Foreigner

The best way to beat the heat (beside cranking up the AirCon) is to go swimming.  Thus, Kate and Faith swim in our little pool just about every day.  All that chlorine is doing terrible things to Kate's hair.  While we were at the markets yesterday we passed a salon, and she asked if she could chop it off. Yes please!

I opened the door to the tiny salon and squeezed inside, leaving the kids to wait outside.  Eight clients and as many stylists stopped what they were doing and turned to watch me.  I asked if they took walk-ins, and was answered with uncomprehending looks.  I eventually managed to convey that I wanted my daughter's hair cut, and they pointed to a seat.  Eye brows around the room raised further as I ushered 3 of the kids inside.  (Jace preferred to sit and sweat outside.)  There was dead silence, which continued throughout the entirety of our stay.  I shushed my kids in vain as they made embarrassing comments, like, "There is black hair everywhere!! Why don't they clean it up?" 

One nice lady smiled and gave my kids suckers.  Most of the others stopped craning their necks to look at us, but a couple openly stared at us the whole time.  It was weird. 

Singapore is a very diverse country, and I hadn't yet felt out of place or unwelcome.  But walking into that salon yesterday, I think I crossed some sort of unmarked boundary, or broke an unwritten rule.  Or maybe it was written.  After all, I can't read Chinese.  Though today I did learn how to say eyebrow in Mandarin! :)    Anyway, here is Kate's new 'do.