I can count the number of times I have had my nails done on one hand.
That was before moving to Saigon and the lure of the nail salon called my hands in for a visit… not just once this month, but twice! So to paint a picture, I am a beginner at this kind of thing.
So it is Saturday morning and fresh from cleaning my apartment, Jade and I decide to hang a right at the nail salon on the way to groceries. Forgetting I resemble a sweaty sloth, I walk in, only to see about 10 perfectly coiffed and perfectly manicured women waiting to attend to me.
For some women, this is ideal. For me, this is anxiety producing. As they buzzed around and got in closer to inspect said nails, I could feel my stress level rising. I can barely cope with the attention of one beautifier in Canada at a time, never mind 4 at one time.
As I am ranked a novice, my daughter, who has a higher ranking, chooses my nail colour this time. She did not approve of last month’s choice of hot pink, contrasting with my white skin in my oh so lovely, orthopedic sandals to boot!
So all is going according to plan… Jade has successfully chosen a more suitable colour this time… one that will better blend my over aged toes into the world of Saigon’s well pedicured feet!
UNTIL…
The owner of the salon hones in on me and mistakenly reads my anxious look as one that is keen to try new things in the world of nails! Before I know it, she has pulled out a slew of colours to design my nails… one that involves flowers and the colour gold. All this for the price of free!
Jade looks on as I refuse to watch out of fear. An eternity later, I look down. I am now the proud owner of a multiple of designs now etched onto my finger and toe nails, complete with a bedazzling of gold dust.
As I gaze at these nails, I want to swap my hands with Jade’s! How come she got the neutral matchy tiny flower and I ended up with the blinding butterfly twinkling in gold?!
Oh well…maybe next time, I will get it right!
four camels and a coffee to go 
Hahah, funny! I feel the same way in beauty salons and also at the hairdresser’s… especially in Asia where the women are so tiny!
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funny! my daughter has more style in her little finger than I have in my whole body.
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Yup.. sadly true in my situation as well now… I think I used to have it but it has disappeared somewhere and I can no longer find it!
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Um, that butterfly is awesome!
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Ha Ha… 🙂 it is a little over the top for me but it is starting to grow on me.
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Getting my nails done doesn’t match my lifestyle of gardening and camping. Though I get my toes done. wonder why?
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I know. I feel the same way. Finger nails are so easily ruined as I look down at mine 2 days later to some chipping action 🙂
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Every time I check out your site and see the header-photo, I just get jelly at how much y’all be going places :p Haha, Welcome back!
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Thanks Mon! How is life going for You?
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Exams are nearing. So….yeah, kinda well haha. How are you right now?
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We are enjoying our school in Saigon and find Vietnam to be a very easy country to live in. We miss the sound of the call to prayer most though. Soothing sound that we really loved in Egypt!
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I admit to confusion too when this popped up! Hope you are enjoying Saigon.
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Hi Anabel! It is an easy adjustment but the turn around was pretty crazy… not much of a summer holiday. We left Cairo and headed back to Toronto for a month to get work visa stuff done and then we were here. School starts early here so I have been here since end of July. Hope all is well with you too.
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Your story is much more exciting than my recent ‘treating myself to a pedicure’) adventure at a shop in MicMac Mall which is run by a Vietnamese couple ironically. Anyway no hello or anything, pick you colah, Pardon. Pick out your colah. So I understood that after a bit. So I sat in the chair and he pointed for me to put my feet in the water and that was the whole story of my visit. Actually he did a good job but he got nothing more than the price charged without any tip just because of his ignorance. It wasn’t because he didn’t speak any English because I heard him talk to someone else so that wasn’t any excuse. I think he saw a woman come in – white hair and mature looking (II won’t say old because I don’t particularly feel old). So Cheryl, hope some manners are taught where you are. Needless I won’t be going back there any time soon.
Lovely day here today. Just going out for a bite of lunch. Good to hear from you
Take care. Hi to Jade.
Love Eunice
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The whole customer experience here is usually over the top which makes me feel a tad uncomfortable as I am not used to being waited upon. And as for being polite…extremely so far in all areas… from my students to the taxi drivers who will open doors for you.
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Oh, my! That is pretty fancy! I had to read through these comments to confirm that you were not in Saigon last time I read your blog … what an exciting life you lead! (And not just your nails. Haha) Best of luck in your new city.
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Thank you so much. Sometimes I am even confused when I look out the window as to where I am… still expect to see Cairo.
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That’s so cool Mrs. Clark Are you still teaching? I love to hear about all of your travel stories, they are so cool!
Sadie Ghiz
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Yes I am Sadie. Jade and I are at a Canadian school here in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. I am teaching grade 5 and Jade is now in Grade 11. I hope you are doing well!
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Saigon? What did I miss????? (Hope all is well, was great to see your post this morning 👍)
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Yes, I almost missed it myself. Crazy busy. We decided to leave Cairo (albeit sadly) and move to Saigon. It is a better fit for us over all but we still miss the people of Egypt and the country a lot! We have been in Saigon since July.
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WOW-You take adventure to a whole new level…I envy your bravery!!!!!
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Thanks! Actually Saigon is a very very easy city to live in, comparatively speaking to Cairo. So all in all, the adjustment is usually more with teaching than anything else.
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How do the people there embrace “Westerners”..as opposed to Egypt?
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There is less unwanted attention here. You can blend in while even wearing more western like clothing. Transportation is easier as well.
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By unwanted attention, do you mean because you were a woman or because you were not Egyptian? Did you feel safe there?
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Yes we felt very safe but we could never blend in easily so there were always a lot of stares particularly for my blonde daughter. She attracted a lot of attention and as a teen it was sometimes uncomfortable.
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..can totally understand how that would feel uncomfortable.
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awesome story ! You nailed it.
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Hihi, a whole lot of butterflies have landed, I see. 😀 Great to hear from you! I can imagine your fingernails flutter across the keyboard. Ahh, so lovely. 😉
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It was a bit of a shock to this plain person’s system to see the end result. Oh well… no longer living in fairly conservative Cairo so might as well bedazzle myself and go for it here in Saigon.
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