Dear LADIES!
I just had to write this while I'm thinking about it. I didn't think the guys would appreciate it, but thought you might.
Actually when I sent the other pictures of the "outdoor barber shops and Hair Salons", I thought you might get a kick out of it, I certainly have and I see them everywhere and they are often busy and I've even seen a line up waiting to get in so I'm sure they must be very reasonable and fairly efficient. I haven't braved going into one though.
Sister Olson showed me one salon in the mall near us that she uses but I haven't gone there either. I'm in one of those, I don't want to cut of my perm because somedays the curl it gives me is the only thing that keeps me looking decent at all. I'm also just stubborn enough to think that this might be my chance to grow out my bangs like I've ALWAYs wanted to do but never can get the job done.
This last weekend I did find some hair color though that I thought I'd try just to get rid of the drab gray and brown effect that I have going. All of my pretty "highlights" are gone and I've gotten a little desperate. If you can just imagine with me, all of the heads of hair that I see are Black, braided, twisted, or covered up with a wig. The ladies here wear lots of wigs and there are wig salons at every corner and lots of little stands all over (under every shade tree) where they will braid it for you and they turn out really beautiful; at least on the African women. The women here are very beautiful and their hair-do's match their lovely faces. There are actually a lot that just pull it back in a pony tail and the pony tail is about 1 or 2 inches long and sticks straight back. They have very difficult hair I am told and unless they can grease it all up and afford to have someone braid it for them, they just pull it back or wear a wig. Anyway, the advertisements on the salon's are quotes like this; "Black and Beautiful" or "Shimmer and Shine" and when I look for hair products in the store they all say things like "Oil Down" or "Heavy Geased Looked" or I can't actually remember any more, but you get the idea that when I'm in the store looking for hair products, I can't quite decide what to buy. They don't have to color their hair and nothing that I have been looking for was to be found anywhere. Well I did find some color that was actually called "medium brown" and I bought it and put it on. Everyone is telling me that they like my hair dark, so I'm sure it doesn't look exactly "natural" but it does look better and I feel better also. I haven't gone for the cut yet, but I'll see how long I can stand it before I either cut it myself or have Dad trim it off a little, or perhaps I'll have to give in and actually go for a hair cut.
You can only imagine I'm having the same problem with make-up. The shade's that I'm looking for are not to be found, actually make-up is not to be found. We have a store called "Game" and it's Botswana's answer to Wal-Mart but it just doesn't carry everything like Wal-Mart does. I've ask for make-up and they say "we don't have", I asked for some Nail polish (just a simple clear coat) but "they don't have" and I've tried to find lipstick and "they don't have."
When I was in the Doctor's office with our new sisters this last transfer (they have to go in for a physical when they come) a white lady came in and was talking to the receptionist there and I worked up my courage to ask her where in Botswana she would go for make-up or nail polish. She proceeded to take me to her "back room" where she actually does nails and sells make up and her client came in just as we were talking. I was actually thankful for the client and the fact that she had to go to work because she showed me some nail product that she said my nails and cuticles needed, and also her line of makeup and the receptionist was going to sell it to me. The nail stuff was P250. which is about $35. for one bottle and the other product to strengthen my nails was $50.00 so I told her I'd have to pass for today because I didn't have that much money on me. (It was kind of embarrasing, but I wasn't really clear out of the make-up (Thanks Lori) and I just went home and found the time to take my nail tips off and use the stuff I brought from home. (Thanks Sherrie)
Life is great here, but there are those unusual days that make me laugh and wish you were all here to experience the "little things" that keep
life interesting for Dad and I.
Have a great day; and I know Wal-Mart is not everybody's favorite store and it wasn't mine before I came here but I think it will be when I get home. I get tired of running to a different store evertime I need anything. We buy stuff all the time to keep the missionary flats stocked, and every day is adventure just trying to find what they need. One day I might find it and the next time it's not there anymore and their answer to that is "it is finished."
I actually do love it here, it's an adventure and you all know me well enough to know that I enjoy an adventure. We are trying to love every day so we don't have any regrets. We only get to do this mission once and we want to do it well!
I love you all.
Mom, Lorraine, Granny
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