Was making my way home last night after doing some shopping in town. Got on the bus and thought to myself, I have 40 minutes before my stop, I can sleep. So I just tucked my chin and was trying to get some shut eye, as best as you can on a swerving bus (the bus driver was young so that had a lot to do with it). We reached Gyeongsan Market and I heard whisperings. The teacher in me alert went off. I opened my eyes and there were some students from my school. They said hi teacher and I greeted them. They were unsure if I was heading to school and asked. I said yes and suggested they ride in the taxi with me from Jain to school. They gratefully accepted.
When the bus emptied enough that they could sit down with me, they did. The one who spoke the most English explained that going to Jain they took the bus. However, going to town they hitchhiked. I assumed that their definition of the word and mine were different, but that was soon blown out of the water. These little girls indeed hitchhiked to town. Two nice men gave those little girls rides. The first had a small car and they all crammed in. The second had a truck that they rose on the back of. A police officer evidently pulled them over and said not to ride on the back like that. Police don't give many tickets here, unless it appears you don't respect them or are a foreigner not following the laws. I looked at those little girls and decided that I rather find a way to get them more safely to and from school but it is really out of my hands.
We reached Jain. The five of them crammed into the backseat and I took the front seat of the Taxi. The driver was really nervous. He said that if anything happened, it would cost us a lot of money. I have never been in such a slow, safe taxi in my life. Next time I will pay for two taxis to drive us to school if such a situation ever arises again. Out of 9 months, that was the second time. The first time I was lucky enough to get a bus going all the way to Namsan. This time... not so much.
I am glad you were able to serve as the angel of mercy and safety for those girls at your school. It doesn't seem like a safe thing to hitch-hike but there are all kinds of cultures and issues around the world. I think the thing in these students' best favor was that they traveled in a group.
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