Wednesday, Jul 13, 2016

I finally got my haircut after going back to the same place three times. The first time I waited for awhile but there were four people ahead of me waiting, two guys cutting hair of dudes already in the chair, and after seeing it takes about 30 min per cut I decided I didn’t want to wait an hour for my turn. The next time the power was out, but today, I just needed to wait about 20 min.

This is my 3rd haircut since coming to Ecuador. I usually put it off because, as Forrest Gump said, “You just never know what you’re gonna get”. I have found it really hard to be able to tell if someone is going to be able to cut hair ok or not. My first haircut, or corte de pelo, in Bahia worked out ok, then we moved to Cuenca. I was due for another then but I got it when we went to the coast after being here for a couple weeks. That one was not a good cut. Today’s cut was ok I guess.

This shop was actually better than many I see, and still it is just the basics. A chair, a mirror, clippers, scissors, a comb, and a shaving type brush to clean the hair from the comb and clippers between clients. Yeah, not like what I was used to in the US, but I’ve adapted ok to that part. “That part” being no sterilization solution and cleaning of the combs and clippers between clients.

Actually, I think my experience in the US is a bit overkill on the sterility issues. I don’t get lice from a haircut; I don’t get ill from eating street food or buying meat in the open air market. Somehow everyone survives.

I took a picture of the place while I was waiting to get my haircut. There was a guy sitting on the couch next to me and I was trying to be nonchalant when I took it. The kid in the chair totally knew what I was doing though. I didn’t realize it until I looked at the picture and saw he was looking right at me. 20160713_154639

Oh well, glad I don’t have to worry about another corte de pelo for a while now.

Chau.