Hygiene standards

Where to get a pedicure?

Okay, so finding a good place for pedicures, waxing, etc. maybe isn't as big a deal as say, having an appropriate bomb shelter in your house, but it is a big deal. It's precisely things like pedicures that keep us sane when we're living in a stressful foreign environment.

A year after moving here, I still haven't found a decent salon. The first one I went to was in the nicest hotel in this area and it felt less than perfectly clean. The chair looked like it needed a serious wipe-down and the room was more like a decrepit hospital room than a relaxing salon/spa haven. Friends has similarly discouraging experiences at other salons and I eventually resorted to having a lady come to my house. At least then I knew things were clean.

A few days ago, I wanted to get some waxing done. My trusty lady didn't return my call, so I ventured out to a nearby salon. I had been there before and it was o-kay, but again, the place was not pristine and the lady didn't even close the door entirely.

I walked in, but no one was available, so I ventured to a salon across the street. They were able to accommodate me. I walked into the waxing room and the sheets on the bed clearly had not been changed very recently. I was hoping the lady was going to change them, but the best she did was brush them off. YUCK. But, I just told myself, "Okay, this is how it is in this country. This is how they do things. So, I'll just deal with it."

When she finished, she gave me copious amounts of aloe to soothe the waxed area. And you know what I did, I made sure I "accidentally" spread about 60% of it on the sheets so that they'd be obligated to change them for the next person. My little contribution to the common good that day.