Yesterday I mentioned that in my next post, I would describe how different transportation is here, compared to the U.S. That was before I realized that I left an important part of the personal hygiene topic unaddressed: TP, or bathroom tissue as some prefer to call it. For sure, it's an awkward subject, but one that certainly takes many gringos by surprise. I will attempt to address the subject as delicately as possible.
I'm told that much of Costa Rica operates on septic systems. Some newer ones; many more older ones. And there seems to be a universal concern about TP accumulation clogging up those systems. Whether or not those concerns are justified or not, I'll leave to folks who know about these things. All I really care about is what to do with the stuff when I'm finished with it. And the most common answer to that is - DO NOT FLUSH IT unless you know it's okay to do so. Ick!
Actually, once we got over our initial repulsion at the thought of tossing our little wad of used tissue in the basket next to the toilet, the realization that it is indeed an almost universal custom and that pretty much everybody has to do it, we began to relax and go with flow. (No pun intended - honest!) Now, a few short weeks after arriving, we simply take it in stride.
A bigger issue is the fact that public restrooms rarely have any TP at all. And forget paper towel dispensers in the bathrooms. If you're lucky, there will be an operating air dryer, but not always.
The solution, of course, is to leave home prepared. I carry a canvas shopping bag with me everywhere I go. Its contents are carefully chosen to rescue me from my biggest worries when I leave the house:
> My Spanish/English dictionary
> A composition notebook for jotting down important information
> A pen or pencil
> Three plastic bags containing:
... A clean, dry washcloth to use as a towel or dampen for a cleanup if necessary
... 4 or 5 little bundles of TP
... Several clean papertowels - because you never know!
> Two or three 100-colonie coins, because free public toilets generally don't exist
So now you know the rest of the personal hygiene story. Next up: transportation.... really.
Until then...
Pura Vida
