To Pee or Not To Pee?

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Tasha

That is the dilemma I struggled with for five long hours while I tried in vain to distract myself from the rapidly growing urge to use the washroom.

Let me put it into context for you: my first time in India, 50 degrees Celsius, 99% humidity, at a children’s orphanage, no flushable toilets within 20 km. Instead, there was what the missionaries have lovingly coined the “Squatty Potty”; a glorified hole in the ground.

Call me a princess if you will but I had never in my life urinated into a hole and I hadn’t planned on starting any time soon. So, I crossed my legs tightly and debated whether or not the perils of this makeshift washroom were worth the distinct possibility of my bladder actually bursting.

…Let it suffice to say my bladder is still in tact.

To Tissue Paper and Hand Sanitizer,
Tasha xo

~ Have you ever experienced anything awkward or totally outside of your comfort zone while traveling in a foreign country? Do tell! ~

56 thoughts on “To Pee or Not To Pee?”

Stacey on November 3, 2010 at 6:30 pm said:

I think I would have tried to stick it out as well… I mean squatting has never been something I did with ease and I would fear falling over which would be worse than trying to hold it! Although if I go a a mission trip where there are only “Squatty Potties” then I should build strength in the muscles necessary to prevent falling over!

Thanks for the post so funny!

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- Tasha on November 3, 2010 at 10:55 pm said:
  
  I never thought about building those muscles prior to leaving for my trip! Lol good idea, Stace! Thanks for the comment! 🙂 xo
  
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Gail on November 4, 2010 at 2:06 am said:

hahaha girl Im so glad you have a picture of! The first time was so traumatic. I remember checking for spiders, snakes, lizards and any living creatures. The potty was much better than I expected…I was so glad I brought a lifetime supply of sanitizer travel wipes and tissue paper…
You did well Tasha, ventures where many will never get a chance to go..LOL You should be proud!

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- Tasha on November 4, 2010 at 2:27 am said:
  
  Lol, traumatic is right! 🙂 Thanks Gail, you too girl! We can officially call ourselves ‘Survivors’ hehe.
  
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Andy on November 4, 2010 at 3:17 am said:

That’s hilarious! Watch out for those creatures… lol It reminds me of when I used to travel as a kid with my uncle and aunt and my cousins across the U.S. in a station wagon. We’d be in the back.

My uncle was literally “driven” to make it by a certain time to any given destination along the way. So, if we had to pee, he wouldn’t stop. Sooo…we sometimes had a bucket (for the ladies) or bottle (for the boys) to pee in.

All of us kids would have to move to the centre seats, hold up a blanket, then have mom pee in the bucket in privacy in a moving vehicle! Crazy! And unfortunately, still a vivid memory… 🙂

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- Tasha on November 4, 2010 at 4:21 am said:
  
  LOLOLOL Andy, you are TOO MUCH! Oh my goodness, that’s hilarious! Wow… and that wasn’t even in a foreign country! Crazy times!
  
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Nancy on November 5, 2010 at 4:00 am said:

HAHAHA! Tasha this blog just cracked me right up…it reminded me of last year when we went camping and the potties near the camp site were just awful. But your experience DEFINATELY tops it! But hey, how many people do u know brushed their teeth with polysporin LOL. Thanks for the blog, it was a great laugh and it brought back great memories. Love you, xoxo 🙂

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- Tasha on November 5, 2010 at 4:10 am said:
  
  Hahahaha… oh man! You brushing your teeth with Polysporin was just GOLDEN! I will never forget the look on your face when you realized what you were doing! I know, I know, it was dark 😛 Good times! Love you, girl!
  
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Dawn Samson on November 5, 2010 at 4:06 am said:

You really have a way with words! Try dropping your phone in a sqatty! You’ll never forget it! At least I won’t!

Miss you guys!

Dawn

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- Tasha on November 5, 2010 at 4:08 am said:
  
  LOL Ewwwwww! I feel for you, Dawn! I really, really do. Thanks for the nice comment. I miss you guys too!!! Can’t wait for you to come to Toronto! ❤
  
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Patty on November 9, 2010 at 2:49 am said:

OMG the first time I went to Cuba I had to hold it ahahhaha because we were taken to this remote little church and there was no washroom just open field ahahahhahah but I had an awesome time!!

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- Tasha on November 9, 2010 at 3:00 am said:
  
  Lol, oh man! Patty, that is even worse than my situation, at least I had some kind of washroom! You just had an open field! Not even any trees to hide behind! :S hahaha…
  
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Tina on November 9, 2010 at 11:44 pm said:

hehe hey tasha, loving your blogs
this one is by far my fav 🙂

reminds me of the days back at my grandmas house, haha!

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- Tasha on November 10, 2010 at 1:10 am said:
  
  Thanks for commenting, Tina! 🙂 Lol, I can’t believe you made your aunt drive you to the nearest museum to use the washroom because you refused to use the “toilet” at your grandma’s house! Hahaha, too funny!
  
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Rachele on November 10, 2010 at 11:35 pm said:

So I know I’ve talked to you about this post a bit already but I never asked if you ended up using it?! I definitely stayed away when I saw one in Napoli, partly because of how gross it is, but also because wouldn’t you have to take your pants off to use it?! Crazy!

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- Tasha on November 11, 2010 at 2:53 am said:
  
  Lol Rach, you’re too cute! Thanks for commenting! 🙂 I did end up using it!!! Lol… and there’s actually a technique to it, so that you don’t have to completely take off your pants! I ended up doing fine but it was extremely awkward! 😛
  
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Candice Y on November 13, 2010 at 5:16 am said:

The toilets are the same in Japan. In the middle school I taught in there was one “western style” toilet installed (specifically because of the foreign teacher they have) all the way on the bottom floor. Once I was teaching on the top floor and had to make a mad dash down three flights of stairs because there was no way I was hovering over the ground. Still boggles my mind how the kids do it.

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- Tasha on November 13, 2010 at 5:26 am said:
  
  Hey Candice! Thanks for the comment! That’s so cool that you taught in Japan, it must’ve been an awesome experience! The whole time you were there you never had to use a squatty potty? Impressive! 😛
  
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Tina :) on November 17, 2010 at 12:52 am said:

I experienced this very thing in Greece when I was just a child. I refused to use the washroom because I could not fathom going to the washroom without a flushable toilet!!

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- Tasha on November 17, 2010 at 1:24 am said:
  
  Hey Tina-Mou! 🙂
  
  Good to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog and commenting! Love you girl! xoxo
  
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  Hi Titmus! At the very bottom left hand corner of the page there is an orange radio button where you can subscribe to my blog! Glad you enjoy it! Be blessed!
  
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