How about a haircut!

Woohoo! It’s another haircut day! I can’t stress it enough, I enjoy going for a haircut here in China. It’s like one of my monthly chores of avoiding myself looking like a freaking 40 year old Samseng. (Note: Samseng = Rascal in English) On top of that, I got to shave in order to bring my age down to maybe, say 30. That’s a pretty great leap though. Therefore, I don’t freaking mind the work. Seriously. Plus, what more to say, if you really enjoy having a haircut, right?

Tell you what I like about the haircut experience here in China. (Okay, maybe not the whole of China, I am pretty sure they are similar in at least in the Jiangsu region) The way I analyze it, it can be broken down to 3 simple stages.

Stage #1: Hairwash

Staff: Hai Ni Hao (Translation: Hi, how do you do?) wash or cut?
Me: Wash and cut.
She then sits me down on a recline-able chair.
Staff: Normal shampoo or good one?
Me: Normal will do. (Knowing that I am going home for a good shower anyways)
Then the hairwash begins. With some water squeezing and mixing with the “normal” shampoo, my head turns in to a snowball. (Suppose that is pretty similar to what happens back in Malaysia) Continuous washing for 20 minutes, with a little head massages in the middle, I can almost fall asleep, no shit! :P

Stage #2: Extra pampering – body massage and ear cleaning

This is absolutely no professional body massage nor it is professional ear cleaning service. They are solely done by some young ladies in their early 20s hired only provide the hairwash, massage, and ear cleaning services, maybe some other services which I am obviously not aware of. No guys providing these in the salon though, if you are wondering. What the young ladies are really doing, however, I could gather, is to please the male patrons, providing them with the conversations they prefer, be it regular or “dirty”, giving them visual satisfaction (Guess what? They are hired for their looks too! :P), and ultimately, the least important function of all, the massages services etc. Basically, the goal is to offer the patrons something that is making their money worth. I am not saying that there are no female patrons in the salon, there are plenty, as a matter of fact. The female staffs are providing all the services to them as well. Well, as a female patron, you don’t want male staff to put their hands on you, do you? Therefore, this kind of reality is making the salon businesses hire young female staffs, like killing two birds with one stone! So smart ehh … hah!
Anyway, from my experience, I only enjoy the pampering, not the conversation. I would just close my eyes once they lay their hands on me. Let them do their job and I enjoy the rest of the process. I don’t think they want to have a conversation with me, seriously. Maybe I look a little bit too mature :P Maybe the ring on my hand tells them to stay away. Or maybe of my casual outfit – Tee, shorts and slippers. (Come on, I don’t go to the salon in shirt, long pants and black shinny leather shoes like the Chinese do .. Hah!) Anyway, it’s all good. That is exactly what I want! Shut up and work it! Haha.

Stage #3: Finally, the haircut!

You will only be attended by male hair-stylists. There will not be any female in this “department”. I don’t know why but it just sort of happens this way. There was one time I popped out the question to one of the female staffs who does the massage on me, and she went like “I don’t know why. There is just no female hair-stylist, even if I am one, people would still prefer the male stylists over me.” Weird huh? Just the nature of the business, pretty conservative, I guess. I would bet to see a handful of female stylist in places like Shanghai, you know, major metropolis, suppose they are more open for new cultures and stuff.
Anyway, like what I was doing back in Malaysia, I usually have my own designated hair-stylist, for one simple reason, they know how I want it done. I would normally give him “guidance”, if he is new as to how to cut it and what to look out for. To some point, I feel like I am the hair-stylist myself. Wahahaha! Only not the one holding scissors. So, I am doing the same in China. Yea, I know, I am vain! Haha. (Ain’t that right, Ian? Been infected by your insane vanity virus!) Some of you might have noticed, I have been having the same hair style for the past decade, maybe more, now you know why. Haha!

And for all these, it’s only gonna cost RMB30. (RM15 for Malaysia/USD5 for the US) Only in China, brothers and sisters! Come give it a try!