Will I Conform?

There is one part of culture here that I have yet to conform to: EVERYONE dyes their hair.
I am going gray (ever so slightly compared to all the hair I have).
This causes a lot of trauma.

Let me back up a bit.

I love a good hair cut. This requires a good hair dresser.

Meet Anis (pronounced "A-niece" - like the daughter of your sibling with an A in front).


This guy knows how to do hair.

How do I know? He rescued me from one of the worst haircuts I have EVER received.

We were on a whirlwind visit of Syria. We had made it to the village where our friends that we were traveling with were from. As a gift to me (since we were the first Americans to ever visit their village), she took me to get my hair done. What a thoughtful gift. I would at least look nice as we were paraded around to nearly every house in the village, attending parties, eating lots of yummy food, and touring the villages impressive olive tree orchards and olive oil presses.

I was a bit nervous when we showed up and the 'regular guy' was not there. Instead a very young guy with a faux-hawk was willing and ready to do my hair. He proceeded to cut my hair as though I were a bush and he was Edward Scissorhand. There was nothing that could be done afterward. My hair did not even look good in a headband. I suffered greatly. See evidence below:


The first thing I did when we arrived home was run to Anis.

He looked. He thought. He laughed. He looked some more. He cut a bit here a and bit there. He looked. He laughed again. He made some hair magic. And amazingly...fixed it! I was so happy.

Fast forward 5 years.

We were recently in the big city. So, I booked an appointment to see Anis. There are many steps you go through at a salon here. And this is what I heard along the way...

Receptionist: Good morning! You are here for a cut and style? Do you want your gray dyed too?
Me: No

Hair washer boy: Good morning! Just here for a cut? Do you want your gray dyed too?
Me: No

Hair brusher boy: Good morning! You should get your hair dyed before your cut, just to cover up the gray.
Me: No

Anis: Hello! Why don't you have a color today? Some low lights to cover up the gray?
Me: No

Hair style/blow dryer guy: Hello! Why didn't you do low lights today? Just to cover up the gray.
Me: Maybe next time.

Maybe next time. Doubt it. I will not conform!

But, then again, this culture HAS made me do stranger things.