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elric
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
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 Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 12:24 pm Post subject: Korean Toilet, please to explain |
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| I'm talking about the squatting ones. So whats up? I've seen animated gifs explaining how they work, and what to do, but do you have to flush? How come you don't put the toilet paper in the hole? What if you miss or it gets all on the sides? |
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Hater Depot
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 12:27 pm Post subject: |
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| The flush handle is on the side. Push it with your foot. |
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Cedar
Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Location: In front of my computer, again.
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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If you cannot find the flush handle (not always on the side, sometimes behind, in front, on a string, etc) then your eyes have the problem... the flusher is obvious. It's the thing that pulls, pushes in, or is pushed down...
If you cannot get it into the trough, you also have a problem... learn how long your body is when squatting and where your a-hole is... you'll be okay. The only excuse for problems using them is knees that prevent squatting.
These toilets are an older plumbing system, the system does poorly with toilet paper, throw it in the basket or can, cause it won't go down properly, it'll just make a foul mess. |
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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Or you can do what I do and just skip the squatties altogether. Unless you're deep in the sticks or really desperate it usually isn't that hard to find a Western style throne for your crapping needs. Fast food restaurants, chain restaurants and bars, and subways pretty much always have Western style commodes. In fact, almost any newer place will have them. Squats are becoming the exception rather than the rule.
In nearly four years here I'm proud to say that I have only crapped in squat pots twice. I didn't miss, but damn did my knees hurt afterwards.
Cultural sensitivity be damned, I sit when I sh!t. |
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cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Cedar wrote: |
If you cannot find the flush handle (not always on the side, sometimes behind, in front, on a string, etc) then your eyes have the problem... the flusher is obvious. It's the thing that pulls, pushes in, or is pushed down...
If you cannot get it into the trough, you also have a problem... learn how long your body is when squatting and where your a-hole is... you'll be okay. The only excuse for problems using them is knees that prevent squatting.
These toilets are an older plumbing system, the system does poorly with toilet paper, throw it in the basket or can, cause it won't go down properly, it'll just make a foul mess. |
ewwww.....I too was suprised when I first arrived to Korea a year ago. I couldn't believe my eyes at the squatting toilets. I had never seen one before. |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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| cubanlord wrote: |
| Cedar wrote: |
If you cannot find the flush handle (not always on the side, sometimes behind, in front, on a string, etc) then your eyes have the problem... the flusher is obvious. It's the thing that pulls, pushes in, or is pushed down...
If you cannot get it into the trough, you also have a problem... learn how long your body is when squatting and where your a-hole is... you'll be okay. The only excuse for problems using them is knees that prevent squatting.
These toilets are an older plumbing system, the system does poorly with toilet paper, throw it in the basket or can, cause it won't go down properly, it'll just make a foul mess. |
ewwww.....I too was suprised when I first arrived to Korea a year ago. I couldn't believe my eyes at the squatting toilets. I had never seen one before. |
yeah, one of the benefits of living abroad is learning how the rest of the world does things. Squatters have to be the loo of choice in most of the world. I have encountered them from Mexico to Indonesia, and in places like Portugal along the way.
I'll bet there are people in the Gulf states would give anything for a proper squatter right now. 
Squatters at least flush. I lived for a long time in Alaska, where a vast number of people still use out-houses, and have to face yesterday's poo on a regular basis. We kept a baseball bat in the out-house to knock down the frozen pile when it got high enough to tickle our bums. We also hoped, as we walked down the path, than an angry nest of paper wasps had not taken up residence under the seat over night.
Get used to it, and then a world of travel possibilities will open up for you. I know people who write off vast areas of the world for want of western sanitary amenities. |
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PaperTiger
Joined: 31 May 2005
Location: Ulaanbataar
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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How do you do it without crapping in your pants??? If you're pants are around your ankles and your feet on each side of the terlit....I don't get it.
Are all Koreans double-jointed or something? |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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| PaperTiger wrote: |
How do you do it without crapping in your pants??? If you're pants are around your ankles and your feet on each side of the terlit....I don't get it.
Are all Koreans double-jointed or something? |
Well, to answer your second question, not double jointed, necessarily, but they practice the squat from the time they are babies, and their knees seem to be better able to take it than ours. 
I have seen some people turn up the bottoms of their pants before squatting. I haven't had an accident yet, but I won't rule out the possibility.  |
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Hater Depot
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Keep 'em around your knees and not your ankles. |
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Barking Mad Lord Snapcase
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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| desultude wrote: |
| Get used to it, and then a world of travel possibilities will open up for you. I know people who write off vast areas of the world for want of western sanitary amenities. |
Four-star hotels can be found almost anywhere in the world.  |
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Privateer
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Location: Easy Street.
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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| PaperTiger wrote: |
How do you do it without crapping in your pants??? If you're pants are around your ankles and your feet on each side of the terlit....I don't get it.
Are all Koreans double-jointed or something? |
I don't get how you don't get it. Although clearly you are not alone. You must be doing something seriously wrong. For one thing, as Hater Depot said, lower your trousers only to just above your knees. For the rest....I'd draw you a picture if I could.
It is a bit hard on the knees, but hey, so is squatting on the floor in restaurants. A minor discomfort easily overcome with practice. One thing I really need a chair for is working on a PC, so thank goodness at least the PC rooms and offices come with desks and chairs.  |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Barking Mad Lord Snapcase wrote: |
| desultude wrote: |
| Get used to it, and then a world of travel possibilities will open up for you. I know people who write off vast areas of the world for want of western sanitary amenities. |
Four-star hotels can be found almost anywhere in the world. |
If your are going to arrange your travel so your environment replicates that of home, why bother traveling? You can just read a travel book and save yourself the inconvenience of reality. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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I've used them in Turkey and Eastern Europe, but in 9 months have managed to avoid one in Korea. My place is so close to my school (practically on campus) that I could run home in an emergency. But what I don't get is that the main building of my high school is less than two years old - are western toilets in schools just not done?
As for the squatting thing - I could never do it right. I'd have to loop my belt or something round the door handle and use it as a grip to lower myself back ... and then pray it didn't give way.
If you think Korea's difficult it's nothing compared to Turkey (and probably many other places). |
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Barking Mad Lord Snapcase
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:53 pm Post subject: |
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| desultude wrote: |
| Barking Mad Lord Snapcase wrote: |
| desultude wrote: |
| Get used to it, and then a world of travel possibilities will open up for you. I know people who write off vast areas of the world for want of western sanitary amenities. |
Four-star hotels can be found almost anywhere in the world. |
If your are going to arrange your travel so your environment replicates that of home, why bother traveling? You can just read a travel book and save yourself the inconvenience of reality. |
I just knew you were going to walk into that one!  You seem to be taking this subject far more seriously than I am.
Anyway, most travellers would prefer the best of both worlds - to experience reality when they step out the door, and then have somewhere vaguely comfortable to crash at night (somewhere that at least has running water).
Come to think of it, why should 4-star hotels resemble "home"? Are the terms "4-star" and "western" as inseperable as you seem to be implying?
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| I have seen some people turn up the bottoms of their pants before squatting. I haven't had an accident yet, but I won't rule out the possibility. |
This is the best advertisement for the Parmelia Hilton chain I have ever read. |
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Privateer
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Location: Easy Street.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 2:10 am Post subject: |
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| Wish my home resembled a four star hotel. |
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