I got lost hiking AGAIN today. I went to a trail I’ve seen before but have never followed, thinking it would link up with the network I am familiar with. WRONG. I was so busy trying to navigate that I didn’t realize for quite some time that the sun was in the wrong place—that is, I was going the wrong direction. By the time I managed to find a way down, I was in some village kilometers away from anything I’d ever seen before. I must have been 5-6 miles from Hongsan, but in that direction, I’m only familiar with the road 2 miles out. It was nerve-wracking, trying to figure out how to get home with no money (in case there was a bus—there wasn’t), no help, and no clue which way to go. The only signs I could find pointed to villages I’d never heard of before. But by some miracle, I found my way back without a single wrong turn. Though I’d lost my way completely, I suppose my sense of direction is good enough, when I’m paying attention, to get me through. It was a good thing, too—it was already dark by the time I returned home and it was bitterly cold. My hands refused to work for the first half hour and my lower arms were red with cold. Ah, winter…you never fail to destroy whatever love and appreciation I might develop for you.
I also received a marriage proposal today. I was walking down the road I always do when I came across a well-dressed middle-aged man who insisted on bumbling his way through a conversation with me. He evidently owns the “fine” farm (pine farm—took me a while to figure it out, even with trees surrounding me) and was visiting for a bit, I guess. I believe it took him less than a minute to ask if I had a “lober” and, upon hearing I didn’t, declared that he, too, was single and wanted to marry me. I kid not. I finally escaped, but he texted me later to say “Nice to meet you. I love you.” Good thing I keep my phone off, even if I’m stupid enough to give my real phone number. What is it that draws these old Korean men to me? What makes them think I’d ever want to date, let alone MARRY, a guy twice my age with whom I have almost no common language? This is about the fifth one this fall! Guess I need to let my leg hair show more often.