This is the new look-for about a month or so, however long the extensions stay looking nice. They are longer than I was planning-I thought the gal would ask me how long I wanted, she didn’t. I also was thinking of a different braid, but this is what Lucy thought I meant. I told her it had to be something so the big white patches on my head didn’t stick out! I went with Chestnut, the same color as my hair now. I didn’t want to do anything too different this first time. They have a maroon that everyone here seems to like, and a reddish-orange. Everywhere at the Chongwe market told me how nice it looks and everyone at the school likes it. The teacher from the basic school at Kaziemba told me it was much more attractive than what I had before! They don’t mince words here-you have to get used to it! The hair cost me about $4 and the fishtail plaiting took 3 hours and cost me about $7! It would cost hundreds in the US!
The idea was to be ladies day, visit and get to know Christine and Lucy some. I didn’t realize what type of shop the salon would be. Basically it was a room not much bigger than my bathroom in the US. There was no real space to discuss and tell stories. People were walking by and coming in and out, checking the white lady getting the fishtail.
The gal who owned the shop wasn’t doing my hair-someone else was. But I got to see the gal set some hair. Christine had hers washed and set, looked very nice. A couple of other people just had theirs washed and dried. So she washes it outside over two bowls. Then she starts combing and drying. Now these gals had the ‘fro hair for lack of knowing what else to call it. Just very high and straight out. While she is drying, I can see the water spray off as she combs. Soon though, it starts to look smoky, like she is steaming it. Then she stops, puts petroleum jelly all over their hair and starts to dry again. Now the blue smoke starts to float! I could also smell the burnt hair. Many had it done, so that just must be what they do, what they use. I wonder what she put in Christine’s hair before she put the rollers in and dried it-I think that was a ton of jelly too!
After we were done there, we walked to the tailor’s so I could get measured. Lucy and Christine both have this really cute dress and I decided I wanted one too! The materials and tailoring will cost me about $10. I hope the colors look good on me too! I’ll post it when I get it back.
I then took them out for a pop and lunch. We headed back to Kazimeba and were home around 3 pm.
Oh yes, I must mention that I drove ALL BY MYSELF! I got stopped by road traffic and they wanted to see my license, but no problems today. It is still very weird driving on the opposite side of the road!
The idea was to be ladies day, visit and get to know Christine and Lucy some. I didn’t realize what type of shop the salon would be. Basically it was a room not much bigger than my bathroom in the US. There was no real space to discuss and tell stories. People were walking by and coming in and out, checking the white lady getting the fishtail.
The gal who owned the shop wasn’t doing my hair-someone else was. But I got to see the gal set some hair. Christine had hers washed and set, looked very nice. A couple of other people just had theirs washed and dried. So she washes it outside over two bowls. Then she starts combing and drying. Now these gals had the ‘fro hair for lack of knowing what else to call it. Just very high and straight out. While she is drying, I can see the water spray off as she combs. Soon though, it starts to look smoky, like she is steaming it. Then she stops, puts petroleum jelly all over their hair and starts to dry again. Now the blue smoke starts to float! I could also smell the burnt hair. Many had it done, so that just must be what they do, what they use. I wonder what she put in Christine’s hair before she put the rollers in and dried it-I think that was a ton of jelly too!
After we were done there, we walked to the tailor’s so I could get measured. Lucy and Christine both have this really cute dress and I decided I wanted one too! The materials and tailoring will cost me about $10. I hope the colors look good on me too! I’ll post it when I get it back.
I then took them out for a pop and lunch. We headed back to Kazimeba and were home around 3 pm.
Oh yes, I must mention that I drove ALL BY MYSELF! I got stopped by road traffic and they wanted to see my license, but no problems today. It is still very weird driving on the opposite side of the road!
2 comments:
Wow. You've gone native. And with the tan, you actually look half African.
I love to hear about your adventures, I was just in Lusaka last fall for a month and a half with Every Orphan's Hope. I MISS it terribly! Maybe next time I will have to come and visit you guys, I do believe we have something going up in Chongwe.
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