I didn’t plan to write much more before I left for Chile, but I want to share this.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in another country where you didn’t totally understand the language, but knew just enough to think, “What have I gotten myself into?” Well, imagine being in a chair getting your hair cut and you hear the word, “experiment” in Spanish and know you are at the center of the experiment.
Yesterday, Rosanna (one of the sisters at my homestay), said she was going to get her hair colored and cut the next day. Well it just so happened that Friday was the most hot and humid day since my arrival in Lima. For those of you who don’t know, my hair doubles in volume and becomes very frizzy in hot, humid weather. I looked like a Boeing 747 about ready for take off with the wings that I’d developed. So, Rosanna asked me if I would like to get my hair cut. I must have looked pretty scary, because I hadn’t said anything about a haircut. So, of course I responded with “sure.”
This morning we took a taxi to a little shop in an area of Lima I hadn’t yet had the opportunity to visit. There were three women working in the shop and about five of us waiting for our turn. They took everyone else in front of me, so I patiently waited and watched the process. One woman did all of the haircuts. If you wanted your hair colored, another woman did that and then the “one woman” cut your hair. While I was waiting, I also thought it would be a good idea for me to look up the Spanish words I needed in order to explain what I wanted.
As I sat there, I thought to myself that maybe this wasn’t a good idea. My hair didn’t look that bad. Well before I knew it,Rosanna and I were the only two left in the shop and it was my turn. I tried to explain to the woman what I wanted. She politely responded, “No entiendo,” which meant, “I don’t understand.” (So much for my dictionary.) So, thus began a game of charades with me trying to show with my hands what I wanted. The other two women in the shop didn’t have anything else to do, so they came close right behind me and were standing with the woman cutting my hair. The three of them were talking back and forth and then I heard the word, “experimento.” Right about then, my eyes doubled in size and I was trying to decide if I should sit quietly, as I’m rationalizing that everything will be okay and it will always grow back, or stop “the experiment.” I asked in a very polite, but quizzical voice, “Experimento?” to which they quickly replied no. So I settled in and let the experiment continue.
In the end, the “experiment” was really quite an adventure. The scissor were a little dull, but it only cost me $2.90 for a haircut!! The “experiment” was really an opportunity for me to experience more of Sudamerica culture. When the shop was full, all of the woman were visiting with each other. This is the biggest piece of Latin American culture that I love. Relationship is SO important here. It doesn’t matter if they know each other or not. They will sit and take the time to visit and get to know each other.
I believe this is part of the “paying attention” I referenced yesterday. To take the time to hear and see those around me. How many times have I seen someone that looked like they were hurting, but I didn’t know them and I was not bold enough to engage them in conversation? How many people have I not even noticed that may have been hurting because I was too preoccupied with me to “see?” I am not an uncaring person, but I believe I have missed many opportunities in this area.
