Chalk It Up to Experience

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So, it went something like this:

Sara and Zoe came in to work last week with really cute haircuts. I’ve been talking about needing one for a few weeks now, so the conversation naturally went to scheduling a day when I could get mine. For several days, Zoe and I sifted through photos of both myself and various celebrities with haircuts that have worked for me. In a world where “razor cut” and “Victoria Beckham” warrant a response of, “huh??” pictures were my biggest ally. Or so I thought.

Today, Zoe and I met at 3 at one of our usual haunts and headed off to the land of many scissors to get my hair cut.

Now, I should take a brief moment to acknowledge some… stereotypes. Like any ignorant American, I have a back pocket full of stereotypes about the people of Asia. I admit it. Things like the “Asian Bar Tan,” “Yellow Fever,” “Tiger Mom,” violins, grades… and yes, even the Chinese Bowl-Cut.

Back to today. Let it be known that I absolutely adore Zoe. She is a dedicated and deep friend with a huge heart and a great spirit… but her English is… well, to use a Disney Evaluation phrase: “moving on up.” She communicates exceptionally well thanks to her previous training in school… but casual conversation with a hairstylist is apparently not something they put in textbooks these days.

Add to that little hiccup the fact that my hairstylist was so nervous about doing an American’s hair that he dropped the scissors twice, and you have one hell of a Chinese Bowl-Cut on this American girl.

I tried in vain to explain things like cow-licks, wavy hair, bouncy texture, and the desperate need for some mousse, and even found myself literally begging the guy to PLEASE stop blow drying my hair at one point. But, in the end, yes: I walked out of the parlor resembling something of a walking fungus.

Laughing about it and encouraging Zoe that she needn’t feel bad – that it’s just hair, it grows… and I’ve gotten quite good at styling my hair, so it’ll probably look fine by tomorrow… I led the way to the nearest supermarket to drop twice as much cash on hair product as I did on the hair itself.

In the end, I played with it a bit tonight and it’s growing on me… in more ways than one. There’s something rather nostalgic about returning to one’s haircut from Middle School – I know that all of you have definitely looked at pictures from your Tween years and exclaimed, “that was a great haircut! I should really go back to that one!” I mean… right? Well, regardless, let's just say that I apologize for the lack of self-portraits in this blog in the coming weeks.

But hey, in the end I figure that I keep saying I’m here to really experience the Chinese culture… and one way to do that is to adopt their fashion, right? And so I’ve done. Just… don’t count on me buying parachute pants, silver moon shoes or lens-less glasses anytime soon. I think the hair’s enough.

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Comments

[Grandma Linda]

"THE haircut"
Jessi, you could be writing for people who get paid to be funny! Thanks for the get-better enouragement. Love, Gramps and Grandma Linda

[Bill]

Pic
Thousands are screaming to see a pic of the new haircut, including me, so how about it, Jess??? Love, Grandpa Bill