Tuesday 22 February 2011

Appointments

At the knitting group on Sunday I asked Chantallou who her hairdresser was. I feel the need to cut my shoulder length hair which is ok when 'up' but depressingly witch like when down. Chantallou waxed lyrical about the lady she had been going to for years who was une visagiste and she highly recommended. She obviously 'does colours' or whatever the french equivalent is. There was much miming of draping fabric over your bosom to show which colours you should chose for your wardrobe. So this morning I rang and have made an appointment for later in the week.

I have been looking at the local ladies trying to spot one that doesn't have the short back and sides dyed orange that is the local speciality and hopefully this lady from the local larger town will have some ideas that are a bit more cosmopolitan. But who knows. My french is only up to an approximation of the discussion that would take place in England. Him Outdoors suggested leaving it until we go back to England next month but experience has shown that it can either be a triumph or a disaster when you do speak the language.

I also rang England to make an eye appointment for when we go home. And it was only when I had put the phone down that I realised how very very much easier it is to do in English. I wonder if I will ever be able to have that ease of expression in French. Ho hum.

7 comments:

  1. No, no, no! Orange coloured short back and sides is definitely a south Manche invention, at least if frequency of occurrence is anything to go by :-) As for ease of expression in French, I've been learning it on and off for over 40 years and I still struggle at speed.

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  2. I feel that my french is actually getting better at the moment having joined two groups of ladies that chatter. Because I am either making flowers for the felibree or knitting I can dip in and out of the conversation as required or keep my head down and count or knot industriously.

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  3. It doesn't matter what language they (hairdressers) or I speak, the result is always total incomprehension.

    I know what I want...volume at the front.
    They know what they want to give me...a 'nice little perm' that makes me look as if I have a poodle on my head.

    On the language front, your French will certainly improve now you are with groups who natter...as you say, you can duck in and out and take things at your own speed.

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  4. Ooh good luck! I'd be terrified of going to a french hairdresser (because of the language, not because they're french!).

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  5. I find the phone in French is extremly difficult, I can't see the hand waving. LOL Diane

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  6. I stick to Turkish hairdressers because they are incredibly cheap. I always take a picture to show what I want in case I can't make them understand. Sometimes it works, but sometimes it doesn't. It's always a risk even in England!

    As for eye tests...after one bad experience here which left me with specs that were not only costly but completely wrong...I now wait until I'm in England to get my tests done.

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  7. It can't be any worse than going to a thai hairdresser...not only do you have the whole language barrier thing but you also have the additional fact that they don't have curly hair...which I do! I have never giggled so much as when I asked them to just dry it curly....they straightened it then added curls...go figure!

    Good luck

    C x

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