and other functions a simple country boy like me cannot even comprehend. The most important thing to note for travelers is that those buttons are not important. The flush handle is still in the same place, on the side and towards the back of the toilet. This will save you the embarrassment of having to bring in the waitress with you to ask how to flush the toilet. She might also not understand English, and wonder why you are sharing this with her. You might even be kicked out of the restaurant.
“Boats & Pool”. Beijing & Taiyuan, China. Enjoy the video! (If the file size is too large, let me know, and I will start to compress my videos to make them smaller and faster to download…but image quality won’t be as good).
(After looking at the picture above, take a look at the South Korean National Flag).
(Taiyuan is famous for its huge variety of noodles. My picture above cannot adequately convey the delicious flavor of these noodles. I had 2 bowels of the one on the left. Taiyuan is also famous for its vinegar, which is very dark in color. I must say, the food here is certainly a great reason to visit this city).
As I’m writing this, it is my 43rd day in Asia, and my 7th day in China. Six of those days were spent in ShanxiProvince, where I am currently staying. I wanted to write about my experiences in China as soon as I arrived here, but I decided to wait until I had more of a chance to adapt. (Note: This is my 3rd visit to China, but includes new cities and I will be staying much longer).
When I first arrived, I experienced a kind of culture shock. I missed Korea…I missed California…I missed Canada…my sense of belonging was mixed up. But I think this is what travel is all about. If there is no confusion…no feeling of homesickness or being out-of-place, then how can you call it “travel”?
Honestly speaking, China seemed like an unwelcoming, unclean, intimidating, and strange place to me when I first arrived. Despite my friends’ best efforts, I could not imagine myself staying here for more than 1 month. I wanted to love China, to be good at speaking Chinese (since that is what I’ve studied for the past 3 years), but both of these seemed impossible. My perspective was negative, so the things I saw were negative.
Now, however, I feel differently. Being surrounded by the language, my Chinese is gradually coming back. (I say gradually just in case my Chinese friends are reading this and want to test me). China is not the only country I love, and Chinese language and culture likewise are not my one and only favorites. But there are people, places, food, stories, martial arts, dance, and artwork here that I truly love.
In my upcoming blogs, I will share some funny stories, memorable experiences, and discuss whether or not certain stereotypes about China are true. Please look forward to them!
I recorded this video on June 22nd in the Incheon International Airport in South Korea, right before my flight to Beijing, China. All future episodes, like this one, will only be available to watch here: on my website. Enjoy!
