I Found a Sweatshop!!!!!

Those of you who know me well know that I like to go for my bi-weekly pedicures and I often frequent what I affectionately call “the sweatshops”.  These are typically the little hole-in-the-wall mani/pedi places that are owned and run by a Vietnamese family – or something similar - in Calgary I used to go to Hollywood Nails and then I changed to Bliss Nails (better chairs).  One of my bigger stressors about moving to The Netherlands was where was I going to get a pedicure and would there be sweatshops here?  I even had this discussion with the girl that used to do my feet at Bliss Nails and she was not overly optimistic.  Well last night as I wandered around Chinatown (will get to that) as I tried to find where I was supposed to be going for dinner (will get to that too), I found a couple of sweatshops!  Firstly, I was surprised to learn that The Hague had a Chinatown – someone at work told me that a few weeks back and secondly, I was happy to see that it smells like every other Chinatown that I have been to.  Does this mean that I am going to try one of these sweatshops – probably not because I have also learned that The Netherlands has a professional association called ProVoet which trains and certifies people to give the kind of pedicure that falls somewhere between the sweatshop and being treated by an orthopedic surgeon.  My understanding from what I have read is that it is quasi-clinical kind of pedicure, where instruments akin to dental tools are used and the focus is not only on the aesthetic, but above all the health, of the foot. They treat your feet the way a dental hygienist treats your teeth.   And like my sweatshop their tools and instruments are sterilized after being used with a single client (my mom is anal about this and so am I!)  A basic ProVoet pedicure involves treating the nails, removing any possible corns or calluses, and inspecting for any potentially more serious skin or structural problems.  Not sure if they paint your toe nails or not but I guess time will tell as I am going to try and book an appointment – wish me luck!

So why was I wandering around Chinatown last night lost. . . .well I had signed up for this event called Social Expat Dining whereby you meet up with a bunch of other random expats for dinner at a chosen location.  .  So until today, my blackberry has not had any data functionality, meaning that it has been a glorified cell phone and I haven’t been able to use BBM, search the web or use the map functions.  So before I left for the dinner, I went on to Google Maps to see where I was going and quickly realized that I knew the area, or so I thought.  Well after about 20 minutes of walking down every street in Chinatown, and it isn’t that big, including a more dodgier side of town, I decided to give up and head back home.  I was trying to remember specific stores from the Google Map and realized that there was one street that I didn’t go down and lo and behold, tucked in a corner was the restaurant that I was supposed to be at and I was only 15 minutes late.  So now I have seen Chinatown, I know where to go for dim sum and where to get some Chinese food, as well where to go for a weave (at the afro hair store).

So back to the actual social expat dining event.  Now that I am feeling a bit more settled and more comfortable here in terms of knowing my way around main areas,  and in an effort to get out more and not become a hermit, which I do have a tendency of doing, I have been looking for different opportunities to meet people and this seemed like a great idea.  It was held at a restaurant called Tenchi, which is an Asian noodle/tapas restaurant.  (http://www.tenchi-noodlebar.nl/) I wouldn’t say that the food was served as beautifully as their website shows, but it was good.  The general idea of the restaurant was small plates or tapas style and that you would order a bunch and share.  For this event they had a flat prices of 19 euros (still don’t know how to type that symbol on my computer) plus the prices of your drinks.  For our dining group there were 9 of us – all women except for 1 guy and I would guess that the age range was from early 30s to late 50s.  Because of the nature of how we were sitting, I really only got to know 4 of the women who were closest to me but they all seemed rather nice and I did have a good time.  I am not sure that I will do it again though as it is only ever at that restaurant and there are other places in The Hague that I would like to try.   Did I get any play dates out of this - no - but I also didn't suggest one to anyone or offer up my phone number (partly b/c I don't know it) but partly b/c I can be a little shy.  Maybe next time. . .