In Indonesia, I never worry about getting a haircut. It’s always simple and cheap, whether from a roadside barber or a modest neighborhood shop. At most, I’d spend IDR 30,000, and if I felt like pampering myself with a hair wash, the price would only rise to about IDR 50,000.
Then came the day I decided to test my luck in Singapore. On Thursday (18/07/2019), I hopped into a Go-car bound for West Coast Plaza. My mission: find a barbershop. After picking up a few necessities at the mall, I wandered across to the West Coast Community Center. There, at the bustling West Coast Market Square, I was greeted by an eclectic mix of food stalls, grocery shops, traditional health clinics, and, yes, barbershops.
I finally chose a small salon that also offered facial treatments. The man who welcomed me looked Malay, and perhaps sensing my roots, he greeted me warmly in Malay: “Mau gunting rambut?” (“Want a haircut?”). I quickly replied in Malay too, grateful for the familiarity in a foreign land.
The haircut began. Snip, snip. A few moments later, the barber casually suggested, “How about a hair wash? Or maybe color those gray hairs?” I laughed, clearly, business instincts travel faster than scissors.
When the session ended, I handed over S$40. That’s about IDR 400,000 if you do the math with S$1 = IDR 10,000 (minimum). Expensive, right? Especially if I compared it to Palu, my hometown in Central Sulawesi, or even Makassar.
But then my friend Adam reminded me: “Don’t bring our calculator to another country. Their currency is stronger than the rupiah — just enjoy the experience.” Wise words indeed.
And so, I walked out not just with shorter hair, but also with a story, proof that even a simple haircut can turn into a small adventure abroad.
Adam, by the way, runs Terrace Coffee at Graha Pena, Makassar. Maybe next time I’ll just trade that S$40 for endless cups of coffee there instead. ***
