The Great Leveller

Look carefully..........

I had forgotten about these......I needed a refresher course to operate it.....

On our trip we went from this (in Seoul)..........

......to this ................"ladies to the right, gentlemen to the left, all cameras on the bus" - and, as we ladies discovered it was also necessary to do a quick check for curious shepherds - with or without sheep - in the vicinity.........and of course, we experienced everything in between the extremes. (Don't worry - I didn't take photos of them, but several will remain permanently etched in my brain.)

So why would I bother talking about this? My reason being that many of these experiences were outside our usual comfort zone  (if you'll pardon the pun) on many levels and were often both a confronting and somewhat levelling experience.

Over the years I have travelled to some wonderful destinations and along the way I have gathered my share of  'toilet stories'. This trip added a few new experiences into the mix - and reminded me of a few things as well. I was used to using squat toilets and though the knees aren't quite what they used to be the prospect of this didn't really concern me - though it's certainly not my first preference.....

 My first 'oh-oh' moment came when it was necessary to find a loo in a busy market.

Before that though was a powerful reminder of the small kindnesses that we can do for each other which can have a big impact. With no common language we followed arm and hand signals to find ourselves in the general vicinity but not quite there. (Fortunately the word toilet sounded very similar.) A young woman at one of the market stalls selling biscuits beckoned me to follow her (she apparently needed to go, too) and took me by the arm to the door. She showed me how much money I needed to pay for the toilet paper ( a cross between crepe paper and recycled cardboard) - although I was well prepared in that area....  I walked in to find muddy, sodden floors and on a raised platform some hip-height walls between each rudimentary stall and doors that didn't close properly. The young woman probably saw my face drop but called me over to the stall next to her  - one that I had seen her gesture to another local woman to leave for me. When I had finished I discovered that the one I had used was probably the best one available.......The women there were curious but courteous (I was the 'odd one out' after all) and so I came away with my sensibilities quite a bit shaken up but otherwise comfortable.

The next shock came when we then encountered quite a few toilets with NO doors at all - that was a new one for me. Some stalls even had two toilets (or at least holes) - but luckily I never had to share with a new friend - or even an old one.......

One of the worst ones was behind a bank and was apparently for the bank staff. I struggled to see how this was acceptable to the employees and what it must be like in winter for so many people with snow on the ground and temperatures in the huge minuses...... One of my fellow travellers even mentioned 'that scene in Slum Dog Millionaire' at one point - but it was never that bad.)

So, what's the point of this? What did I learn?

All in all these experiences served to remind me just how lucky I am to live where I live and how our environment shapes our attitudes to one of the most basic bodily functions.

When you've got to go, you've got to go.....we are ALL the same despite our upbringing and our private idiosyncrasies. Sometimes you just have to get off your high horse and  get on with it......

I am incredibly grateful to live where I live and to have been fortunate enough to take this trip - and to come home again. Travel is a wonderful educator.

I may not need a tertiary qualification to operate my toilet at home, or have various levels of seat warming or water temperature, or even an economy button to save electricity but I know that the plumbing works and I will have privacy - though now I also  know I can cope with pretty much anything - eyes down and mind your own business....

A small bottle of hand sanitizer and a few packets of adult wipes are some of your best travelling companions.

But, most significantly, the importance of kindness to strangers. We met some wonderful people and once again it was abundantly clear that people are interested in each other and when you are open to these encounters it is possible to make positive connections, even with limited common language. A little common courtesy and small considerations can bring great rewards (no money required). A smile can go a long way, too.....

John Lennon's song 'Imagine' comes to mind. It seems to me that if we all took a little more time to extend these small kindnesses to those we perceive as different to us and to respect each other a little more how much more at peace the world could be.

Sue xxxx