Don’t let it defeat you…

Journeys’ Communications Associate, Katina Nichols, expresses her frustration with the western world’s awkwardness about squat toilets, while offering harsh and solid advice to help them overcome it.
You’re about to ask your guide what year the temple was erected when suddenly you feel a gentle pang in your stomach that wisely suggests you should shut up and locate a bathroom. The guide kindly directs you to it, and a preemptive sense of relief comes over you. You squeeze past people in the somewhat crowded facilities, casually open a stall door with your sleeve, and your stomach drops.

“Toilet… where… go… no. Noway. Never. I can hold it…. OR CAN I?”

The infamous squat toilet is not something you can totally prepare yourself for, even if you know it’s coming. You glance around frantically to see if your panic might will a western toilet into existence that conveniently falls from the ceiling. Unfortunately, this doesn’t pan out. You crane your neck to have another look in the stall to see if maybe you missed the toilet in the cramped 4×3 ft space… Yeah, nice try…

To make matters worse, a line begins to form, and several pairs of wild, angry eyes fix on you, as if to say, “You have five seconds to decide if you want to make it out of here alive or not.”

I remember the first time I used a squat toilet. India ’09. I was on Elephanta Island about thirty minutes off the coast of Mumbai. Besides gorgeous Buddhist caves and a couple seaside restaurants, there isn’t much on the island. After foolishly pounding gallons of coconut water (a natural laxative), I came upon the one restroom within an hour walk. Against my judgement at the time, I stormed inside with wide eyes and a trembling bladder. I was a desperate woman. And so, that’s how it happened. That’s how my bathroom life changed forever.

Regardless of how intense your fear of squat toilets, they shouldn’t be a reason to avoid certain destinations altogether (and yes, some people do). So, in an effort to combat this seriously irrational fear, I put together a rather blunt list to push you over the hurdle:

  1. In with the new. Remember that you travel in order to have new experiences. (P.S. This is one of them).
  2. Just jump. The longer you hem and haw the more you talk yourself into a tizzy. Look at it as a challenge you must face and conquer (and if you don’t pull an Alice in Wonderland and fall in the hole, you will conquer it).
  3. Let nature lead the way. Squatting promotes a natural position for this bodily function. It’s actually healthier than sitting.
  4. Talk about hygiene. Most experts agree the squat method is much more hygienically friendly. Sorry, western world, but you got this one wrong…
  5. Get over yourself. If a squat toilet is good enough for the MAJORITY of the world, why isn’t it sufficient for you? Billions of people would love to know.

Admittedly, it’s going to be awkward, and it’s going to feel all kinds of wrong. But rest assured, there’s relief and joy on the other side. We all have our hang-ups, and the beauty of travel is that you have the opportunity to let go. Or sometimes you just drink gallons of coconut water and have to let go.