Last Updated on October 22, 2017 by Christine Kaaloa
When I was teaching in Korea, there was something missing in all my Korean public school johns. Take a look at the photos below and guess what it was…
Korean school toilets (in the public school)
Korean School toilets don’t have toilet paper
Wouldn’t it be a horrible if you had to poo at your workplace, and found no toilet paper in your stall? Like, WTF?
Unlike public schools in the west, many bathrooms in public elementary schools (and even some government public facilities, like train stations, etc…) in Korea do not offer toilet paper in their restrooms. Often you have to bring your own roll of toilet paper or tissues with you.
Read 10 (more) Shocking Facts about Korean schools,
Of course, I feel like an idiot carrying a roll of toilet paper with me to the restroom as if I’m advertising my business. But that’s how it’s done in the public school.
How do the students go to the bathroom at school?
If students need to use the restroom, their classroom has a roll of toilet paper and they tear a portion off and take it with them! Which brings an interesting question that I couldn’t even answer after an entire year… how do you gauge how much you’ll need?
20 Comments.
what if u need to poo because maybe ur stomach was hurting,how are u suppose to poo on the “squatter”?
[…] with a roll of toilet paper under my armpit. It’s because the toilet paper container is always empty. 3) My Korean co-teacher and I aren’t “best-ies” as some other folk are with […]
I got really lucky with my current school. Toilet paper is always available on on call. My first public school had the same happenings in those pictures.
@DomHyo: Lucky. At first I so hrmph! about not having toilet paper and having to bring my own from home. ha ha… It’s those little western tics we’re so used to assuming that Korea teaches us to change.
This toilet seems really clean, pretty far from the worst toilets I have seen while traveling Asia. Anyway, I have no problem with the squat toilet and there is never toilet paper in Asian toilets anywhere.
@maakopla: With my World’s Worst Toilet series, worst isn’t always defined by “lack of cleanliness”. You might have missed the point entirely- the fact these are public elementary school bathrooms, with no toilet paper and that little elementary school kids have to tear sheets of tp from the classroom roll to take with them (or I and the rest of the teachers have to carry a roll with them to the bathroom) on a DAILY ONGOING basis, puts it in one of *my* worst categories.
Okay, if you put it that way. Anyway, i am pretty used to the fact that most of the public toilets in any Asian countries don’t have toilet papers (even in schools) so I failed to notice this. That’s why I always stock up on tissues xD
@maakopla: That’s smart of you to stock up. This was one of the first big culture shocks for me when I arrived in Korea.
The bathrooms at my school looked almost identical. The only thing I might say is that the teachers’ bathroom had both a western toilet and a squatter, in addition to toilet paper.
There was a roll or two of toilet paper in every classroom to my knowledge and the children asked for it when they needed it. Otherwise they were to do without.
I found that this policy actually contributed to waste. How so? I would never be caught with ‘my pants down’ both metaphorically and literally, so it caused me to overcompensate. If I were to run out, what options did I have? You either have to bring the whole roll or you have to bring enough to make sure you will not run out.
I know this because it was my life for two years. Also, I broke my dominant hand while in Korea (in the batting cages) and was left using a squatter and trying to shimmy my pants up/down with my bum hand. Oh, the joys of travel! Another insightful and relevant post. This is 100% accurate based upon my two years in Korea. ^^
@Andrew: Thanks for sharing! Yup, your experience was mine!I totally agree that toilets w/ no tp only adds to overcompensation.I’m bad at gauging, so I used to take my tp roll with me all the time. But it tells everyone what your business is. For kids, I imagine it just makes them a bit dirtier– to undercompensate…ooh. Sorry about your bum hand. The pants shimmying (ha ha…) couldn’t have been fun or funny at the time!
My Mexican office bathroom is always well-stocked on TP… wish I could say the same for public restrooms in Mexico! Most toilets here also don’t have a toilet seat… that goes for public restrooms and private residences.
At least we have Western toilets, right?
@Laura: Definite thumbs up to western toilets! But no toilet seats…makes me think, it’s just as good as a squatter and perhaps worse. I wonder if anyone stands on those seats like a squatter?
World’s Worst Toilet: The mystery of Korean public school restrooms http://t.co/MiHDGfAF via @grrrltraveler
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World’s Worst Toilet: The mystery of Korean public school restrooms http://t.co/QWTJe3cP via…
Something about public toilets anywhere in the world is a little unsettling. I’m not sure why they are never so savory when everyone complains about them…
A lack of paper might have something to do with it in this case though!
@Dave: ha ha… Glad you got it. The lack of toilet paper were in all the bathrooms- western and squats. In my school’s case, I can only think to reason that they didn’t want elementary students to waste paper or make a mess with them. But then again… the teacher’s bathroom lacked them too.
Hey we have the same stuff here in Japan…Those toilets are same as the Turkish toilets but you have to do your buisness while watching it leaving….
@tunimaal: Japan too?! I thought they definitely had western toilets! Well, I’m glad I’m getting better at these things. Japan and Turkey are one my travel list!
World’s Worst Toilet: The mystery of Korean public school restrooms http://t.co/8NCDJnW3