The best five dollars I've ever spent

I have recently fielded some complaints from other Peace Corps Volunteers about the cleanliness of my bathroom - the toilet seat, in particular.

Now, this is something I take very seriously. Some of them wouldn't even sit down to do to the bathroom.

I am a firm believer that there is a direct correlation between how comfortable one is with their toilet and their overall disposition. If one has a reliable, clean toilet, they will be calmer and generally more productive. But if something is awry with one's toilet, it can dramatically affect their lives.

A case study:

During my first three months at site, I was not very comfortable. I attribute most of this to the state of the bathroom at my host family's house. First off, I had to walk through my host parent's bedroom to go to the bathroom - meaning that the bathroom was essentially closed from 10:00 pm - 6:00 am. This bathroom was shared between four adults, meaning that access to the bathroom during prime time (6:00 am - 8:00 am) was not always guaranteed. Then, when I could get into the bathroom, the toilet didn't even flush. I had to fill a bucket with water and throw that bucket of water down the toilet with enough force to imitate a flush. Sometimes, the toilet water splashed on to the floor, meaning that I would have to undertake a clean-up effort.

This all added up to me being generally anxious and always scheming about when I would be able to use a dependable bathroom. I was a nervous wreck.

Now, I have always felt comfortable using the toilet at my house. I have repeatedly cleaned the entire room with bleach and there are some spots that just won't come out. I was troubled by the fact that my friends didn't feel comfortable using the toilet in my house. I want this to be a home away from home where my friends are comfortable being themselves.


And I found this situation troublesome.

So I took action. I went to the local hardware store and inquired about how much it would cost to buy a new toilet seat.

The woman who works there told me it would cost five dollars.

Problem solved.


(This will be the first in a series of posts about lavatories.)