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Javelin of Radiance
Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West
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 Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 1:26 am Post subject: |
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| Ariadne wrote: |
Denim... a few comments...
Most 'fantastic' job offers will not come with a squat toilet.
You're a guy. Trust me, it's more complicated for a gal, and women do not have the option of standing for most visits.
I'm over 60, have never been an athlete, and do not intend to begin training at this point.
And, just to put things in perspective, you also think that sharing an apartment with strangers is a perfectly acceptable living arrangement. Lots of folks, me included, do not agree.
China has plenty to offer all of us.
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I agree. Anyone who's had knee or back problems probably can't use a squat toilet. Having a lid on your toilet is nice too because I've noticed some squat toilets have an awful stench coming up them from time to time. |
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NoBillyNO
Joined: 11 Jun 2012
Posts: 1762
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 1:34 am Post subject: |
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| Close the lid to avoid the plume that rises from the flush. |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:07 am Post subject: |
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A squat toilet would be deal breaker for me. I would go so far as to say that a squat is indicative of a general approach to hiring foreigners that will be reflected on other areas.
Someone posted on Dave's a few years back stating that a squat had 'popped' his knee ligaments.
Don't roll your trou down to fit in the back of your knee. This acts as a fulcrum and exerts untold leverage on the joint.
Squatting may be anatomically correct if you do it from a young age. It is not something to be taken up in one's mature years. |
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Banner41
Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 656
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:35 am Post subject: |
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| Non Sequitur wrote: |
A squat toilet would be deal breaker for me. I would go so far as to say that a squat is indicative of a general approach to hiring foreigners that will be reflected on other areas.
Someone posted on Dave's a few years back stating that a squat had 'popped' his knee ligaments.
Don't roll your trou down to fit in the back of your knee. This acts as a fulcrum and exerts untold leverage on the joint.
Squatting may be anatomically correct if you do it from a young age. It is not something to be taken up in one's mature years. |
+1...I agree it's a deal breaker not because of the toilet in itself but the attitude towards the foreign hires. It's usually advertised in job ads because it IS important to most foreigners. I haven't used a squat in 2 years. Not at home where I live, not at the bars I go to, not at Walmart or Metro where I shop, not at the tourist places I visit, not at the office....why? Because they all have western toilets. Unless you live in the sticks, western toilets can be found. Mostly marked handicapped. Are they the cleanest? No....they are not very clean at home....If it's an emergency your wouldn't really care either. |
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twilothunder
Joined: 09 Dec 2011
Posts: 442
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:08 am Post subject: |
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| Non Sequitur wrote: |
| A squat toilet would be deal breaker for me. I would go so far as to say that a squat is indicative of a general approach to hiring foreigners that will be reflected on other areas. |
I can accept that, it is actually a very good point.
However, if you that averse to using squats you are going to be denying yourself a lot of the great China experiences on the basis that you can only accept pristine Western bogs - wandering in the Hutongs or the old streets of Suzhou? Climbing Huangshan or Taishan? A nice long day's walk around Tai Hu or a Great Wall hike? Learn to use them or forget about these things. |
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Banner41
Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 656
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:20 am Post subject: |
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| I agree not having Western toilets everywhere is a horrible excuse to not "visit/live" in China....but when it is part of your daily routine and I do fall in the category of old sports injury knees and back it can become quite cumbersome. Used every once in a while it's no problem but everyday is a different story. |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:10 am Post subject: |
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| twilothunder wrote: |
| Non Sequitur wrote: |
| A squat toilet would be deal breaker for me. I would go so far as to say that a squat is indicative of a general approach to hiring foreigners that will be reflected on other areas. |
I can accept that, it is actually a very good point.
However, if you that averse to using squats you are going to be denying yourself a lot of the great China experiences on the basis that you can only accept pristine Western bogs - wandering in the Hutongs or the old streets of Suzhou? Climbing Huangshan or Taishan? A nice long day's walk around Tai Hu or a Great Wall hike? Learn to use them or forget about these things. |
I agree Twilo, and under duress (or on a tour) I will use a squat. But in my week to week life I try to navigate my way around via the major hotels.
As others have noted there is usually no problem. In fact in some wannabe places they quite like a few extra Westerners transiting the lobby. |
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tin man
Joined: 18 Jun 2010
Posts: 137
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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| You Say Tomato. Seems a diverse sentiment indeed. I do applaud those that have gone native. Next time you do so, think of this thread and Tin Man relaxing while enjoying page 3 of the sports section. I am still somewhat on the fence about either taking a shot at a sales job in the USA with a low base mostly commish with training starting on Jan 7th or pull the trigger and return to teaching. Whether I have to sit or otherwise won�t be a huge factor in my decision making but that is another topic altogether. |
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Denim-Maniac
Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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| tin man wrote: |
| Whether I have to sit or otherwise won�t be a huge factor in my decision making but that is another topic altogether. |
Good to hear that, dont let something thats quite small influence you.
@Ariadne - granted, I was thinking from a mans perspective  I will add though that I had a 62 year old Aussie woman room with me in 2010 and she adjusted to squat toilets within an hour of moving in. Someone brought round a seat stool with a hole in it thingy and she was more offended by that than she was bothered by a squat toilet. I do agree that are many diverse employment opportunities in many different places with many differing conditions ... thats one of China's strengths I think!
My Chinese working experience has been limited to only 3 employers, and I have not experienced any of the complaints often listed on forums about hours/contract disputes/missing wages etc. I dont think contractual disputes and poor employer /employee relationships can be predicted by an employers attitude to WC's. 
As other have said ... this toilet fear must surely mean missing out on some wonderful experiences. The most beautiful place I have stayed was high on the Longshen rice terraces in a timber hotel at the top of the mountains (not the common tourist spot for day trippers). I couldnt have done that if I was squatter-scared.
One of my most memorable weekends was staying with a middle school students family on a country farm. The toilet there was two buckets behind a small wall. Maybe Im just made of sterner stuff |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 6:59 am Post subject: |
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You make good points Denim - as usual I might add.
To refine my view, I would say that a stool-type toilet indicates attitude to foreigners, but also that the school has some history of employing Westerners and that through that process some of the rougher edges of FT employment have been smoothed off.
My apartment is my oasis (yeah I'm a Taurus) and it must be congenial.
A squat in the bathroom would be constant reminder of other things.
Also the shower and W/M are in the bathroom and a lid on a standard Western loo compartmentalises the functions. |
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MisterButtkins
Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Posts: 1221
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| Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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I've never been into a KFC in China that had a sit-down toilet, and I've been into dozens. They have a urinal or two and a squatter. Some of you must really restrict your movements or must live downtown in large cities, because personally, I practically never see Western toilets in any public restroom. Maybe in high-end hotels and fancy shopping malls. That's it.
I don't know what tourist sites people are going to that have sitters. I can't think of any. The great wall certainly doesn't have sitters. I was in Qinghai going to some monasteries last summer. I don't think they even knew what a Western toilet looked like.
If someone is over 60 years old, I can understand the aversion, but for most people, I think they just need to get over it. As others have said, squatters are far healthier and more natural. |
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Javelin of Radiance
Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West
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| Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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| MisterButtkins wrote: |
| I don't know what tourist sites people are going to that have sitters. I can't think of any. The great wall certainly doesn't have sitters. I was in Qinghai going to some monasteries last summer. I don't think they even knew what a Western toilet looked like. |
Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong have sit down toilets. Lots of hotels have them. |
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choudoufu
Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 3325
Location: Mao-berry, PRC
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| Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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| bullet trains have 300 km/h squatters. |
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Denim-Maniac
Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238
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| Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Non Sequitur wrote: |
Y
My apartment is my oasis (yeah I'm a Taurus) and it must be congenial.
A squat in the bathroom would be constant reminder of other things.
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Ah, fellow Taurean ... although Im quite opposite to you I think. As Ariadne pointed out earlier, I prefer to share apartments / housing, and have never lived alone in China. In addition, I actually prefer to live in rather basic surroundings, a constant reminder that Im only a guest and visitor, rather than a permanent and comfortable resident. My stints in China are never permanent (and never will be) and its important for me to remember that. Simple living goes some way to keep me in my place.
I do accept I am unlike many others tho.
Anyway, back on topic and a final note about toilets ... my nonchalance towards them was probably a result of a stint in Kenya doing community work. These communities were places quite rural, no electric, no water supplies other than wells, with most dwellings being of the mud and straw variety.
Toilets here are long drop dug latrines ... typically with low mud-made walls and straw roof. And just sometimes with a whole day in these communities you cant avoid them. Obv they smell, but more alarming is that when you start to pee you hear a buzz just a split second before a veritable cloud of flies shoot up from the long-drop! aaaaah happy days. |
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twilothunder
Joined: 09 Dec 2011
Posts: 442
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| Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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| choudoufu wrote: |
| bullet trains have 300 km/h squatters. |
The D train I often take has sit-downs as well, usually one every two carriages.
However, the seat's usually so covered in p*ss after just half an hour that you wouldn't countenance using it unless really desperate for that Western 'sit down experience'. |
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