|
 |
 |
|||||||
 | |
|
Living & Surviving in Korea | |
|
Korean Toilets and Bathrooms
| |
Is your behind in a bind? Is your lunch of you-don't-know-what coming back up? Looking for a place to quickly? Have you been avoiding using the bathrooms you have seen up until now, but now you just must go? Obviously this is meant mainly to be humorous, but I've known a few people so against using a squatter that they've taken taxis back home just for the peace of mind (toilet links).
If you haven't noticed it yet, there are often baskets located in public bathrooms that usually have some folded pieces of toilet paper. Don't touch that paper! The baskets are full of used toilet paper (TP). Many Koreans believe that TP will clog a toilet causing it to overflow. One thing that is difficult to get use to is the sometimes presence of cleaning ladies while you're doing your duty. They don't come into the stalls, but they will walk around mopping the floor while you urinate. You should also learn to get used to using a bathroom which consists of one large room and two stalls - one for men and one for women -with the urinal located in the common area where women will have to walk past you or wait nearby if the ladies stall is occupied. You just can't seem to go wrong with any of the toilets in the department stores, and you can usually find a very nice western toilet to attend in most of the modern buildings. The good thing about having take-away for lunch at McDonalds or Burger King is the availability of good western toilets for you to use. I am sure these businesses gain a lot of extra foreign customers in Asian countries solely because they provide toilets we can actually use! Korea has had a policy for the last 10 years that any new building must have western style toilets installed. Over all of Korea, finding a western style toilet to use is getting a lot easier. Most bus terminals and rail depots do seem to have the 'local squat on the floor variety', BUT if you look around the corner you may spot the disabled access toilet, and you will find that 90% of the time, it will be western style, and very well set out. The government has been slowly building access facilities for disabled citizens over the last 5 years. Guess it is a little difficult to say you are heading towards being a developed nation, when the disabled were certainly discriminated against with facilities. Actually in many places anyone with a disability should still avoid. Illogical things like subway steps will give you access to a 'disabled toilet'. If you are a female foreigner, it is totally your decision where you place those little used tampons you brought all the way from New Zealand. I guess you can work on the theory of ?out of sight out of mind?? If you are in an apartment building (especially one that is 20 floors high) you are not easily going to be tracked down? Females usually just place all used pads in this ?wonderful special basket? I have to admit it is not a pleasant sight to look behind you in many bathrooms in Korea. Also if you are expecting there to be toilet paper available - forget it! You should always carry a small tissue packet that can be purchased at the local convenience store. It is even worse to be in the toilet, and then realize the paper to use is hanging up outside the cubical, and you were meant to take some into the toilet with you.
Home
| About Us
| Sitemap
Our Program | Employment Contracts | Terms & Conditions of Employment Information about Teaching in Korea | Living & Surviving in Korea | Useful Links Applications & Contact Details | Korean Employers Application Form Copyright © World English Service Ltd. All rights reserved. Last updated 17/12/2004. Design & development by Karere.
|
Western style toilet
Apartment bathroom |