Howdy! I watched a few You Tube videos on shaving and I noticed that barbers in foreign countries do things a little different than in the United States. I heard that in Japan a shave and haircut takes about 45 minutes or more. Anyone have a foreign country experience to share? Your views appreciated! Always, Gene
Three years in Germany, courtesy Uncle Sam. Seriously, though, I always got my haircut on base. I'm interested to hear about others' experiences, though.
Two years in Turkey, courtesy of the USAF. We had a little one man barbershop right across the street from our hospital , about half way to my apartment building, so he was very convenient, plus I got a lot better service there than at the exchange service barbershop.
I was born, and in grew up in Thailand so while it is not so foreign to me it might be to you. In Thailand it is very common to have your hair washed before your hair cut, and often times the person who washes your hair has been trained in head massage techniques. Depending on where you go you will sometimes have a guy who cross dresses cut your hair. Of course in Thailand it's also like in the US depending on where you go the people who run the business will do different things. Sometimes if it's a smaller business you won't get the hair washing service, you'll just sit down in a chair and they will cut your hair with no frills. So while there are some differences there are also some similarities.
All those things are reasonably common in the USA, except the cross-dressing. I'm sure you could find cross dressing hair dressers here, just nothing I've run across.
I cut my own hair. But once while I was deployed in Africa, my clippers died on me halfway through my hair cut. I had to make a mad dash to the barber on base (which was staffed by locals). They finished my haircut with clippers, I'm pretty sure they did all haircuts with clippers. I wasn't happy with the job, I do it better, but I was stuck so couldn't complain. Then after the haircut they did a head and shoulder massage. I guess that was about the only difference there.
One barber I used to frequent was trying to boost his clientele and offered free beer and had girly mags laying about. Other then that, the only foreign place I had my hair cut was Canuckistan. The barber in Edmonton wasn't much different then the one I visit now.
When I was 12, I got a haircut in Japan, the bill was $27 around 2700 yen, 18 years ago. I was held hostage till my mother was able to come up with the money....
I got haircuts in France and in northern Italy. My French is good, so the stylist could understand me. In Italy, that was the Sud Tirol, where most people speak German. I was happy the stylist could understand my German.
Howdy! I am curious about how a shave may be different outside the USA. That is, any unusual extra steps or something not done in the USA. Always, Gene
Yes, many times. In Israel, Greece, Morocco, and Turkey. The best haircut and shave I ever got in all my life was in Turkey.
I went to the barber in Guatemala once. I just get my head shaved, but I have to say this was the most thorough haircut I have ever had. He even broke out the Straight Edge to do my neck and sideburns, it was a pretty cool experience, since usually my haircuts/head shaves are about a 2 minutes experience.
