At the Hairdressers
I was surely being ridiculous at feeling so anxious about going to the hairdressers? Under normal circumstances I would be looking forward to it, but having to ask for a haircut in another language left me very apprehensive indeed. What if they asked me something I didn't understand? It could be a long morning!
I had chosen the hairdressers carefully and had walked past this particular salon, Virgola (which translated means comma) several times and liked the look of it. So I prepared myself for what I needed to say and walked in. I was greeted by a friendly couple. Buongiorno they said in unison followed by saying that yes I could have my hair cut there and then. I was a bit slow when asked if I would like to take off my coat and at this point felt I had to explain I was English. “Si, si” came the response. Was it that obvious? But then I suppose it was. Although my dark looks ensure I do occasionally blend in, as soon as I open my mouth to speak, it’s a dead giveaway!
The salon was clean and the staff appeared approachable and professional which put me at ease. In fact due to the many clients greeting each other as they came and went, perhaps the salon also doubled up as a social club!
I managed to successfully get through Stage 1: the hair wash which lasted about 10 minutes due to the lovely head massage I was given. Then onto Stage 2: The haircut which I was a little worried about. As I sat down in front of the mirror I used my fingers to explain how much hair I wanted cut. The hairdresser, a young girl seemed to understand. Or had she? As I looked at her a bit more closely I found myself thinking ‘Is she really old enough to be cutting hair’? That's when the panic set in. As she began to cut, I watched her intently, silently hoping that the finished result would be worth the concern. Would you just look at the floor I thought as it began to be covered in hair, my hair! Had I mistakenly told her that I wanted a crewcut? I took some deep breaths and managed to calm myself down to answer her questions such as where was I from, why was I in Trani, that sort of thing. Fortunately she hadn't been too 'cut-happy' and the length looked absolutely fine. Stage 3: the blow-dry was therefore rather relaxing. As she dried my hair straight, I realised I had made myself understood quite well. I left the salon pleased and happy to pay the €23.50 charge. Having my hair cut in Italy for the very first time was therefore not quite the ordeal I had anticipated!