Pres Flocket

I tend to think of my life in terms of the length of my hair. Did this happen before or after I cut it for locks of love? How long was my hair when I dated that guy? Cutting my hair is usually a big deal because: A) I don’t do it very often (I let it grow out long before I cut it again). B) I tend to put a lot of my personal identity into my hair (I’m always the one with the curly hair, my hair is what gets me the most complements. C) I tend to cut it right before, right after or during important changes in my life (at the end of beginning of big trips, when I get a new job).

After being in Albania for a few weeks, I decided that I really wanted to cut my hair. Ever since I got here, it has been dry and damaged something that is made worse by the fact that I am only able to shower at night and only about twice a week. Additionally, summer is coming up fast and I think that my long hair would probably drive me nuts here in the summer. So I sought out the help of my neighbor Ramina- she is the absolute perfect person to help with a haircut: an eighteen-year-old girl who speaks perfect English and knows everyone in town. She agreed to accompany me to the hairdresser and make sure that I didn’t get ripped off. I found a picture of myself with shorter hair as an example and we set out.

Random note about Albanian language-
The verb pres has two meanings in the present first person- both to cut and to wait.

When we arrived at the hairdressers, she was busy doing the hair of a bride. I had to pres for my pres. While waiting, Ramina and I went over to visit my friend Leslie who has been sick. We returned a little while later and had to pres again while the hairdresser was retrieved from the café. After all the waiting, I just wanted to get to the pres (this time meaning cut!). Of course I always feel a bit nervous when getting my hair cut. I have had some not so great experiences (starting with the time when I was four that I let my sister cut my hair), but the great thing about getting my hair cut is that I know that it will always grow back. I am blessed to have very fast growing hair, so I know that if I have a bad cut, it is only a matter of a few months and it will be fine again. Poor Ramina sat behind me looking so nervous! As the curly locks fell to the floor I felt as if a weight had (literally) been lifted off of my shoulders! It is a little bit shorter than I had hoped (curly hair always turns out shorter than you think it will) but overall I am happy. I know that it will be easier to manage and hey, it will always grow back!