Gregalder.com

Sometimes I sit here in front of the computer and think, What can I tell the folks back home of interest? What's happening here? How have I changed? I was doing just that when I felt the need to use the restroom and recalled: I don't use toilet paper anymore. I mean, I no longer use the rolls you buy in supermarkets. Not many people do around here.

When I lived with the Khethisa family during my training they used the kids' homework papers and newspaper pages in their latrine. Come to find out, that's pretty much what everyone here uses to wipe.

At first, during training, I was bringing my own roll of TP in with me each time. However, it soon started to seem like a waste, buying paper especially for wiping, when I was taking scraps to the pit to burn each day. Thus I stopped buying toilet paper and started using scraps like everyone else. Though I keep some soft, store-bought stuff on hand for visitors.