Another night at the hostel in Gothenburg

I really enjoyed my night in the hostel in Gothenburg. I decided to stay another day instead of heading back into nature right away. Although I’m in Sweden’s second-largest city, it feels remarkably peaceful here. Hardly any traffic, no rush. A nice place to catch up on some overdue work, solve the technical problems of my blog, and finally go to the hairdresser. That last one is really needed.

Going to the hairdresser

Not far from the hostel, I find a barbershop. I can get an appointment right away. Lucky me. My barber turns out to be Jamaican. He came to Sweden years ago to work for a while, save some money, and then go back. That was thirty-eight years ago now. He is quite a striking figure. Long dreadlocks, a muscular body, and a warm, relaxed demeanor. “Yes,” he says with a laugh, “sometimes life goes differently than you expect.” I can’t help but wholeheartedly agree.

Looking through frosted glass

When I get my haircut, I always have take off my glasses. I find that quite annoying, as I can’t see clearly beyond half a meter. I only see my barber’s face as a silhouette behind the frosted glass. However, I can guess his facial expression by the way he speaks and moves.

Self-service at the barbershop

Halfway through, someone enters. A bit shuffly and with a bent back. I can’t discern his face, but from his movements and the way he moves, I get the impression that life hasn’t been easy for him. Perhaps homeless, perhaps addicted, maybe something entirely different. I don’t know. He also seems unable to speak. My barber says nothing special. He takes a clipper, hands it to the man, and lets him trim his beard himself. A little later, the man holds the device incorrectly. He no longer knows how it works. My barber calmly walks over to him, turns the device around, puts it back in his hand, and patiently points out the button.

No trace of irritation. No rush. “If you can help,” he says while standing behind me again, “then you should do it.” That sentence sticks with me for the rest of the day. So often, it’s not in grand gestures. Just someone helping out a little. Without judgment. Without expecting anything in return. When I want to pay, I even get a discount. He helps me here with my limited budget.

He made my day!

I shake his hand and thank him warmly. He made my day. I walk out with a fresh haircut and a smile from ear to ear. Sometimes one sentence is enough. “If you can help, then you should do it.”

Overnight stay: Göteborg