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Q: Is there a trick to using the squat toilet?
I have been here many a year now. And i still cant do it. I fall over, so to combat that i need to prop myself up against the walls which then requires a thourough cleaning up to my elbows. I still cant get the aiming down so i pepper the rim and need mountains of toilet paper and water to clean it (or i just run away, serves them right for not having any paper). And that a good day. Last year i didnt know weather to face north or south in a KFC. (i swear im not THAT big an idiot, it was a super confusing set up ) and in my confusion and twisting with my pants down, i litterally knocked myself out cold on the flusher handle box thingy. Why is it so hard? Any pros?
You need to practice the squatting stance when your pooper is off duty.
I think this article mentions that the most important thing is to not fall in the hole. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Directive
It was challenging in the beginning, but I managed to get used to it somehow. It's just like using chopsticks instead of knife and fork: needs some practice.
I am used to it by now, but it is still a challenge, since my balance is not always the best especially after a few drinks. I would like them to add two things: a hook for hanging purses or backpacks and a bar to hold on to for balance. I never leave home without a pack of tissues and hand sanitizer.
Sorry man but that made me laugh, the image of you with your strides round your ankles banging your head off the fixtures and fittings, i've been there. Personally in nine years here i've probably used them as little as twenty times. Can't remember the last time though, i've learnt to hold onto my shit like money. But is there a trick to using squat toilets? Yeh, there is: don't use squat toilets.
mike695ca:
haha its funny now but that day? cut my head open blood everywhere naked on a gross kfc bathroom.
I don't like how in some bigger cities you can go to some of the biggest shopping centers in the world only to find smelly squat toilets in the washroom. Huge disappointment.
Also notice how they never seem to be air-conditioned, too.
Scandinavian:
How to plan for a shopping mall in China.
200000 square meters of shopping
3 square meters of toilet
8 parking lots
32 million lights
Don't ask me matey...I'm the champion of never using one, at all. Been here since early 2010. I do know that it'll be a very dark day indeed should I ever have to break my duck.
Like mArtiAn I've got mine under control, only ever go at home, but I would think the main trick is not falling in.
I don't particularly like to use them but sometimes I must. I face away from the flush tank and put my feet close to the front. I also hold onto the bottom of the door just to make sure I do not fall over backward. Besides a small roll of paper I always have a pack of wet wipes. The one thing I do not get is why the paper or tissues won't flush. If there was a western type of commode next to the squat type the tissue would go down just fine. It may be that there is not enough of a water head with the squat commode. Don't feel bad though, many Chinese don't like them either. Most commodes in Chinese homes are the western type.
Samm11:
chinese LOVE them. most chinese homes are equipped with squat toilets.
You must align your hole with one on the floor. Don't worry, if that's hard. You'll 'learn' it fast, because of 'daily pointing exercise'.
iWolf:
Go for the hole in one or the nothin' but net method works best. He shoots, he scores!!
Pray to God that it's summer and you're wearing shorts AND there's a hook on the back of the door. I have to get nude from the waist down, except shoes. I don't know how to not let my clothes touch the floor in one of the awful places. I hope you enjoyed the visual
mike695ca:
haha i have the sameproblem, im so worried ill get my pants all gross i need to aquat like a sumo wrestler which is probably effecting my aim
wagon:
Yeah, it's been a couple years since I had to use one, but those first few months were a bit stressful. Can I go back to work with a sloppy pantleg?
Every apartment I have rented has had a western toilet. All of the Chinese homes I have been in including people I did not know and those that had never been out of China, had a western style toilet.
My wife is Chinese and she has told me that even her very old apartment had a western style toilet and it was there when she bought the apartment 15 years ago.All of my colleagues (more than 200) all have westrn toilets. I know because I asked them. Maybe this is not a good sample because they all work in a university
Samm11:
it depends where you are, I guess. maybe in big cities it's like you described. in smaller ones (like guilin), the situation is totally opposite.
When I first came to China I went to a training course to teach English a certain way. The head of the training program was a Brit and one thing he firmly believed is that if any people could screw up any thing simple it was the Chinese.
Wagon-when you mentioned the hook or bar all I could think of was using it and the bar pulled out of the door or the door came off. I too think it would be a great thing to have a hook to hang your coat on and a bar or bars on the side to help one stand. Some of us have knees that do not work well from a low squatting position.
I was looking for some toilet humor on the forums and couldn't resist bringing back this one.
It took me awhile to get used to them, but I actually prefer the squat toilets over the western toilets sometimes, because I don't have to touch the squat toilet to do my business.
Stiggs:
When you go into a stall and the floor and everything else is covered with piss and who knows what else I think the squatter is much cleaner than a sitter, which if they had one would also be covered in filth. Like you say, you don't need to actually touch much.
Basically I hold onto something for balance with one hand, then do my business with the other. Not that hard really.
while emergencies happen, I avoid those things like the plague. Bad bathrooms to me is a real clear indicator I don't belong somewhere.
A place doesn't respect me as their customer enough to have TP and a sanitary stall than fuck them I don't have one mao for their business.
I actually don't mind them much,especially if it's a public toilet. I've never had any issues using them.
The most important things is not to shit on yourself. After that it's down to practice, technique and the flexibility of your achilles tendons. I'd rather use my sit-down toilet at home rather than the squat toilets at work; so I'll yoyo that turd all afternoon if it means enjoying the relative luxury of being able to sit down and relieve myself. The squat toilets at a Nantong high school that I visited didn't even have cubicles. You just had to squat there while you looked at others and they looked at you. The relative awkwardness was broken down by conversation about the topic at hand, which everyone is familar with: "Oh I see you had barbecue last night as well!"
Street food.... all the common restaurants.... lots of beer all over the place.... five years in China coming up in a few months..... And I still have never used a squat toilet. When that day comes I will know the jig is up. And out the window I will gladly try to fly.
The first time I had to use one, I was visiting my friend's village hometown. I was seriously considering just holding it for the next two days. That was an experience I'll never forget.
Don't forget to bring your cell phone along with tp. Have heard many lively conversations.
Don't forget to bring your cell phone along with tp. Have heard many lively conversations.
