The Terrible Turkish Toilets..

Sometimes it can really suck to be a woman. It is tired and true, but men have it easy when it comes to using the bathroom. They get to pee standing up, while women have to squat in some pretty unbearable situations.

("жени" means women.)

Using public toilets in Bulgaria can be quite an adventure sometimes. They are usually what we like to call "Turkish" toilets, meaning they are simply a hole in the ground. Over the past 2 years I have come to frequent this type of toilet; my school even has them! And we PCVs are all pros at how to tolerate them. We go in hoping for the best, hoping for one as nice as this big shiny metal one pictured below but unfortunately they are not. This one was not even found in Bulgaria. I came across the beautiful toilet in Croatia. (And by the way, this has to be the largest Turkish toilet I have ever seen.)


Anyways, back to the point. I was out and about traveling with some friends and had to use the restroom at the bus station. And bus station bathrooms are notorious for being really bad. Considering you have to pay 30-50 stotinki, they are never clean, there is rarely toilet paper, and they just stink! But when you have to go, you have to go.

I followed a nice couple out to where the bathrooms were. As I approached, I was expecting the worse. I walked down the stairs to find no attendant, no toilet paper, and no fresh air. I went in and discovered there was no light, so I had to pee with the door open. I rolled up my pants to avoid the gross floor, I clenched my purse in my teeth and went for it. The toilet was just plain disgusting. The one pictured here is not so bad, really. But that doesn't even compare to what I had to experience.


I walked back up to meet my friends when I was stopped by the attendant that was missing earlier. He was chatting with the nice couple that initially showed me the way. But now he was asking for 2 leva for using the bathroom. TWO LEVA!!!!! Are you kidding me! I got all in a huff with him and told him this is not right and that in Bulgaria it is only 30 stotinki, maybe 50. I continued to argue with him until I finally just told him I don't have it and walked away giving him only 80 stotinki. (All done in Bulgarian, I might add.)

Angry and frustrated, I walked back to my friends where I told them the whole story. My friend Kathy was absolutely outraged and walked back over to the bathroom. She innocently asked how much it cost to use the bathroom and he said it was only 30 stotinki. She threw up her hands and started to yell at him, calling him a thief and liar. In the end, he gave her back my 50 stotinki extra that I paid. I was quite proud of Kathy and pretty much think she is a rock star for doing that. Go Kathy!!