The Sunday After—Unintended Hiking, Slightly Awkward Tutoring, and Very Little Recuperating

During my bus trip back to the hamlet, I finished what homework remained for my tutoring lesson. I arrived at my destination around 10:15 am, and instead of troubling my host family, who were probably preparing for service at that point, for a ride, I decided to walk back via the trail. One would think I’d have had enough hiking by now, and my legs certainly complained about it, but it would be sorter than walking by means of the road.

Then, I did something very stupid. I took a look at a fork in the trail and said, “I’ve never been this way before, I wonder if it goes to that footbridge I’ve wanted to get to for a while…” Well, it did, and about forty minutes later, I was in completely unknown territory and an unknown time from my house. So, legs sore, body tired, and lacking water, I started taking trails that would lead me back to the river, if not my house. So much for taking it easy after that Bukhansan hike, but I did gain some valuable knowledge about the deer paths on the mountains, and even found a trail to a peak that I’ll want to try someday.

I stumbled my way into the house, fell asleep for about twenty minutes, changed into something more suitable for church, and, because it looked like rain, began my walk, this time along the flat road. I called my friend, H.W., to tell her I’d be late for tutoring, and she told me to meet her at the parsonage behind the church. I did well on the grammar constructions for tutoring, but need to bone up on my vocabulary, something which has been the bane of my existence with every language I’ve tried to study. The lesson was in her bedroom this time, which was slightly awkward. I don’t want to give anyone at the church the wrong impression, so I’ll have to ask if we can remain in a slightly more public setting next time.

After nearly falling asleep a couple of times in the afternoon service (I was running on about 6 hours of sleep plus a catnap after an all day hike and I couldn’t understand the sermon as it was in the Korean, so my eyes were rather insistent), I walked home. I have a feeling H.W. would have liked to talk for a bit more, but I was really too tired for more socializing. I’ll have to make it up to her next week. After all, if I’m not paying her, we should make this at least a language exchange.

I picked up some bananas on the way home to get some potassium to help with the cramps. There were about fourteen in the bunch, so I ate four on the way home and gave the rest to my host family. At that point, I believe I tried to write some, but I was too tired to do much. (It is Wednesday now, and I still have not recuperated.) I tried reading then. Still to tired. Watching T.V. was also taxing. So, I gave up, bid the family goodnight, and hit the hay. Finally.

(Incidentally, the family is well now. My host brother used improvised sign language to proudly tell me, “Eye! No!” (He pointed at his eye, then waved his arm wildly in a back and forth motion.) I can now touch things again. Hooray!)