I Got a Haircut Alone

The title sounds like it could be clickbait, but let's be honest, you were probably going to read this anyways. Last week was my third time getting a haircut in Russia. The difference, though, was that this time I went alone. My friend, Katherine, went with me the first time, and A went with me the second time. Although, the time going with A was kind of useless because he didn't know any of the words because he doesn't have a lot of hair so why would he know them? We did get ice cream after that time though.



Now, I usually go awhile without getting haircuts because I think they are usually overpriced, but Russian voltage is absolutely killing my hair. (I straighten it every day because it's an ugly curly so it's constantly damaged and splitting.) I've been waiting for A to come back because I really needed a hair cut and I don't know enough Russian to go alone. My friend offered to find a place and set up an appointment. I almost said "no" because I get really bad anxiety doing anything that might cause embarrassment to myself, even though that's pretty much my everyday life in Russia. I just decided to tell her a time because I knew if waited longer I'd talk myself out of it, and I really needed to get it cut. Plus, she had warned them that I didn't speak Russian.

Just to preface, I can speak some Russian, but it's highly situational Russian. I can survive in a grocery store, or on the bus, or in a restaurant, but I hardly go anywhere where I need an appointment like a hair salon. When I first walked in I said that I had an appointment, and then the girl started asking me stuff. I have no idea what she was saying. It went on for like a minute and then she realized that I needed someone else. If you don't like embarrassing situations never move to another country. Everyone was staring at me, and they probably talked about me as I left, but whatever. It's the downside to not speaking the language.

This post is becoming longer than anticipated, but Svetlana at BailandoHair cut my hair. She was incredibly nice, and I am forever thankful she put up with my lack of Russian. I did understand some things she was telling me but not everything. I almost always hate the way I look after a haircut. It's usually like a month later that I feel okay. I think only one time in my life I've ever liked the way I looked when I left. I hated my hair at first. It's nothing against the hairdresser! I just don't ever know what hair styles look good on me. I could not wait to put on my hat. I ended up going back to my house to straighten it, and it looked better. I only got about an inch cut off but it looks so much shorter. She might have cut more, but, like I said, my hair was absolutely fried.

You might also be wondering, "Why in the world did you get your bangs cut so short?" Well, my friends, my bangs grow remarkably fast, and since I don't get a hair cut that often I need to cut them shorter than normal. I've been toying with the idea of growing my bangs out, but I hate the process of waiting for them to grow. For months it feels like they are too long and constantly fall into my face, but they are too short and won't go behind my ear or in a pony tail. Maybe one day I'll just suck it up and grow them out.

So, that was the long story of my first solo hair cut experience. The top picture is only there because I didn't want a picture of myself as the main one. My hair before actually looks decent in this picture, but it needed to be cut. I can't wait for my hair to grow out a little bit more. I hate freshly cut hair. Also, not sure why my right eye is looking so small. Deal with it.

Do you have any embarrassing stories from a country that speaks a different language than you. How do you deal with your fears of embarrassing yourself?