It’s a rainy day in Bolivia, and I’ve got some time. Welcome to the Bonus Blog.
“Two in two days! Really?!”
Really really, mom. Calm down.
Today I want to share a photo set of what it looks like to wash laundry in Bolivia. This is definitely not our worst set up. Last month in Argentina we (40 girls) were using the bathroom sink, and I was hanging wet clothes on my Eno line.
Chile was definitely the best situation so far. The hermanas of the church would let us use their washing machines on Sundays. It was amazing, and they loved doing it. They would literally fight over who got the honor of doing our laundry each week. So there’s some missionary highs and lows.
I would not say that I’m an expert at hand-washing. It is a skill I’m struggling to perfect. If you have tips, please please please leave them in the comments below. I have learned a few things, though. And I’d like to share them with you all.
So, for your reading pleasure, I now present Sarah’s 10 Hand-washing Tips.
Tip #1 Wash Small Loads. It’s best to do your laundry a couple times a week, especially if the Bolivian heat has you drenched in sweat two four seven.
Tip #2 Utilize the Shower Time. It’s easy enough to wash your outfit in the shower. And hey, you were trying to extend that time anyway. The shower is the only place where you don’t sweat. Your teammates won’t be that annoyed…
Tip #3 EXFFICIO. ‘Nuff said. We’re all Christians here; so when I say “EXFFICO is magic, and you need it in your life,” please don’t hear me promoting witchcraft. (But it is magic, and you need it in your life.)
Tip #4 Watch the Weather. My teammates argue that you absolutely do not want to wash your clothes right before it rains. I say go for it. Call it an extra rinse cycle. ¯_(?)_/¯
Tip #5 Use Warm Water. Hahahhahaaaaahahaa just kidding you have absolutely no control over the temperature of your water on the Race. You’re drinking hot water and washing in cold. C’est la vie.
Tip #6 Use a Sink Stopper. There are universal sink stoppers you can put in your pack. You can also stuff a pair of underwear into the drain and call it good.
Tip #7 Rinse Cycle. The rinse cycle is that time where you just kind of swirl your hand around in the sink to the tempo of your music. For not-so-dirty clothes, Hillsong United should do just fine. Move to Hillsong Young and Free for the dirtier loads. For tough stains, switch to NF.
Tip #8 Soak Soak Soak. The soaking cycle is pretty important. While your clothes soak, you’ll need to drink a cup of coffee. You can judge the soak time based on the quality of your coffee.
Tip #9 Extra Soak. Rinse out the load, and let them soak again in fresh water. This is an optional step and depends on your need for that second cup of coffee. I always need a second cup.
Tip #10 Hang and Play. Hang your clothes on the line. By this time, a few ninas should have gathered. They may have been there the whole time, just smiling shyly or trying to ‘help.’ As the final step in your laundry day, play a quick game of Run Through the Hanging Clothes. If you’re washing sheets or towels or other long pieces, play a quick round of Hide Behind the Hanging Clothes.
Bonus Tip: You can sometimes give your laundry to the first random hermana that offers. After doing this, you need to immediately forget her name and face and just kind of wait around for days, hoping she’ll show up with your clean clothes. Four days later, you’ll be at a house visitation and see your clothes hanging on the line. At this time, try to find out her name.
