How to do Laundry in Lebanon

Hello! It's been a while, I know. Not much has changed, though: I still live in Lebanon and I still work for the Arab Human Rights Fund. New things: I'm applying to law school for Fall 2012 (but maybe Fall 2013) and I don't get to visit Damascus on the weekends anymore because they won't give me a visa.

The subject at hand today: how to do laundry in Lebanon when your landlord only gives you a semi-automatic washing machine.

First, you might ask, what is an semi-automatic washing machine? It's a washing machine that you have to fill with water from your kitchen sink, and then carefully shepherd your clothes through the entire cleaning process before putting them in the dryer:

Yup.

Step 1: Get a semi-automatic washing machine (SAWM).

Step 2: Set up your SAWM.

Step 3: Put in the clothes.

Step 4: Turn on the water.

Step 5: Wait for the water to fill.

And wait...

And wait.

Step 6: Plug your SAWM in (preferably in a way that means you can't really close your doors)

Step 7: Using the advanced control panel...

...start up the wash.

Step 8: Wait somewhere between zero and fifteen minutes.

While waiting, I took some photos!

The view from my kitchen balcony

Living room

My room!

Then...done!

Step 9: Drain the water...

...into this person's backyard.

Step 10: Rinse cycle! Fill with water. Again.

Step 11: Wait for the water to fill. Again.

Step 12: Turn on the rinse cycle.

Step 13: Wait for another five to fifteen minutes.

Step 14: Drain some more water...

...into this person's backyard.

Step 15: Spin cycle!

For some reason, the spin tub is half the size of the wash tub.

Enjoy how all of your clothes have transformed into a wet knot.

Step 16: Wait for one to five minutes.

Step 17: Hang everything up to dry.

The end!