The Laundry Process

Chinese laundries are stereotypically famous worldwide. Unfortunately, our laundry prowess has not caught up with that of the Chinese. Each day we awake with the hopes of fulfilling our greater purpose of completing our laundry. With only one washer to accommodate over 28 people, the mission of removing the dirt has proved almost impossible. Some members of the abroad have awoken before daybreak hoping to beat the daily rush only to find the laundry room locked. Who would have known that our clothes required visiting hours?

As another week unfolds, Abroad members continue to keep their ceaseless vigil. And as we wait, we begin to ponder the value of cleanliness in society. Is it really worth it? Yet we know that after Andy's experience on our beloved #52 bus, cleanliness is absolutely essential. As I began my own laundry adventure, I soon learned that my clothes would never quite have the fresh-smelling scent like they did at home. In fact, as they hang from a string about ready to break from the weight of my soaking wet jeans, I realize that my washing experience has been cut a little short. Isn't the spin cycle part of the process? Saturated with water, my clothing hangs for days before it even begins to take on that crusty feeling that comes as a result of the lack of fabric softener and the loss of a dryer. The Downy sheets my mother sent with me now act as air-fresheners.

Ð Jodi Fenton