Later we stayed with family that did not even have a bathroom. They showered under a cold water hose handing from a tree. It was visible from the house and at night it was all lit up so it was like showering under a spotlight. Even with a cloth wrapped around you for modesty it was uncomfortable.
The toilet was even further away. There were no septic systems there at that time so it was just a shed containing a wooden seat perched over a deep hole.
Sitting on the toilet was freaky. There were toads in the hole and you could hear them croaking from below.
There were also toads on the path to the toilet. Loud, noisy, and so many it seemed I was doomed to step on one at every step, especially at night.
The kitchen was a stone floor lean to on the back of the main building with a small gas stove.
It made me realize how lucky I have always been. I was born into a culture with indoor plumbing and hot water on tap. I have always had comfortable furniture, and convenient cooking options. I have numerous communication options, including phones, video calling, email, and even reliable snail mail.
In Samoa, I had neighbours whose home was a wooden floor with a coconut fiber roof and drop down mats for walls. I do not know what they did for a toilet but they often washed in a basin.
They were still happy.
Epictetus said “He is a man of sense who does not grieve for what he has not, but rejoices in what he has.
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