Brooke's New Look

The other day, I had been out walking my host family's dog, Fee, and when I returned Nina said that she and Sarah were going to the mall to get a few things and asked if I wanted to go with them. Of course I said yes, I had nothing better to do.
At the mall we spent sometime shopping, Sarah and Nina had bought whatever they'd need, and then, as we were walking past a hair salon, the two of them stopped to talk to their hairdresser. They talked for a while, and though I didn't really understand what they were saying, I got a good vibe from the hairdresser (her name is Mareen), and I felt like she'd be a good substitute for my American hairdresser while I'm in Germany.
I'd just been doing what I usually do when others are speaking German around me, pretending to pay attention but beginning to space out, when I noticed that my host sisters and Mareen were looking at me. Then Nina said that Mareen said I needed a "new look" and that she wanted to give me new hair cut and maybe color. I wasn't really surprised by this comment. After all, I hadn't had my hair cut since before leaving for Germany and there were split-ends galore. So I agreed. When Nina asked if I wanted to have my hair done today or in a few weeks, I thought, "What the hey? Might as well do it now."
So they took me into the salon and sat me down in a chair. I was given some books with different hairstyles and told that I could look through them and decide what I wanted. But I really had no idea what I wanted, so I threw caution to the wind and told Mareen that she could do what ever she wanted. After looking at me for a moment she told me (with the help of my sisters translating) that she wanted to give me a bob with the hair in the front being a bit longer than the hair in the back. This wasn't a style that I'd have normally chosen for myself, but I said that she could do whatever and I wasn't going to go back on my word. She also said that she'd like to do something that was translated to me as a "color gloss." Sarah said that it would give my hair more "power!' So I said, "Okay, let's do that too."
So with my fate sealed, I watched as Mareen began to hack off big chunks of my hair. Now, excited for my new hairstyle, I was mentally daring her to cut off more and more hair. Mareen worked skillfully, cutting and trimming until everything looked just right.
For the next phase of my makeover, Mareen applied the color gloss then left me to sit under some sort of heater. While I waited for the color to set, someone brought me a cup of coffee.
After some time, another hairdresser washed the color out of my hair. Finally, Mareen dried and styled my hair and I was in love! It's funny because usually I always want my hair to be longer, but now that it's cut short, I think it's perfect. And when I say "short" I mean "SHORT," like I can't even put it into a ponytail. I really hope that my new haircut will make me look more German and help me assimilate into my new home and culture.
I've always been pretty adventurous with my hair. I like to try new things; sometimes they turn out great, other times... not so much. My motto is "it'll always grow back!" But I can tell you one thing I've learned from this experience, you have not lived until you've told a hairdresser in a foreign country, that does not speak the same language as you, that she can do whatever she wants to your hair.

Before

After!
(check out the lady creeping in the background)