Bucket Showers

By: Amanda Warner

My first experience with a bucket shower was when we were staying in Kalasin. I had heard that we would be taking bucket showers in the meetings we had before the trip. I still didn’t really know what to expectmand trying to take my first bucket shower was an interesting experience. Luckily, I was staying in a village house with a Thai student, Bright.  She was a big help when it came to talking to our parents, and she also helped me figure out how to take my first bucket shower.

I went down to the bathroom to take my shower after our first day in the villages  There was a big tub full of water, and this confused me even more about how to take my shower. I was not sure if the tub full of water was meant to be a bath that the the local people always kept full or if the water was for my bucket shower. I had to go upstairs to where Bright and I slept and had to ask Bright about how to shower. However, we were having language barrier issues, and she decided to come down to the bathroom with my to try to understand what I was asking. We still had some language barrier issues, but I finally learned that I was suppose to stand next to the tub of water and use the little bowl in the tub to poor water on myself.

Bucket showers are not that bad to take. I don’t necessarily feel as clean as I do after a shower just because the water is not always as clean as I am use to seeing. I also feel like I don’t always get all of the soap off of me. However, I believe that bucket showers are beneficial in saving water. I think I use a lot less water during a bucket shower than I ever do showering. Another plus is that we take two bucket showers a day which makes me feel clean after being in the dirt and humidity throughout the day and helps to cool me off.