Peeing & Privacy: Cross-Cultural Observations

Peeing is an important function.  As an American woman, I see it as an important and private function. But, alas, Korea has repeatedly revealed some other ideas about peeing. Here are three observations.

(1) Latrine Layout: This applies to men's restrooms only.  First, when there are doors to the hwa-jahng-sheel (literally, toilet room), they are rarely closed.  Second, the urinals are typically located exactly across from doorway rather than coyly tucked around the corner.  Which, together, means that regular people, who might be waiting for the elevator before class, can far too easily observe students and colleagues ... using the facilities.  Too much information.

Here is the elevator.  And the restrooms to the right.

Oh.  Wait.  Is that the men's restroom that I see?

Yes.  Yes it is.

(2) Roadside Relief: Korean men pee in public. Yes, I know that many American men enjoy taking a whiz off any available bridge or cliff; I understand that many an American on a long drive has made furtive roadside pitstops in grassy ditches.  BUT.  Here, men appear comfortable gladdening their bladders along the walls adjoining city sidewalks or standing on the road's shoulder.  This weekend, while waiting at a family amusement park (more on that in a future post), a man in front of us stepped out of line, stood next to a tree about 10 feet away, and let loose while facing us.  Perhaps he had some intellectual impairment.  I don't know. I, perhaps trying too hard to normalize this awkward situation, chose to use it as an opportunity to inform our children about cultural differences in circumcision decisions.  This is possibly more than you wanted to know.  And quite certainly more than they wanted to know.

(3) The Medical Pee:  Professors and staff (probably anyone under the government health plan) are required to get annual physicals; these are free.  And, as a lovely courtesy, the university invited a local hospital to bring their services to campus this week.  Medical stuff is pretty similar in any developed country, right?  Ah, no.

Let's take just a moment to review a stereotypical American system of urine specimen collection.

(a) Patient is called from the general waiting room to a more private medical area.
(b) Patient is given a plastic, sterile cup with screw-top lid. Cup is labeled with identifying information.
(c) Patient slips into a nearby restroom.  Lots of handwashing and wipes are involved in a "clean catch" procedure.  The collected specimen is tightly sealed in sterile cup.  More handwashing follows.
(d) Patient discretely carries the sealed specimen to a nearby nurse (acting as casually as possible to counteract embarrassment), or can leave it in the restroom for magic fairies to complete the testing and disposal process.

The American system can be a little awkward, but it's manageable.  And private. Pee is private.

Back to Korea. Now, I realize that this particular bizarro world of hospital-meets-classroom may not be typical. But I suspect it is.  Which my beloved TA confirmed. Ok, here goes.

The scene:  A designated classroom in the very center of the main academic building. A long table was set up at the open door, allowing interested passers-by to hear and observe one's medical business.  The table was staffed with two students (serving as translator-gophers) and three nurses.

The Room and Long Table.

The process: Hand in completed forms to Nurse #1. She confirms professor's name on a list and gives him/her a white paper Dixie cup to take to the hwa-jahng-sheel.  (Wait -- what?  Student-gopher translates.)  The restroom is located at the end of the long hallway.  Past numerous deans and administrative offices and classrooms. A gauntlet of shame.

The long, long hallway to the restroom.

The horror: Take the not-sterile, non-lidded cup to the restroom, complete a non-clean-catch, and restore one's clothing while carefully balancing a very squishy and warm paper cup.  Now return down the long hallway, past all kinds of people who hold one's career in their hands, while carrying said warm squishy cup that trails a certain aroma.

And more horror: Wait in line for those who are exchanging their forms for a paper cup; try to ignore the waiting people seating just a few feet away.  Offer cup of humiliation to Nurse Pee.  She does not take it. No indeed. Instead, she dips a test strip into the cup, shakes, and tapes it to your form.  You, then, are left holding the remaining specimen.  In a now-very-squishy, smelly vessel. Wondering at your apparent stupidity, Nurse Pee, through the student translator, gives terse directions: pour the urine into the can/pot by your feet then put the empty cup in the unlidded trash box next to it.

I took this picture on my phone - it is NOT zoomed in - from the "waiting area."
And it has the added bonus of an adorable English misspelling.   

The best part of living abroad is the opportunity to learn new ideas and ways of life.  The worst part of living abroad is being wrong (and humiliated) so often.  I often comfort myself by thinking "Oh, well, that nurse/bus driver/ajumma/gas station attendant will now have a good story to tell at dinner tonight."  At least I can serve as cheap entertainment.  Ah....