LAUNDRY

I'd soak my clothes in soap and water for a few days. Then I'd agitate the clothes before pouring out the soapy water down my toilet (which was just a hole in the floor...no toilet bowl...or throne!). This is how I "flushed" my toilet. I would do the same thing when I washed my dishes. I'd toss the soapy water down my toilet, and voila! On its way it went to THE HOLE.

I never ironed my clothes. They were NEVER WRINKLE-FREE.

When I finally received my smelly clothes from Afghanistan via air mail, they hadn't received their weekly soaking. My mother machine-washed my clothes two or three times to get out the dirt and grime...and ODOR!

I started the SIT AND SOAK method after I had moved to the big house that Touryalai found for me in Shar-I-Naw (New Town). At my previous apartment on the university side of town, an old woman had washed and ironed my clothes. I should have continued this when I moved again to my larger house, but I was always pinching pennies...or I should say afghanis.