Let Me Tell You a Story About High Speed Internet and Honey Buckets...

So in World Wide Web has made it to Quinhagak. We've got high-speed (or at least medium-speed) internet access, which gives us access to not only e-mail, blogs and chatting, but also the savior of the bush teacher...

ONLINE SHOPPING!

Seriously, it's great. The fact that pretty much anyone, anywhere, can order something from anyone, anywhere is pretty f-ing cool. The fact that I can take a job in what can fairly accurately be described as the middle of nowhere and still buy high fashion clothing (were that my thing) is kind of mind-blowing, if you think about it. You can sit on your toilet and the world's stuff is at your fingertips.

And SPEAKING of toilets, we've got high-speed internet, but no flush plumbing. Well, most of us don't... Tim, one of the teachers who's been here forever and has a big family, just got a new house built with flush plumbing. He likes to hold it over us to induce our jealousy at staff meanings. We've all got running water in kitchens and bathrooms, but no flush toilies, except at school. I try my best to #2 at school.

A honey bucket consists of the following: In your bathroom, where the toilet would be, sits a wooden box with a hole on top, covered by a regular toilet seat. Under said hole and seat you place a bucket lined with a strong plastic bag. And that's it. Voila, that's your honey bucket. Enjoy. When it gets about 1/4 of the way full, take it outside, tie the bag up, and put it in the little dumpster next to the big dumpster.

Next time you use a flush toilet, take a second to appreciate it. It really is quite luxurious.