Unisex to the extreme

Today I had an interesting adventure. I spent the bulk of the day today planning for teaching English as a second language to University students in Tyumen. It was really quite fun and I liked having not only a 'task' to do today, but a challenge to focus on. I've taught before, but never English. And I want to make sure that my class is interesting and something that they WANT to come to.

At any rate, I digress.

So I spent a large portion of the day (maybe 4 hours) at the internet buffet. Yes, that's right. The internet buffet, it's not an internet café. Look out - the pounds are coming back. And after several hours, I, of course, needed the restroom. But there really aren't public restrooms in abundance in Europe. I was at a shopping mall though, and I thought I'd seen a sign for restrooms.

So I checked it out.

It was one of those outside door, foyer type numbers where you go through a door and then choose gals or guys and enter for 'resting'. Well, that's not really what it was. It was a TRUE unisex. Men and women, boys and girls - everyone in the same room. It was strange enough for me to just walk in the door, let alone… rest. So I notice that all the men are on the left side of the room. Naturally, I move toward that side of the room. That is until I realize that there are only urinals on that side of the room and although I like to think of myself as a liberated, culturally groovy American. This is something that I am still not comfortable doing. So I embarrass myself (the preferable way) and wait with the women for one of the stalls.

Only a few people looked at me funny. But I'm used to that now. I'm a stranger in a foreign land.