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Sometime over the past few years, I came to a realization: I was getting my hair cut while on the road more often than while close to home.
Let’s be clear: It’s not necessarily for the quality of the cut. Although some of those barbers, stylists and hairdressers have been exceptionally skilled, others have, well, performed a master class in what not to do. There have been more than a few times I’ve been resigned to wearing a hat for the rest of my trip.
Though the results have varied widely, I still treasure getting a cut when I travel, whether it’s across the country or around the world. With just a blade and a pair of scissors, I can expect cultural immersion in its purest form — in about 30 minutes or less. Let me explain.
My thick, jet-black Asian head of hair grows fast — thanks to genetics — and I’ll typically make my way to a barber every two to four weeks. That’s helpful if a session goes awry; my swiftly sprouting hair will disguise a bad cut.
As a travel writer, I need to look respectable while crisscrossing the globe, and what started out as a necessity has become somewhat of a preference.
I’ve been to barbers in Iceland, Istanbul, Bangkok and Bogotá. I got my hair cut (and bleached) on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, received the best scalp massage of my life on the outskirts of Luang Prabang, Laos, and was the sole English speaker at a shop in Suva, Fiji, where locals played interpreter with my barber. A couple of dollars and one of the sharpest fades I’ve ever received later, I’d say those Fijians did a pretty good job.
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With each snip and shave, I learn a little bit about each place or get to know the individual working on my hair. Ideally, it’s a mix of both. During my first trip to Provincetown, Mass., this summer, my barber shared his perspective on the ever-evolving LGBTQ+ scene — and his favorite bars to avoid the crowds.
In Malmö, Sweden, my Afghani barber told me about the city’s Iraqi, Syrian and Afghani populations — and how he himself had escaped to Sweden as a refugee. Oh, and I also got tips on where to find the best shawarma in town.
Even if there’s a language barrier — communicating in iPhone photos of previous cuts — or if there’s not a chatty vibe, something is so freeing about abdicating control and observing the day-to-day cultural norms of a new place. Getting a haircut can look so different depending on where you are.
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In Los Angeles, where I’ve now lived for more than a year, I’ve finally found a barber I like. Still, Jasu knows he’s not my only barber, no matter how good his cuts are (and they’re good). After all, he experiences the inverse of what I encounter: the occasional traveler who comes into his Santa Monica shop looking for a local to talk to.
There’s a transformation that can happen in 30 minutes or less — and I’m not just talking about the haircut.
Chris Dong is a freelance travel writer and credit card points expert based in Los Angeles. You can follow him on Instagram: @thechrisflyer.
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