In France, hand washing included three articles of clothing: underwear, bras and socks. My French host mom once informed me the washing machine chez nous “n’était pas si bon.” Translation: “It wasn’t very good,” thus wouldn’t properly clean our delicates. Quelle surprise! Hand washing undergarments wasn’t a draining task by any means, just dated. Most women are familiar with hand washing bras with underwire, but add panties and multiple pairs of socks and it becomes more of a workout than a chore.
In Togo, laundry day isn’t just a five-minute exercise; it’s P90X or Bikram Yoga!!! I’m half naked while I hand wash my clothes. Why? It’s NOT because I don’t have any clothes to wear, NOR is it because I left my sweats in a friend’s hut, BUT it is because I’m dripping with sweat!!! This morning, I consciously shorten my cardio and Pilates’ workout because of laundry day.
Got questions? Well these may or may not be your questions, but it’s a start. Et voila…
What do you need to hand wash in Togo?
Three buckets: one large bucket for washing, one small bucket for rinsing, and one bucket (of a similar size) for damp, clean clothes.
One bar of fabric-safe soap
Powdered laundry detergent (probably made in China)
Water (Not just for clothes, but for hydrating)
A clothesline, one or more
Clothespins (beaucoup)
TIME
ENERGY
MUSCLES
What are my two least favorite items to wash?
- Patagonia blue jeans—best jeans I own, but so heavy!
- Bed sheets (I actually don’t wash these anymore. I can’t be bothered with it and I’d rather pay 1,000cfa for a professional to wash my sheets. And by professional, I mean a Togolese teenage girl.)
Do I separate whites from colors?
Bien sûr!
How long does it take?
It really depends on how much I have (duh) and the clothes I need to wash. If, for instance, I don’t need to wash my lovely Patagonia blue jeans, it doesn’t take long at all. More often than not, it takes me about 90 minutes. Then of course the remaining work (e.g. drying clothes) is left to the sun.
How long did it take me to do my laundry the first time?
THREE HOURS!!!!! I guzzled down two Sport Actifs—a Togolese version of Gatorade—after that three-hour fuckshow. My 18-year-old host brother even came to my rescue me at the end. Ugh. I felt so inadequate.
All things considered, I quite enjoy hand washing my clothes. Enjoyment generally follows completion of such a task. Whenever I am deep in hand-washing mode, I often repeat “TOGO…I WILL TRIUMPH!”
And once I’ve finished, I sit in front of my fan and read.
Boom. Done. J
They say the right writer can make anything interesting: that is certainly true of you and laundry. It's funny how demanding physical labour can be oddly enjoyable once you get absorbed, isn't it? I'd imagine working up the energy to get started is quite hard though.
ReplyDeleteYou are going to be ridiculously tough when you get home. Just don't go all Sambo on us.
Thank you! x
ReplyDeleteNo worries, Craig. As I've said to other Volunteers, no matter what Togo does to me in two years, "I'm going to remain a lady, damn it." ;)