Do you know what chang is? A special kind of barley beer that Tibetans make. It's not bad- kind of thick. I can't remember if I was having that or regular beer or some other drink, but one night I and my friend Deanna were at a pub in Tibet that specialized in heavy, western music. We went there as a treat- normally I prefer to stay away from western establishments when in the east, but this was a Tibetan-run place, and I got to listen to some blessed Metallica and Chilli Peppers and other stuff. A nice break from the non-stop bell ringing lama who sat every single day just underneath our hostel window.
At some point it became necessary for me to relieve myself, so, as Tibetan establishments weren't always equipped with facilities for doing so, I asked our waitress, attempting first in Chinese. But she didn't understand me, and I didn't have any clue what the Tibetan was for that phrase, so I tried a few English phrases- "Do you have a bathroom? Washroom? Water Closet? Toilet?" All of these were met with a blank look. Finally, in desperation, I asked, "Where may I go to urinate?" At that the waitress brightened and pointed to the back where there was a very functional bathroom.
The year before, in China, my friend Darryl had a similar experience, and used a very effective mime to get his point across.