Splishin' and a splashin'

Today I went to IIT-Delhi for a meeting (TERI is collaborating with some professors there on the cookstoves project). I can't share what went on in that meeting (which is unfortunate because it was quite dramatic), but I'll share a funny pre-meeting story.

When we arrived at IIT, I had to pee. Like really badly. So I asked the only female in the room (a research assistant to one of the professors) where the ladies' bathroom was. Because the hallways of IIT are a little confusing, she escorted me to the bathroom rather than giving me directions.

There were two stalls, one Western and one Indian (squat). I looked around and couldn't find toilet paper or even paper towels anywhere. Unfortunately, I didn't have any toilet paper on me (I usually do) because TERI's bathrooms provide toilet paper and I didn't expect to be leaving TERI today. So I asked the woman if there was somewhere I could get toilet paper.

She didn't seem to understand what my problem was. "Do you not need the toilet anymore?"

"No, I do. But I need toilet paper. Is there somewhere nearby I can get some?" (I noticed a toilet paper holder nailed to the wall, so I thought maybe there was a supply closet somewhere or a custodian we could ask.)

The woman leaned in very close and whispered, "are you having... [pauses, shifts her eyes back and forth to see if anyone else is around] ...the period?"

Trying not to laugh: "No, no. I just... I wipe. I never figured out the splashing technique."

The woman just stared at me and looked totally confused. She clearly had no idea what to do.

"It's ok. I can just hold it in."

"But that is very... [struggling to come up with the right word] ...uncomfortable."

"That's ok. I'll be home soon."

On the way back to the conference room, the woman suddenly blurted out, "did you mean that napkin-type paper that wraps around a cardboard roll?"

It didn't occur to me that she didn't know what I meant by "toilet paper."

"Yes, that's toilet paper. I'm used to using toilet paper. That's how we clean up where I come from."

"Oh. See, we must have a German toilet. You're used to the American toilet."

I had absolutely no idea what she meant by this. "What??"

"Yes, the Germans splash too. But they splash in a different way than us Indians. See, that's why we don't have those napkin rolls. It must be a German toilet. You must splash."

Any Germans out there: is this true? Do you splash rather than wipe? If I ever go to Germany, should I carry around my own rolls of toilet paper?