In the first weeks of living here, my mind was overloaded with new observations. Frankly, it still is!! I remember every time we walked outside, I was quick to look and observe the way people do "everyday" here. I wanted to learn even the littlest of details. Maybe it was a way that I thought I could "fit in" and not stand out any more than we already do.
One of the first things I noticed was how everyone hung their clothes out on the line; inside out and upside down!! Maybe this is the way everyone does it??? When I was young, I hung many clothes on the line, and I don't ever remember my mom teaching me to hang them a particular way. Trust me, she would have told me!! The more I've thought about it, the more it makes sense.
Inside out makes sense so that your clothes don't fade as much from the sun, or at least the side you can see!! Upside down provides an even edge and usually a less bulky edge to hang one piece next to another. Just a guess!
Inside out makes sense so that your clothes don't fade as much from the sun, or at least the side you can see!! Upside down provides an even edge and usually a less bulky edge to hang one piece next to another. Just a guess!
Here's a little insight on how we do our laundry here...
- We only have washing machines, and they are housed in the bathroom
- The cycles range from 2 hours and 53 minutes to 52 minutes. At least on mine!! My most frequently used cycles are 59 minutes, 1:30, and 1:45.
- The temperature ranges from 30 to 60 Celsius, which is 86-140 degrees Fahrenheit!!! Now, I'm not sure that it's really that hot because our water is heated by the sun, but more on that in another post.
- Most washing machines are 5 to 7 kilos, which pretty much equals a very small load. Thankfully we found a XL9 Kilo washer that allows us to wash larger loads!! Praise God!!
- Although I have heard of a few foreigners who have dryers, they are VERY uncommon.
- No dryers, means we hang all of our clothes outside on the clothes line. I've always wanted a clothesline!!! Never thought it would be off of a balcony!
- In the Winter months, we make sure to hang our clothes out early in the morning so that they have time to dry. The catch is that by early evening, the clothes have to be brought in if you don't want them to smell like burning coal, which they use to heat their homes.
- The cycles range from 2 hours and 53 minutes to 52 minutes. At least on mine!! My most frequently used cycles are 59 minutes, 1:30, and 1:45.
- The temperature ranges from 30 to 60 Celsius, which is 86-140 degrees Fahrenheit!!! Now, I'm not sure that it's really that hot because our water is heated by the sun, but more on that in another post.
- Most washing machines are 5 to 7 kilos, which pretty much equals a very small load. Thankfully we found a XL9 Kilo washer that allows us to wash larger loads!! Praise God!!
- Although I have heard of a few foreigners who have dryers, they are VERY uncommon.
- No dryers, means we hang all of our clothes outside on the clothes line. I've always wanted a clothesline!!! Never thought it would be off of a balcony!
- In the Winter months, we make sure to hang our clothes out early in the morning so that they have time to dry. The catch is that by early evening, the clothes have to be brought in if you don't want them to smell like burning coal, which they use to heat their homes.
So, on days when it rains or the clothes didn't have enough time to dry before the haze of coal appeared, this is what we hang them on inside!!
I'm thankful that the weather is getting warmer and the days longer. More sun equals clothes that dry much faster. I may even be able to get two loads washed and dried in ONE day!!
I'm thankful that the weather is getting warmer and the days longer. More sun equals clothes that dry much faster. I may even be able to get two loads washed and dried in ONE day!!
