I have been in Kuwait for over 4 years now Alhamduliillaah!!! All this time I was staying the area known as Fahaheel. It has a market so usually people from closeby areas like Mangaf, Abu Halifa, Mahboula etc. have to come here for many of their needs. As this was one of the closest residential area to the Oil District of Ahmadi where I work. As well as it has a lot of positives like a lot of Desi's. So anywhere you go you can speak in Hindi in most of the shops, markets, Haircut saloons, Laundry, Money Exchange etc. etc. Well speaking hindi part applies to most places in kuwait actually as Indians top the majority of expatriate communities in Kuwait followed by egyptians I think. I remember once one of my ex-bosses he needed something or someone and I asked someone in Hindi and replied back to him what he was looking for. So he said "I dont know, what will happen if all these Indians go back"
But recently I moved out of Fahaheel to Abu Halifa, as wanted to move to a different flat and the once that I was looking for were in 3 areas Fahaheel, Mangaf and Abu Haleefa. But as Fahaheel has all the markets, people who dont have cars and bachelors prefer to stay here, so its crowded and difficult to get a flat of your choice. Also it has many old buildings. Few New constructions and expensive ones. So usually families prefer Mangaf or Abu Haleefa. As these places are usually populated by people who have cars so that they can drive to get whatever they need from any of the supermarkets. Although Mangaf also has some kind of Market built up now near to its Sultan Wholesale Center. But again, its still very small to meet all your needs. For example,you cant find curtains or carpet shop in Mangaf. In Fahaheel u get everything.
Wow I have spoken so much positive about Fahaheel, then why did I leave Fahaheel?? Good question, well everyone has got priorities. My priority was a more peaceful negihbourhood. With most families around. Hence I moved to Abu Halifa!
Ok now getting back to the subject of my Post, I have been here for 2 weeks and needed a haircut, i spoke to one of my Indian neighbours, that I needed an Haircut where do you usually go. Indirectly I was asking where can I find a Desi barber. Because there is a hair cutting salon right opposite my building by the name "Dollar One Salon". So he told me a fact that we all know, that three things are the most common shops in Kuwait, you can find them anywhere:
1. Hair Cutting Salon
2. Laundry
3. Fast Food Take-away restaurants
And then he said I go to this Barber next to the "Jamaiyah" Its a co-operative supermarket, all areas have one of them. As that shop has a pakistani barber to whom I go for haircut. So I was like fine. Pakistanis are good at hair cut and styling. For last couple of years I have been getting my hair done by a pakistani barber located in Mangaf, so I used to go from Fahaheel to Mangaf for haircuts. Because I did not have to say anything, he knew how I liked it, being a regular customer. So I said let me try this one in abu halifa as it will be closer to home and I can discontinue going to Mangaf for haircuts.
So I went to the shop it was after Ishaa, the pakistani guy was busy eating his dinner. And he already had a customer waiting for him. So he told me I have customer, let the other guy do your haircut. He was a Egyptian called Ridda, I was reluctant because that dude was sitting outside smoking. I was not sure what will he do to me. But I told to myself, all the Salons have arab and egyptian barbers, so let me try to see. Maybe he is not as bad as I am thinking. we should always try something New in Life. Else you will never know what you were missing. So I reluctantly gave him a Go-ahead. I was reasoning to the pakistani, that he should cut my hair, because I cannot speak to the egyptian in arabic. So when the egyptian guy came in, the pakistani told him he cannot speak arabic, so I will translate for u. He stared at me and the following was the conversation:
Ridda: Yaa Ragal, Inta mai araf arabi? (Hey Man, You dont know arabic?) He was shocked I could see on his face.
Me: Shoyya (Little)
Ridda: Shoyya(Little)??
Me: Ana Minal Hind (I am from India)
Ridda: (Awal marra shufta Hindi Abyad) First time I have seen an White Indian!
I have got this reaction many times, many people say this. becaus we have so much of Keralites in Kuwait. With all due respect. Most people here thinks Indians all look like the Keralites having dark complexion and the ones who have fair complexion (white) are in the Film Industry.
Anyways so he was soo shocked that I said I didn't know arabic because he thought I was Lebanese or Syrian or some arab.
Now the Haircut began, Usually in my life any haircut I have had, the barber would make the hair wet and then start cutting. This guy did not do that. He started with his scissor and was moving so fast, I thought in 10 mins I will be out. And in fact he was done in 15 mins, while my earlier haircuts used to be for 40-45 mins long.
All is Well That Ends Well:
The next week at work, people gave me compliments for my haircut, said looking decent with a nice haircut. So I guess I can go to that egyptian barber again!! SO i was right, we should try new stuff, else we would never know what we were missing.
