Even haircuts are fun

So I leave the states thinking what the heck am I going to do in 6 to 8 weeks about getting my haircut – perhaps imagining I’m on some other planet or something – as if people in the Philippines don’t get their haircut, nevertheless I decide I’ll figure something out when the time comes. Well the time came – and I was scoping out this place in Tabaco for a few weeks thinking I guess I’ll check that place out when I really need a haircut, but it seems hard to believe it’s called 38 Cut… meaning 38 pesos for a haircut, shampoo and blow dry. Remember 38 pesos is about 88 cents in the states. So today was the day, after really needing a haircut for a couple weeks and it really was 38 pesos and I had another one of those fun cultural experiences unlike anything I’d have in the states. I walk in and ask if anyone is familiar with cutting curly American hair – and all the stylists – young and hip probably around 10 of them are sitting in chairs staring at me smiling and watching – curious about the foreigner. I get a haircut from Suzette – after being taken back to get my hair washed. She and another girl comes back lounging on the chair next to me – asking those oh so familiar questions by now – How old are you? Where are you from? Are you married? Do you have children?– yes one son etc. And we go on to have a general conversation about my life – A few other questions from the group – and I tell them it’s unreal to get a haircut for less than one dollar in the states – they can’t believe it is anywhere from $15 at a place like Hair Cuttery to $50 or more. Of course given income in the Philippines I can see why they think this is outrageous. She does a decent job, a little short, but the shape is right and it feels lots better. I survive my first haircut on this other ‘planet’

The place has free wifi so after my cut I crank up the laptop and of course the stylists want to see a picture of my son – and then they huddle around wanting to see all my other pictures on my laptop – I show them my PC site and a few of my house – I don’t have much else on this laptop. And then a few remain with me as I check my e-mail and my facebook – and I get to share who is posting things on FB and telling them about my friends back in the states. What a hoot- I’m actually getting used to this no privacy thing – it was kind of fun to experience their curiosity and utter comfort with just checking out my life. Soon enough it gets busy and they head off to cut other heads for 38 pesos and I am thinking this kind of thing would never, never happen in the states and if it did most Americans would be totally freaked out – but I enjoy every minute of it – I finally leave saying good bye as if to a group of new friends – and they encourage me to come back when I need my next haircut and I promise I’ll have some other new pictures to share.