Several years ago, in the mid 90's, I had the opportunity to meet a bunch of exchange students from Japan. The group I went backpacking with a lot back then had agreed to take a group of about 15 of the students camping, since it's not something they really get to do in Japan. The whole thing was taking place on the slope of ironically-named Mount Piños.

There was one girl who I noticed right away. First of all, she was far cuter than any of the other girls. But there was something else about her... She started following me around and giggling to her friends whenever I tried to talk to her. This was rather difficult, since I know basically no Japanese, and she didn't really know any English either. But near the end of the trip, out of the blue, she blurted out something to the extent of 'will you please me later?' Despite the language barrier, it was pretty damn obvious what she meant. I almost fell into the campfire.

Honestly, I still don't understand the whole thing. Back then, I was rather antisocial and weird, and looked like Shaggy from Scooby-Doo. I know I moved through nature in the same strange, kind of neat way back then that I do now, but I didn't think it was something an exchange student would have noticed. Apparently, she was just trying to get 'action' with an American guy and I was the only one around.

I don't regret not doing anything. I wasn't ready for that kind of thing back then and I knew it. (I didn't have any protection, either, and even then I wasn't dumb enough to have random unprotected sex with a horny exchange student.) Besides, the first time always sucks, and how do you tell someone who doesn't speak English that it's your first time? In my case, I definitely think waiting for the right girl was an excellent decision. But... I still wonder what would have happened if I had done something. It was at a weak point in my life... my emotions had just been stomped on by a high school cheerleader... I was lost and scared and about to go away to college. College is a big time for re-defining morals, and I didn't really know how I wanted to do that. Really, I had no idea at all what would happen to me in 2 months. If I had 'done something' then, I think its repercussions would have rebounded through the rest of my life, even though I probably would have never seen that girl again. Looking back, I am curious, but not at all regretful. I like where I am now.

The most annoying thing of it all was the way that the guy in charge of the trip really thought I was going to do it. He kept giving me evil looks and even mumbled something like "don't even think about it" at one point. Granted, I was probably being too flirty for the situation. But it sorta made me mad, although it was funny, that he thought I'd want to have sex in the pine needles with a random exchange student. He was a strange guy... hell, so was I. Maybe he knew more about what was going on than I give him credit for. Either way, thinking about it now just makes me laugh.

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