"Brilliant gold taps, virginal white marble, a seat carved from ebony, a cistern full of chanel number five, and a flunky handing me pieces of raw silk toilet roll. But under the circumstances I'll settle for anywhere. " - Mark Renton, Trainspotting

The following are strictly personal views/observations and in no way reflect the views of the Peace Corp nor the federal government of the United States.

I never realized how much of a luxury a fully functional toilet was until it was gone.

Now I see that the toilet seat is not a necessity, however, it makes toilet time much more pleasant. I must admit nothing wakes you up in the morning like the cold porcelain against the back of your thighs; better than a shot of espresso.

Toilets can also be flushed in a variety of ways. We Americans assume there is only the pull chain and the handle. Not so. One actually does not need either to operate a toilet, because neither works without running water (and many residencies in Moldova have toilets and no running water). To flush a toilet without running water one must have a bucket of water at hand. After using the toilet, one must pour water into the toilet bowl and by some magical property of physics the water and everything disappears.

I was also previously unaware of the many varieties of toilet bowls. The toilet depicted here (although it can not be seen in the image) has a shelf in the bowl portion. The shelf is flat and fairly sizeable which demands the user to be an expert aimer, because if matter is accidentally deposited on the shelf the act of flushing/pouring water from the bucket becomes a much more difficult task and much more water is required. The use of alot of water is an inconvenience because the water must be fetched from the well.

I have found the best method for avoiding soiling the shelf is the completely disrobe from the waist down and sit on the toilet backwards. Although, for this approach it is best to ensure that the door to the bathroom is locked, you most definitely do not want to be accidentally walked in on during this maneuever.

Another extravagance of the American bathroom facility is toilet paper. The cushiony quilted softness of Charmin is the height of opulence. In Moldova toilet paper ranges from the pink 'hartie igenica' to old magazine pages. None of which have the velvety sensation of good ole' American quilted T.P.

I have also noticed that in Moldova, probably due to the lack of toilet seat, people do not have the same tendency toward staying in the bathroom for an extended period of time as Americans do; I have yet to see any Moldovan in the toilet room for 15-20 minutes. In fact, I have been on the recieving end of many strange looks, when I am spotted going into the toilet room with a book.