Navigating How to go potty in a foreign country. This post includes How To Flush The Toilet and the words for toilet paper in 8 different languages.
How to ask for the bathroom in various countries:
Spain: “¿Donde estas los servicios, por favor?” In Castellian Spanish, el baño is the bathtub, not the restroom/bathroom.
Colombia: “¿Donde esta El baño por favor?” Or you can try the well used Spanglish version found in the tourist infested neighborhood of El Poblado, in Medellin “Donde esta el Ladies?” if you don´t mind letting everyone know that you are a tourist.
United States: “Where´s your bathroom? Could you show me where the restroom is?” “Where´s your Ladies’ room?” Americans avoid saying the word ¨toilet¨. As everyone knows, the word originated in France and we Americans have some different cultural associations with the word than do Europeans. Although I can´t quite articulate what it is. It´s some unspoken, subconscious hang-up associated with shame. We avoid ever uttering the word ¨toilet¨ and act as if we are saying instead “Could you show me where the sewer ditch is so that I may go roll around in it?”
France: “Ou se trouvent les toilettes?” Where can I find the toilettes? ¨”Ou sont les WC?” Where are the toilettes or WC (from the early word for bathroom, Water Closet)
UK: “Could you point me towards the Loo?” Toilet paper may be referred to as The Bog Roll, or The Loo Roll
Ireland: The bathroom is referred to as The Loo, The WC, The toilet, The Jacks. You might see the Women´s and Men´s room written in the Irish language. Mna= Women Fir=Men
Norway: “Hvor er toalettene?” (pronounced = Vuher ar too-al-eh-tanuh) or simply “Toilet?” Most Norwegians speak a great deal of English, so, if you are American, you could probably ask for the toilet, should you dare to utter the word, and be understood . To ask for the restroom or bathroom or Men´s room could be met with a little confusion depending upon the individuals you meet.
Italy: Dove il bagno? In the large urban centers such as Rome, if you´d like to use the bathroom in a bar or restaurant, you´ll need to purchase something. Expect to have to pay to use the restrooms in the train-stations. Also expect that the bathrooms will be clean!
Here´s a link to this app which will help you in planning your day. If you are alone and carrying lots of luggage, all by your lonesome, it´s nice to know little things like where to pee along your day of hauling about.
Push, Pull, or Press:
There are so many options for flushing the toilet in European countries. There´s the push button, reminiscent of an airplane potty, the step down on the pedal type, the pull chain, (which reminds of me French films from the 60´s), the very old fashion version still exists in many old buildings and I feel romantic every-time I pull that chain. There´s the double button/push button type that is modern and ubiquitous and the old 70´s push down flipper type. And, of course, all ages of the bidet can be found all over Europe. I love this Flush Toilet Finder App.
Many European buildings and bathrooms have timers on the lights. The timer gives you just enough time to do your business and get most of the way through washing your hands. If you are in a dark nightclub (or a humble neighborhood bar such as Bar Ramon in the San Antoni neighborhood of Barcelona, Spain. Tasty and authentic Catalan food and a healthy worship of Rock and Roll where the Rockabilly set in Barcelona hangs out) and that things goes off while you are still on the jack, and the room is pitch black, well, just be aware and plan ahead. Hang your purse near the toilet and locate hand towels while you still have the light. Or, if you are a solo female traveler and you have your small flashlight on your keychain (or, torch, as they´d call it in Ireland) you´re all good. Otherwise you could be fishing for it in the dark.
The Stalls:
Unisex: Many European bathrooms are unisex, or one might find only a half wall between a man urinating right next to a woman urinating as I did in the country side of France once. Many Europeans seem to have less of a worry about being seen naked than do some Americans. So, “when in Rome” just love yourself for a second, let go of body shaming and go with the flow. Pun intended.
Pay Toilets: Many large public spaces, such as the famous La Boqueria in Barcelona, offer pay toilets. Some places such as Salzburg Austria have many public toilets available. They are pay toilets that one enters by depositing a few euro coins into a turn-style. Some may be attended by a person who you may also give the coins to. Or, you may be able to show your receipt for having purchased something at a large venue such as La Boqueria
How to Say Toilet Paper in 8 languages:
Hungarian: we papi´r
Spanish (Catstellian): el papel higie´nico
French : le papier toilette
Italian: la carta igienica
German: das Toilettenpapier
Brazilian portuguese: o papel higi^enico
Norweigian: toalettpapir
Indonesian: tisu toilet
Polish: papier toaletowy
Source: according to languagedrops.com (ADD LINK)
I hope that having some idea of what to expect will bring some relaxation to your travel planning. My goal is to help you to maximize the time and energy which you are investing in giving yourself your best life experience through travel.