Electric Slide

4/13/2008

Plumbing is primitive in Guatemala, which may explain why I have to flush my toilet twice to get it to drain, my shower requires plunging after every use, the bathroom has a strange odor that never leaves, and the sink leaks. However, the scariest part about the bathroom for most foreigners is that water is heated by a “calentador,” a small contraption attached to the pipe which heats the water with electricity. Contrary to what we all learned in school, water and electricity mix. Due, I suppose, to the average height in Guatemala, I have to duck under my showerhead which means I am knocking into it on a regular basis. This makes me wonder if smacking my head into the calentador will one day result in a new form of the electric slide.