warning: this is about being a woman in az

again: if you are squeamish about the female anatomy or about periods, then don't read this post. however, for some women in my family, this has to be said and will be fascinating:

having your period in azerbaijan is rough. i mean, really strange and difficult. first of all, if you happen to actually have a western style toilet, then it is very likely that there is no trashcan in the bathroom. also, you can't flush anything down the toilets. on top of that, apparently the topic of periods is taboo in this culture, so it isn't ok to ask other women what they do when they have their periods. on top of that, i've been told that it is also taboo to show blood. so....what am i supposed to do with said tampon? the blood issue matters because, if I elect to stop using tampons and to use more eco-friendly products (which i want to do), then these things require cleaning. it is not always the case that the sink is with the toilet. in most cases, the toilet is separate from the hamam (the rest of th bathroom). Therefore, I would have to carry whatever i use from one place to another). let me also clarify: there are hardly any trashcans in azerbaijan in total. in my home, which is really nice, there is maybe one mini trashcan in the kitchen...but certainly none in the bathroom. so, if i wake up in the middle of the nite and i need to change my tampon, then i have to go outside (its FREEZING...its winter), take out my tampon, and take it....where (i have a western style toilet)? i've got a similar problem at work too. it is just frustrating. i guess this all goes to show that there are advantages to having the squat toilet.