KOREAN SALON DAY

Saturday afternoon Martin and I went to a hair salon near Ilsan Town.  Martin needed a haircut and I decided to try a perm in my hair.  I haven't had a perm in my hair since my mother gave me one when I was in junior high.  Let me tell you, that was definitely an act of love that my mother would attempt to perm my hair when I was young.  I begged her for a perm, because I wanted so  much to have curly hair!  Well, I have A LOT of hair! It took her 3 hours alone just to get all of it in rollers! Only to have it completely gone in two weeks time. My hair was too heavy.

After talking to Molly, she thought it would be a fun idea for me to get a perm.  She added that in Korea they definitely know how to perm Korean hair (obviously), and the chemicals they use are specifically for coarse, thick, Korean hair.  I decided what's the worst that could happen? ... hair grows ... Feeling adventurous, I decided to go for it.

Esther, a Korean/American working here in Seoul (as a social worker) and volunteering at Ilsan Town; went with us since she speaks fluent Korean.  Martin and I wanted to reduce any possibilities of misinterpreting what we wanted done to our hair!  

Here is Martin getting his haircut.  He was SO NERVOUS! as you can imagine, he's had a few mishaps with his hair being cut in Norway.  Crazy Norwegians don't know how to cut Korean hair? go figure? 

Getting your haircut in Korea is very interesting.  There is a hair cutter, and a shampoo person, who is the same person that assists the hair cutter.  Her only duty is to wash your hair, put you back in the style chair, and then when the hair cutter is about to cut your bangs, she steps in and puts a sponge barrier on your forehead so the hairs don't fall on your face.  Then she returns to standing next to you, while the hair cutter continues to work on your hair.  If she sees any hairs on your cheeks or nose - she steps in and wipes away the hair with her little sponge.  Needless to say, cutting hair in Korea is a two person job!

If you're curious where the pictures are of me getting my perm...we'll they aren't any (thank Goodness!) They put things on my head I still have no idea what they were actually for? I looked like an alien! My perm took three hours from start to finish, so Martin and Esther left me; and returned later when I was almost finished.

Esther got a haircut while they were finishing up with me, and as a thank-you for helping Martin and I with our "salon day," I paid for her haircut.  She chatted with the hairdressers while she was getting her haircut, and conveyed to me that the hairdressers told her they wanted to do my hair especially well, because they wanted me to go away with a good impression of a Korean salon.  They really take so much pride in no matter what they do!

Once Esther, Martin and I were all done with our new do's - we went to dinner to celebrate a successful day of hair!