Do you have internal poison? How would you like to have your money pressed into you?dout

These questions and others became the entertainment for me and Shannon (no, not "Shannon and I") at the local hair salon this evening.

We decided to take a risk and go to the cheap salon beneath one of the buildings in our compound for much needed haircuts.  (Sorry Korie!  We'll see you in December!)  The employees spoke enough English to communicate with us, some more than others, and they were very accommodating of our desire to photograph this unique experience.  And unique it was.

First, we were served Chai Tea (well, it sounded like they said "Chai") and given a very hot washcloth with which we were supposed to cleanse our hands.  For what purpose I have yet to figure out.

Then, it was time for the shampoo.  This was the most unusual part of the experience in that the girls began to apply the shampoo to our DRY hair!  The suds increased as the girls squirted small streams of water from bottles held above our heads, just enough to keep from soaking our hair.  So, Shannon and I enjoyed a head massage while our hair became foamier and foamier.  When the double washing was done, we were brought to the sinks for a rinse, where we again received head and neck massaging.

We were back in the chairs for further massage of our necks, shoulders, arms, and hands, but not until after they swabbed our inner ears with Q-tips!  This was a most sensational experience, as they removed much of the cotton off one end and twisted what remained into a longer more narrow device for getting out any remaining water from the rinsing.

While we were massaged, we were given the salon's menu of products and services.  Not intending to be rude, Shannon and I busted out laughing when we saw the English translation.  It just goes to show how innaccurate supposed synonyms can be when used in incorrect contexts.  While they spoke of internal poison, they really meant impurities and toxins, and when they talked about regulating your temper through massage, they were hoping to regulate one's temperature.  (I'll bet massage could actually help with one's temper...)  We also saw the difference in price if you wanted a hair cut and blow dry, or if you wanted to add a breeze shape (a.k.a., style).

So, being the kind people (and English teachers!) that we are, Shannon and I offered to help them fix some of the more glaring errors.  They were very appreciative.

When all was said and done, Shannon and I were both pleased with our $15 haircuts that included 30 minutes of massage and a barrel of laughs!  Always amused by us crazy American girls, Gary (left - Shannon's stylist), Sam (right - my stylist), and Eva (center - my masseuse and shampoo girl) were happy to to have their pictures taken with us.  :)