Toilet - CR in the Philippines

When I was in college, I remembered a teacher of mine saying that it's weird how Filipinos call the bathroom or the toilet "CR". CR stands for Comfort Room. We are the only race in the world who calls the toilet, CR. If you go to any other country, no one could help you locate or point you to a toilet unless you use the term toilet. But if you're in the Philippines, just ask anyone! Even if you're in a far flung baranggay in the middle of a mountain, just say "CR", and you're sure that they'll point you to one - just don't expect that all of them have flushes.

Ever wonder why it's called that - CR? Maybe it's called such because a person can do the things here which he wouldn't normally do in public.

You know how some people pick their teeth here if there's no way he/she can do that in a restaurant, in front of his/her companion? Or powder for some girls, powder their faces, put on their lipstick, or just fix their hair because it's unladylike to do so in public? But ever wonder why? Social etiquette? Why aren't we bothered to do those things in the public toilet or CR as we Filipinos call it when the people we are with in the CR are the very same people we are with outside it? We can do all those nasty things inside the CR and feel less guilty when we are with the same people outside it?

Hmm...

For the new generation, there is a term they call CR moments. During this time, the teenagers take their pictures in the CR, either in front of a huge mirror (which is often the case) or not.

I think that for us Filipinos, CR is a more appropriate term for the toilet. Who knows what next will we think of other uses for the toilet aside form mother nature calling us.