A SIMPLE HAIRCUT

I’m lucky when it comes to my hair.

It is thick, it grows quite fast and I don’t have to have it cut every 6 weeks to keep it tidy.  I can get away with around 2-3 months between haircuts, which is great, firstly cost wise and secondly when I was on the road it was one less hassle that I had to worry about.  BUT when it does need to get cut, I need to get it cut like yesterday.  It goes all fluffy and no amount of frizz free I add to it, nothing tames the mop and I know it is time to go.

I got to that point this week.  I wasn’t too concerned about finding a hairdresser as I know that there was one at The Village and guessing as it is a Mzungu shopping mall I knew that I would be in good hands.  It couldn’t be any worse than some of the haircuts I got in my travels with a lost in translation in French when I was in Reunion Island and it went from a small, little, not much to walking out with what I could call was a fashionable French bob and all my hair on the floor of the salon.  I have always said that it is only 6 weeks between a bad haircut and a good one.  I had inquired a few weeks ago on the cost for a ‘trim’ and was told 5,000KSH (58AUD) and with that in mind I walked into the salon today and asked if they could fit me in.  I’m not a booker-I just walk in and try my luck and 99% of the time it always works out.

Today, my luck continued and as I waited at the counter as they checked if they had a hairdresser, a client was paying and after she paid her money for the cut she left 300KSH 

separately and asked if that could be given to the shampoo lady.  Interesting.  Is that a normal thing to have happen-is that how it works.  I made a mental note and I was shown into the salon where I met my hairdresser, Debbie.  She had a quick look at my hair and said we’ll get it washed and then we would talk about the cut.  It sounded good to me.  While I was getting shampooed another client gave money to the girl next to us washing some-one else’s hair, so I am guessing that it is a done thing that you tip your hair washer and after getting mine done I can see why.  I think I had the best head massage and wash that I have ever received.  Not only was it the head, but she did the top of my neck and up and around my ears!  It was heaven and it wasn’t a quick 5 minute job, I reckon I was there for about 20 minutes.  My hair washer had earned every single schilling.  Debbie then came back and I explained I hadn’t had my hair cut since December, I liked the length and for her to take off whatever she thought needed to come off, and I wanted to grow my fringe out and for her to possibly add in some layers to lighten the amount of hair that I have.  As we chatted my ‘trim’ turned into a new style and I think it may have been time for a new doo and I just gave her creative license to do whatever she wanted.  Like any good hairdresser, we talked all about me, how I ended up here, how brave I was, what kind of job was I looking for and I am starting to now get a little embarrassed when I say I have moved to Kenya to help people.  It sounds so cliché and I am sure more than 70% of the mzungu population say something to the same effect.  But Debbie seemed quite understanding and her and her husband (who also works in the salon) came for a holiday and then stayed and have now been here 22 years! 

We had a great chat and she mentioned 3 things to me that I took away from today.

One: Apparently the Australian Consulate organises a pub night once a month for citizens

Two: I have a lead to an orphanage just down the road from my house where I might be able to help

Three: I need to look into medical insurance and she has given me a company that isn’t too expensive and it sound like just about anywhere else in the world these days with health insurance there are some pretty expensive policies out there and I can guarantee that they are purchased by big corporations, governments and NGO’s.  Those policies aren’t for small fish like me.  But it is something I need to look into.  Home insurance is probably another thing I should also look into, but for some reason it doesn’t seem as imperative here as back home, which is silly as it is and I need to get some information. 

We got along great and after giving me the name of the lady at the orphanage, I told her I would let her know how I go the next time I come in.  It is sort of good that I have said I would stop in as it has made me accountable in a roundabout sort of way to someone and it WILL make me go and make the first step to doing something ‘worthwhile’ with my time.  It’s not a paid gig but that doesn’t mean anything to me and after I get back from Ethiopia I am going to make a point of stopping by. 

We dried my hair off and my trim turned into a new style and I have to say I love it.  A change is as good as a holiday and with a squirt of mousse and a blow dry - I felt like a million dollars and considering that I hadn’t had my hair done in nearly 3 months, it probably wouldn’t have taken much anyway.  So I was walked to the counter where Debbie wished me luck and that she hope to see me again soon.  While I was waiting I took out 200KSH (2.40AUD) and walked back into the salon to give it to my hair washer and as I walked out Debbie smiled and said that I learn pretty quick!  I smiled and when it was my turn to pay, Debbie came back out and asked for my phone number.  She said you never know when something might come up or someone might be looking for people and she’ll pass on my number if that was to happen.  How sweet of her, I wonder if I sort of proved myself with the tip and that’s why she asked or it was just all coincidental.  Either way, it was a chance for me to leave my number and you just never know what is around the corner.    

I am SUPER keen to check out The Nest when I get back from Ethiopia for a few reasons.  Firstly it is an area that I wanted to get into when I got to Kenya-children and an orphanage-these babies mothers are mostly in jail for offences.  Secondly it is just down the road from my house-no traffic headaches and the cost of getting there will be minimal and thirdly it will be good to get another day out of the house and at the same time doing something worthwhile and anything that keeps me away from the shops and NOT spending money is also another bonus.  So what may seem like a simple haircut turned into another networking opportunity for me and also some more leads and contacts for me to follow up.  It really is how it all works here and if you aren’t prepared to be proactive-it could take a hell of a lot longer to find your feet if at all and in a city like Nairobi where everything is so spread out you need to grasp the opportunities that are handed to you and to seek out ones that may not be as obvious.