Daily terminology in geography class: "May I go to the WC, sir?"

Public WC sign, Hotan, Xinjiang, China
Originally uploaded by centralasiatraveler

"Yes, you may go to the WC," is my response when students ask courteously - and at the appropriate time - to take a trip to the facility.

They know that the term is a global expression that originates with the British: the "water closet." It reflects the widespread influence of the Brits during the era called the British Empire, a time when tea and the WC were items established all over the globe.