Here’s a postscript (an afterthought) by way of an explanation to yesterdays post about the squat toilet. My attempt at a putting a little bit of humour into a thought provoking post didn’t quite make it so I’ll try to explain what I was trying to say.
As you know we recently spent time in some countries that line the Black Sea and the preferred toilet system there is the squat toilet. Not mine but at times due to necessity one I had to give in to and actually use. Dexterity is not my middle name so it was a fun time – not. Cleanliness was achieved by way of soap and water if available or wipes that I kept in my bag.
Anyway as we all know Australia is a very multicultural country these days and I often wonder how people who are used to this toileting system cope when confronted with a huge array of western style toilet pans and not the squat ones they are used to. I’m sure many of them have come across ‘our design’ but I’m also sure that many who have arrived as refugees may not have. See I told you my mind wanders in weird and wonderful ways at times lol
So seeing that ‘do not stand on the toilet’ card on the back of the door made me realise there may be an actual problem developing – talking to one of the cleaners who happened to be there at the time confirmed this. They are seeing more and more evidence of people standing on the pan to squat in the position they are used to – which can make the cubicle and the seat/pan unusable for many other shoppers. (The cleaners only come round a few times a day)
Hence my thinking that might it not be a good idea for shopping centres to install a couple of cubicles with this style toilet – but I wasn’t sure how others would receive such and idea. There aren’t any in this actual shopping centre and I’ve no idea if there are any installed in any Melbourne shopping centres at all, although it might just be possible in some community centre. It was just a little thought that crossed my mind at the time.
So what are your thoughts
Am I loony to even comtemplate such a thing happening??
For those at home who want to emulate the position there are ‘stools’
(sorry about that)
manufactured by an Australian company that can be set in front of a western style toilet
Still Waters 
Hi Cathy,
My mind takes those wonderful little trips every so often too. Often, I cannot get my main idea across. Do not feel alone. I imagine anything you are used to, can present a problem when traveling. They would have to carry me out of a cubicle (or ?) with a squat toilet, it simply would not be pretty. I hope I understand you now, but we all have a different distant drummer…
Sharon
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It is not a new problem in Australia. In the eighties when flying back from Bangkok, there were some Vietnamese refugees about to start their new Australian life. The toilets quickly became disgusting and flight staff told us not to use them and more or less segregated the plane into westerners to use one toilet and the Vietnamese another.
When journeying by train from Penang to KL, there was one squat toilet in first and another squat toilet with a western style pan stuck on top of it.
I think in time, immigrants become used to western toilets. They are certainly a cleaner system. Speaking of systems, my system shuts down if the only option is a squat toilet.
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I think it is a good idea. So long as I don’t have to use them. I am as flexible as a brick these days and only bad things would result from the attempt.
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Second thought I don’t think I would want to use them. I hate using public washrooms anyway. Always carry wipes in my purse.
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Toilets are interesting things. The only one I like is my own….
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There’s an American company called Squatty Potty that sells these stools too. According to their ad campaign, western toilets cause constipation, ‘roids and all sorts of elimination problems! I’ve been intrigued!
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When you gotta go you gotta go, but (being on the wrong side of 60) I also have a flexibility problem; squatting is not the problem, but getting up is a major hurdle. I see in South Africa in the workplaces and some malls a dual system of toilets (Western & Asian) is being introduced.
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