DIAPERS v. THE SQUAT & GO
Was sitting at the window in KFC (yes, thank God we have KFC here–our only Western restaurant in the area!) when I saw the funniest “cultural difference” on display.
Growing up, I frequently worked as a babysitter for children in the States. The little girls loved their dolls and treated them like real children. They dressed them, fed them bottles, rocked them, and–always funny–changed their diapers.
Well little girls in China are the same–sort of. This local girl was waiting with her mom at the bus stop and playing with her doll. She rocked the dolly, patted the dolly, played with its dress. But then, she proceeded sit the dolly in a crouch and teach it how to do its bathroom business out on the sidewalk.
That’s how children go to the bathroom here. The parents take them outside on the sidewalk, they drop trou, crouch, and do their stuff. The babies all have split pants (pants with large holes around the bottom-area), and they don’t even have to pull their pants down.
Once I though about it, of course that’s their version of changing diapers–it makes total sense! But it was still hilarious to watch. Seriously, she patted it, talked to it, helped straighten its dress when it was finished. Such a good mommy-to-be! But talk about cultural differences! 😛
Deceptively Blonde 
The children actually poop on the sidewalk? Who cleans the sidewalk … how often?
🙂 Periodically throughout the day, the street / sidewalk sweepers come through and sweep stuff up. Honestly, it’s one of those things that provides people with a job so no one cares too much. It’s generally only the children aged from about 0-7. Of course, they just go wherever they are–grocery store aisles, bank floor, you name it. But every so often, you’ll catch men or women doing it outside too. Just watch your feet when you’re walking because they aren’t real careful about moving to the side.