wow, can it really have been almost 3 weeks since i've been back in LA?? i *still* don't feel all the way adjusted yet. but can i just share??? i had a most life-changing experience on my trip. (to my supporters: sorry it took so long! my final update letter has been mailed and you should get it very soon!)

i think i'll share random droplets here and there tho... this edition is about the lovely topic of bathrooms. heehee.

things i'm not going to miss:
1) having to carry around tissues everywhere. rarely any place (except the super expensive restaurants and karaoke places) has toilet paper... so it's kind of a BYOTP policy. i didn't mind so much, but there were some days when my meager stash went quick! For example, I'd have to use a tissue at a restaurant b/c they don't give out napkins, then I'd have to use another tissue to wipe the abundant sweat off my face, and then if i accidentally drank anything caffeinated, well, darn it, there went the rest of my stack b/c caffeine makes me go pee soooo frequently (anyone else have that problem?)! It felt so dumb to be all greedy and selfish about my tissues, hoarding them away from other people, but sometimes it was just necessary...

2) inefficient lining up for the bathroom. I hated this one because i'm kind of anal about efficiency. Boys, you rarely ever experience a line in the bathroom but for girls, the general practice is that the line begins somewhere near the first stall. When one stall opens up, the first person in line proceeds to that stall, and the next person scoots up to the front of the line. But it doesn't work that way in China...women, upon entering the restroom, line up directly in front of a STALL. That means if there are 6 stalls, there are six separate lines. sooo inefficient!! I'm sure i feel so strongly about this, though, because inevitably, I always picked the wrong line! I always picked the line where someone was pooping!! but by the time i realized how long i'd been waiting, it was too late to jump into another line. so sad...

3) stalls with no doors! I only experienced this once and honestly, it wasn't as bad as it could have been because no one i knew was in the bathroom with me... but basically, in one public facility, the restrooms had no doors - so there you were, lining up in front of a stall directly facing someone who is using the toilet. And of course, it's considerably worse when you're the person actually using the toilet and there are people just staring at you while you go. (and it's a lot harder to go when you're nervous) hmm...just slightly uncomfortable, but i took it as an authentic Chinese experience. =)

things I am going to miss:
1) the feeling of being sooo grateful and happy when there is toliet paper in a restroom! that joyous feeling can only come as a result of having experienced #1 above... the constant worry that you'll run out and be stuck w/o wipies... heehee

2) being escorted to a restroom. my team went to this one fancy-smancy restaurant (but it was still only ~$5 for the meal!!) and seriously, everytime you got out of your chair, one of the waiters or attendants were there to meet your every need. it's an interesting feeling being walked all the way from your seat to the door of the restroom by someone.

3) squatty-potties. yes, you read correctly...i'm gonna miss them. it was a strange feeling to realize that i began bypassing the Western toliets to use the squatty-potties. they're just SO much more comfortable... Western toliets necessitate the "hovering" technique which require some fairly developed leg muscles (which i don't have). Squatting is so much more natural for the body to do... the only thing to be careful for is making sure you're properly balanced so you don't fall in or have misdirected pee!

okay, i think i've grossed enough people out for now... =) byeee!