entry 8: nothing goes as planned part 2

I couldn't have gotten off to a more unplanned start. Upon boarding my plane in Syracuse, there was a maintenance issue and we had to get off the plane. We were delayed indefinitely, causing me to miss my connection. Which also meant missing the conveniently timed breakfast I had planned to have with Christopher at the Atlanta airport (he was flying home from Atlanta on the same day). So the airline booked me a new ticket to reroute my flights and leave from Rochester, which meant I wouldn't have registered vegetarian meals on my flights and I lost my pre-selected seats, which meant I had no food to eat for over 24 hours and shitty seats. To say I was distraught was an understatement.

However, I survived. My first layover was in Detroit. Again I got caught with a delayed flight. At this point, I had given up anything happening the way I wanted it to. So I patiently waited for my flight and boarded 3 hours late. My next layover was in Seoul, South Korea. As it turns out, I missed my connection. When was the next plane leaving? 24 hours later. Gratefully, the airline set me up at a nice hotel for the night, so I didn't have to worry about accommodation. I had a day to kill. I could do that.

While waiting in the customs line for South Korea, I met a guy roughly my age who was also from New York. We decided to team up for the next day so that we had company and could explore a bit, as we were both traveling alone. We exchanged numbers and went to our respective accommodations with plans to meet up in the morning.

We decided to explore Muuido Island, a small island off the south coast of Incheon, where the hotel and airport were located. This adventure involved navigating the public transportation system, which involved a bus, a train, another bus, and T-money cards. Needless to say we had our work cut out for us. However, we managed quite well and successfully made it to and from the island successfully.

During our time on the island, we went for a hike. A most definitely terrible decision considering it was over 100 degrees that day.

But we persevered.

It was quite a beautiful island, even in the sweltering heat and swarms of mosquitoes. Jonah and I chatted the entire trip there, throughout the hike, and the way back. It was so nice to have someone to talk to and to feel empowered. As a generally shy person, I was proud of myself that I had initiated the relationship between myself and this stranger. We had quite a bit in common and shared similar values and morals. There was a sense of comfort and familiarity with each other that allowed for a friendliness without tension. And honestly, it was really nice that he never tried to flirt or hit on me. We were able to connect and share a beautiful experience without me being uncomfortable or questioning his motives.

By the time we returned from the island, I felt as though we were good friends. We had talked about a vast array of subjects and genuinely got to know each other. It was bizarre to think that relationship was one of less than 24 hours long. But that is one of the reasons I love to travel. You are forced to develop relationships that you wouldn't otherwise develop. You are forced to make friends without it feeling awkward. My time with Jonah and in South Korea encouraged me to be confident in myself and my ability to adapt. It empowered me. It showed me that I am someone worth knowing and that connection can be found even in the most unlikely of circumstances.

I wish him all the best in his future endeavors. Thank you for bringing me some light.