A Note on Haircuts

A few days ago I had my first haircut in Ethiopia.  While at first that seems like a trivial and irrelevant matter, I have come to find a fascination for it. After getting my hair cut in several countries now, a pattern has emerged.  The further south I go, the cheaper it gets.  In Sweden, I paid 300 crowns, in Germany, I paid 15 Euros and in Spain just 7 Euros. Here in my newfound barbershop in Addis Ababa, I paid 25 Birr. I estimated that I could get over 30 haircuts in Sweden at that price. 

Admittedly, I also paid for a lot less.  When I walked in, I had to wait for a bit so I sat on a low couch covered in a cloth with a pattern of blue flowers.  The two barbers were passionately clipping away at their customer’s hair so as not to leave any protruding strands to disturb that perfect Afro finesse. It is of course important to note that the scissors they were using were nothing more than small office scissors.  I then realized that the only tool they had present intended for cutting hair was a shaving machine.

When my turn came I saw the barber preparing the shaver by pouring some flammable liquid over a screwdriver, lighting it, and then passing the flame across the steel knives. Why? I don’t know. Without worrying too much about that, I explained to him what I would like. The machine, size 3 on the sides and trimmed down on the top. The barber pointed to what is perhaps the Afro version of that; portrait 16 on a poster filed with possible looks.  “Yeah, that’s the one!” and so he began.

I was used to having my sides cut with the machine but never the top. So when he did bring the shaver over my cranium I got a bit nervous. But no! With much care he brushed over my hair with it and trimmed as I asked. As we got to know each other, I realized why hairdressers like to talk to you. It is to keep you distracted while they do their thing without you jumping out of your seat at the slightest clipping. The barber himself is a geography student at university who has been cutting hair for three years trying to make some money on the side. His plan is to become a high school geography teacher.

In any case, I was quite satisfied with the final result and am sure to visit the same shop again. Maybe I’ll even start a new charity: Scissors for All, Barber Aid or perhaps, The Trimming Trust.