TOILET PAPER in Brazil does NOT belong in the toilet, in most places. So, you ask: Where then does it belong after used? Well, there is a logical explanation for why Brazilians put used toilet paper (hereafter referred to as T.P.) somewhere other than the toilet.
Now, before we continue this conversation, please keep an open mind! Many might be shocked when they hear this. In Brazil, the toilet water pressure when flushing is not strong in many homes nor businesses. So, to keep from clogging the toilet, you will sometimes see a sign on the wall behind the thone (as we often call it in the USA), instructing visitors and reminding Brazilians to please put the toilet paper in the wastebasket (the sign is usually written in Portuguese).
Americans think that is nasty, to say the least. We are not accustomed to this practice. Those of my homeland are very happy when we are able to live in an apartment building in Brazil, because the water pressure must be stronger to flush everything down the toilet including TP. I have been doing this for years and the toilet has never failed to get rid of TP...and no stopping up the toilet! What can be really nasty is when the toilet gets backed up, meaning it can start to overflow.
Well, anyway...enough of talking about toilet life! I think you now understand the reason why TP doesn't belong in the toilet, but in the wastebasket beside the toilet...in Brazil. Now, should you ever visit Brazil and find no wastebasket in the restroom, well, just do the logical thing and put the TP in the toilet, and hope you don't need a plunger, because you won't find that in the restroom, either. You might wanna hold onto the flusher mechanism for a few seconds just to make sure.
Oh! By the way, you may have noticed that there are a couple of phrasal verbs in bold italics in this cultural lesson that have been used. Don't worry! I'll explain them in the next few posts, just in case you didn't quite understand their meaning or when to use them.
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