First off, we are fortunate in that we have running water, a shower (with tub! Not as common here.), and indoor plumbing/toilets/sinks. Life is a little different than the USA in that we have hot water, but it's solar heated in a tank on the roof, and when the hot water runs out, it's out. It takes a little while to get to our sink/shower and the pipes themselves are not insulated. So hot water is best used on a continuous flow pattern and not as great for things like washing kitchen dishes where you tend to turn the water on/off as you wash some then rinse.
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| Rooftop water tanks |
Differences:
- You can purchase electric heaters/showerheads that heat water at the source. Yes, this seems like a bad idea on surface (electricity + water typically doesn't lead to good things) but if installed properly, lots of people have hot showers this way without negative impact.
- Heating your water with electricity is really expensive and the alternative option is outlined above- a tank with solar panels.
- The plumbing can't handle toilet paper, so everywhere you go there are trash cans. Yes, they still use toilet paper, you just can't flush it. So now you know, if you travel through Latin America. Use the garbage can.
Traveling Tips:
- Make sure to carry some tissues or toilet paper with you. And soap or hand sanitizer. In public settings, there is usually a toilet and sink but they may not provide toilet paper or soap. Best to be prepared.
- In a mall or public area setting, there may be a large roll of TP on the wall near the sinks instead of one in each stall. It pays to be prepared and look around before you enter the stall. I may or may not have learned this one through personal experience.
- Public restrooms may have a toilet, but a surprising lot of them have only the toilet, not a toilet seat. So, practice up on your squats or be a good planner when going out.
- Sometimes, you go to a restroom and have to pay a small fee to use the bathroom, ostensibly for the four squares of tissue that the bathroom attendant gives you. This is not unlike Europe. Plenty of free restrooms abound, including in restaurants (you should buy something if you go in) and shopping malls. If you use a restroom in an open air market, you are more likely to have to pay. Plan your outings well, especially if traveling with small children.
- We found that the hot water tank works pretty well most of the time and provides most of the water we need. But if it's a cloudy day and the sun is hidden, you are out of luck. Since we like to take showers, and prefer warm ones at that, we opted to install one of the electric shower heads. There are two styles, one that is a major box on the wall (this is more frequently used by people who don't have water tanks like we have) and then a smaller one that allows you to turn on the electric heat only when needed. We got the latter. It was about $100 and will be a permanent upgrade. Our lease allows us to install things with permission and the knowledge that we leave them for the next tenants with no compensation. In this case, the school that owns the house also sent one of their maintenance people to install at no charge to us. So, Merry Christmas, Dave. Hot showers guaranteed for our time here.
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| Our new electric showerhead- wires run along the ceiling |
- I carry TP and hand sanitizer when going out.
- We make sure that everyone uses the bathroom before we leave the house.
- We change our garbage frequently.
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| Keeping it real, see post for details |
