The Korean 화장실

화장실=hwa-jang-shil=bathroom

A lot of things in Korea are different: the food, the language, the customs, and the bathroom....

This is the bathroom at my homestay, a fairly average Korean bathroom. The only things you can't see is the window above the tub, the mirror above the sink, and the cupboard above the toilet.

Difference #1: Toilet Paper

Korean plumbing isn't designed to handle toilet paper. This was the same in the dorms in Chuncheon. It was hard and took several weeks, but I've overcome my natural habit of throwing the toilet paper in the toilet. Some public bathrooms don't provide paper, which is confusing when you look at the trash can and it's full (most Koreans always have a solid supply of tissue on their person).

Difference #2: Showering

I haven't had a good stand-up shower since I moved to Seogwipo. Because water is an expensive resource, most Koreans don't run a continuous shower from a fixed shower head and instead use a hand-held nozzle. So, using the handheld nozzle, turn the water on, rinse, turn the water off, soap up/shampoo/conditioner, turn water back on, rinse, turn the water off, repeat as necessary.

Difference #3: Shower Curtain

There is none. It is expected that water will get all over the bathroom, especially since the nozzle is hand-held. There window is the only ventilation. If I go into the bathroom after someone else has showered and the window is closed, it feels like a mini-tropical rain forest. After I shower, even with the window open, the water hangs in the air. Because of this, I can never get completely dry; I towel off and then the water collects again on my skin.

Difference #4: Hot Water

If water's expensive, then hot water is even more so. Since it was still summer weather when I arrived, the hot water was never on, and the showers I took were freezing. This gave me more motivation to go on a run and then shower; I could handle the cold water better. Now that the weather has cooled off, the family has shown me the hot water button. Press the button to turn the heater on, and press the button after your shower to turn the heater off. This habit took me about a week to form--I would always remember to turn the water on but usually forgot to turn it off. Unfortunately, the button is located just inside the master bedroom. I have to carefully consider when I take my showers so as not to disrupt the parents' privacy.

Difference #5: Towels

The Korea Handbook I was sent advised bringing a towel from home. Why? Because Korean towels are SMALL. It's meant only to dry yourself, not wrap around your body. I did bring a towel from home (a suitcase spacewaster). When I first arrived, my Ahmma didn't let me take it in the bathroom. Instead, I use their towels. There's a whole stock (8+) in the cupboard above the toilet. No one has their own towel; use once and throw in the laundry. I save my big towel for my hair once I go back to my room. Since the Korean towels can't body wrap, everyone changes back into clothing (usually transitional clothing, like shorts & a thsirt) in the bathroom.

Difference #6: No In-Bathroom Prep

The bathroom is only meant for showering, brushing teeth, and toilet usage. That and there's only one bathroom for four people. All make-up, hair-drying, hair-straightening, etc., I do in my room, which is difficult because there's not a mirror on the wall.

Difference #7: Bathroom Slippers

Remember, no wearing shoes in the house. But don't go into the bathroom barefoot. (??) Use the bathroom sandals. This prevents water (the bathroom floor is always wet) from being tracked onto the floor outside the bathroom. There's only one pair that everyone uses. I try not to think about that too much...

Difference #8: Hair

This isn't a bathroom difference, but it's related. Korean hair (this opinion is mostly based on the experience with my host family) dries quickly. And straight. Also, the selection of conditioner at the store leads me to believe that most Kroeans use a shampoo/conditioner mix, which I can't do. My Pantene conditioner that I had been using since I arrived ran out only 2 weeks ago (July 5th to mid-September). The bottle labeled 'Rinse' that I brought at the mart works but isn't exactly what I was expecting.

This recent flurry of posts has been brought to you by class scheduling changes for the Chuseok holiday and rainy days. I would like to keep the blog updated, but teaching, taekwondo, being part of 2 families, and training is taking some time. I'll do my best!