It's called a "Permanent" for a reason....

Anna: "I'm bored. I want to get a perm"

Sunny: "okay. Let's go now!"

Anna: "Now? Okay!"

No joke, that's kind of how it happened. Okay, to be fair, I've been thinking about getting a perm pretty much since I've come to Korea. The hair dresser is much less expensive here than it is back in Canada, and lets be honest...perms are just more acceptable here! I've always had the SAME hair. Shortish, straight, thin, boring. But recently I've just been really sick of it. I try and curl it by myself, but it just doesn't look that great. So, I thought..why not take advantage of the country I'm in! So Wednesday afternoon I decided I would bite the bullet and get a perm. At first I said I would get it on the weekend, but the more I thought about it the more I just wanted to go for it, so I did! I asked Sunny about it, and she told me she knew a good place. It's great having Korean friends, because I don't have to worry about the awkward translation issues, I brought Sunny with me, she told the hair stylist what I wanted, and she even negotiated a deal! Thanks to Sunny I got $15 off the total cost. NICE, right!

Sunny brought Kristin and I to "Coiffirst". I've been going to the same place all year, but I was actually really surprised and happy with this new place! It was far less busy and crowded, I had a hair dresser who was only working with 2 people, instead of 5 or 6, and they were all very nice and friendly despite knowing very little English (although they did make an effort!) When we got there, Sunny explained that I wanted a "natural perm" because goodness...I did NOT want to look like and Ajumma! (Old Korean woman). We looked through some books, I pointed at something I thought looked pretty nice. Sunny and the stylist chatted for a little while, and then Sunny explained to me that my hair was a lot thinner then Korean hair (too true), and so they would need to do a special type of perm called a "wood perm". I'm still unsure exactly what is so different about a wood perm, other than the fact that the curlers they use are made of wood. But, anyways, they did up my hair, I got to sit under several driers, got a nice scalp massage, and then got my new 'do styled! By this time Sunny had had to leave, and the stylist didn't know how to communicate to me how I was supposed to style my hair, so she called over a random Korean man who was just there with his wife to translate! Pretty simple though.

So now I have a perm! I'll admit, it's really easy to take care of which is nice! Use a little product and some cool air and BAM, curly hair in half the time it takes me to straighten it! I do like it, but I'll be honest...I don't know HOW long I'll like it for! I think in a couple weeks I'll be wanting straight hair now and again. Thank goodness for straighteners, right! The magic of technology. Straight one day, curly the next. I went to school and got mixed reviews. All the adults were impressed, one of my old kindergarteners saw me in the library and said "Anna teacher, NOT pretty!" But I'll forgive her, she's 5. Most of my afternoon kids like it, and I only got one, "you look like an ajumma!". Which I'll take as a good sign, I was expected a lot more! I'll let you all decide for yourselves though!

I feel as if getting a perm is a right of passage in Korea. Everyone should try it once. Seriously, I'm almost Korean.


Peace, love and Perms.