Do We Often Take Hot Showers for Granted?

“How do you say hot shower please in Spanish? Ducha caliente, por favor.” In 2016, a hot shower was a welcome luxury while I traveled in Bolivia. Moreover, my sister recently visited from overseas (The Motherland) and said what she’d miss the most would be a hot shower. A hot shower, really? Had I taken that luxury for granted?

I remembered those early mornings at boarding school in cold winter, waking at 4 a.m. to heat water in a bucket with a secretly smuggled heating element before others woke. That was my way of starting the day: with a hot bucket wash.

Life Without Reliable Hot Water

The shower block was a brisk three-minute walk in freezing cold, with parts open to the elements so a constant chilly draft swept through. In summer, we simply braved it and took a cold bucket wash. My sister will return to The Motherland, where although a plumbing system exists, hot water isn’t guaranteed: there are frequent power or water cuts. Most times she must resort to filling a bathtub with clean water so she can boil some in a big pot over a gas stove in order to have a hot wash.

What it Means to Appreciate Small Comforts

Imagine each day before work factoring in an optimal shower routine. In some ways, my sister is fortunate: she doesn’t have to collect water from a well or borehole many kilometers away on an oxcart.

Reflecting on my time in South America, especially in Bolivia, reminds me never to take a hot shower for granted. Ducha caliente, por favor. I feel deeply grateful for the opportunity to explore such breathtaking landscapes.

I also remind myself—and you—to sing in the shower often. Singing in the shower becomes a way to show gratitude. Do not take this small luxury for granted. Gracias por la ducha caliente.