What I`ve been doing... or My dreadlock story...

Maybe you`re wondering: what`s with Sara? What was she up to, the last few days?

Well, I`ll tell you.....

THAT:

Jup, I got dreads.
Ever since I was like 14, I adored dreads...I kind of forgot about it until like 1.5 months ago...I really got into it again. So I started researching, watching tons of youtube videos and all that stuff.
2 weeks ago I was completely sure, that I wanted to get them!

My dear friend Monicka and I started talking about it and planing everything. We ordered real hair extensions 3 weeks ago and waited patiently for them to get here.
They finally arrived last wednesday, so we agreed on starting the next day.

I was feeling a bit nervous, like I felt before getting my tattoos. You know that scary, exciting, happy feeling? Yes, it`s amazing and terrifying at the same time.
Mostly, I was worried how it would work with my pretty short hair and the extensions. Because I`ve never used extensions before.



On thursday Monicka came over at 10 o`clock to get started.
First we treated the extensions with "kieselerde" (sorry, don`t know how it`s called in english). It`s a powder you can take for healthier hair. But when you use it like a treatment, it damages your hair and makes it really dry. So...perfect for dreading. Extensions are treated with a LOT of chemicals, to stay all smooth and shiny. You don`t want that for dreadlocks, so it has to go away.
We put the nasty looking paste on all the extensions and left it soaking for half an hour. Afterwards we just washed it out and blow dried them.

Then it was time to get started!

The last picture of me with "normal" hair...
We started by sectioning the hair and then the dreading began!
Monicka was dreading my hair, while I was dreading extensions.
We used the backcombing and crocheting method. It is pretty effective and works well.

Some parts were REALLY painful, I can tell you.
And at first, we had a hard time attaching the dread extensions to my dreaded hair.
But somehow we figured out how to do it.
Unfortunately, shortly after that, Monicka had to leave.

We agreed on continuing the next day.

I gotta tell you, I felt really weird.
i had about 4 dreads, in the back of my head. I looked like a weird witch or something :)!
I couldn`t wait for the next day.

On friday we continued...
It was a lot better, because we both knew how to do it best. But we only had 4 hours on our hands to do it.
So we dreaded, and dreaded...

After a while we knew we wouldn`t make it. So we focused on my bangs and the back of my head.
We finished about 70 %.
It was so much less painful that day....
And I already saw how I`d look.... It made me really happy!
Just 70% dreadlocked hair and I looked and felt different. Different good.

But oh my, did my head hurt! Well, my scalp from the pulling and my neck/back, from all the sitting still....
I went to bed early and got some rest.

We decided to get a day of rest on saturday. That was fine, I was able to hide the non-dreaded parts of my hair, so I could walk around in public.

Sunday came along and we made plans to start at two. We dreaded all the left over extensions and then got to attaching them...
I finally found a good sitting position, so my back wasn`t that tense all the time. We worked and worked and worked.
We watched dvd after dvd of friends...

At ten o`clock in the evening, we were done!!! I was incredibly happy and tired.
Monickas hands looked damaged and there was hair EVERYWHERE.

But I was feeling soooo happy....It just feels so ME. Like I`m meant to have dreads.

I can tell you it was an awesome experience.
I spent 3 days with Monicka. We watched a lot of friends, listened to music, talked and laughed.
I think it brought us closer together and I really enjoyed the whole process.



Why did I get dreads?

Well, I think it looks AMAZING, but that`s not everything. It`s just looks.
For me it as a deeper meaning to it.
I think most of you know, what a transformation I`ve been through this year.
I quit eurythmy school, I went to another clinic, worked through a lot of stuff, made huge progress, I went on a trip (first time in 3 years), and I moved out!

I am on a path to get to my true self. I can feel that I am getting closer and closer.
It seems like I am peeling all the layers of anxiety, insecurity, guilt and fear of. To get to the core of ME.

I am a free spirited person. I am wild. I am a bit crazy. And I love to try new things!

So I HAD to take that step.
It`s a sign for me and the world (who sees me).

There I am....Sara with dreadlocks. Just doing what I like and looking how I like.

It`s a challenge to accept other peoples oppinions on such drastic changes. But that`s what I wanted.
I need to learn, that it`s not important what people think.

I can be comfortable and confident just because I am how I am!

So, that was my dreadlock story...

I am really excited to see what they are going to grow into. They`re just babies now and will change over time....


Thanks for reading!


Love and hugs,

Sara

PS: Monicka, you`re awesome!!!!! Thanks for going through it with me.. Couldn`t have done it withouth you!<3