Today I got my first haircut in Abu Dhabi. Something I was quite nervous about because I can count on one hand the number of short fair (blonde) haircuts I've seen since the two months I've been here. There may be some short hair under those abayas but I don't think many. Like most cultures, a woman's beauty is in her hair (that's why they cover it up) and men the world over find long hair most attractive. Unfortunately my hair is not good for a long cut (too fine textured) and my head/face too small. I would be burried in a big long fluffy mane. And so I wear it short. Which, as I noted, is just one more thing that makes me stand out as different in this place.
My hair was getting quite shaggy and in need of attention. I had waited until Rasha's hairdresser had returned from his annual leave. She said he was good and could cut short styles. So off we went today as he is finally returned. She dropped me off, introduced me to Nicolas, from Lebanon, and I was on my own. Fortunately I had on my i-phone the shot of a haircut on someone who was out and about back home before I came here. Someone had told me to take a good picture of my hair in a cut I like to take with me to help explain what I wanted. Well I didn't have a cut on me I liked, but I liked the cut on a girl walking by and so I asked her to pose. She graciously agreed. (what I would give to have the kind of haircut that strangers stop me on the street to photograph!).
Nicolas has long dark wavy hair and the body of a buff hairdresser. He was wearing a tight T-shirt and lots of bling. He even smelled nice. He had just returned from his honeymoon vacation so my crush is safe. He ran his hands through my hair and pushed it around as we talked about the cut. Then after a shampoo he was off and clipping. When he was done another gentleman stepped in and began the most thorough and beautiful blow dry I have ever had. He spent a long time plumping and curling with brushes and messing and moussing. When it was all said and done my hair was huge. By the time I walked to a cab stand and returned home it was half the size I started but still, a nice cut.
The cool thing is that I am consistently blond through now, with a few weekends in the sun and just enough Sun In to hold it, that I still had plenty of blond left after he did the cutting.
So, ta-dah: mission accomplished. Found a new hairdresser that can handle my hair. Whole cut and blow out was the equivalent of $54 US plus tip. Add in two $2 cab rides. Not bad. Not bad at all. I think I might survive this after all.
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