Hey, Alexa West here— from The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide. 

So…last week, I kicked off my ✈️ Solo Girl Stories series with the story about (accidentally) seducing men with muffins in Bulgaria. 

And the replies you guys sent me were unhinged—in the best way possible. I love hearing your stories, too! If you missed last week—don’t worry. 

Every Thursday, I send you my most WTF travel stories, plus lessons you won’t find in guidebooks. 

And today’s story? It’s creepy, but a very simple reminder. So let's get into...

The Man in My Room at 3:33am

So there I was… living in South Korea as an English teacher.

One night, I came home from a night of drinking with my co-workers (basically a mandatory part of work culture), walked into my apartment, and felt so safe (and buzzed) that I didn’t lock my door.

Honestly? Not a big deal. South Korea is so safe! In fact, it consistently ranks as one of the safest countries in the world for solo travelers. 

I was dead asleep in my tiny studio apartment.

Body facing the window.

Back to the front door.

And then—I felt it.

Not a touch. Not a dream. Just that feeling. The kind that yanks your body awake before your brain knows why.

Before I even turned my body to face the front door,

...I could feel the presence of a man in my room. 

Confused, I glanced at the clock on the windowsill. It’s 3:33 AM.

I turn over and notice the sensor light above my front door is on. Someone triggered it. 

As my eyes adjust, I pan to the corner of the room— I see him.

A silhouette in the darkness. Standing still. Eyes fixed on me.

And for some reason—just like in the movies—I sit up and say,

“Hello?”

Startled. He reacts like I’ve messed up the script.

Like I wasn’t supposed to wake up yet.

And what he does next, doesnt feel human. 

I remember seeing his body...

SLITHER. Like a snake in water. Like he's a master at moving in the darkness of women's rooms. Like he's done this before. 

Like he was basically this guy >

Quickly, he slithers into my bathroom. 

That’s when I see it:

My bathroom light is already on.

Meaning, he's been here for a while...

I jump up and move towards the bathroom.

I yell, “I can see you!”

I watch him grab my perfume from my now-opened cabinet and again, slither from the bathroom and out my front door...
 
Here’s the part that still gives me chills:
The door stopper was down. And that's when I realised, this wasn't random. This was planned. 

This creep had followed me home. 

🔍 Travel Lesson of the Week

This week, I have two lessons for you. 

1. Live + travel like you’re in a dangerous place. Even when you think you’re not.

2. This may sound gross but it's something I've learned throughout my 15 years as a professional traveler: In countries where pornographic material and sexual content is illegal/banned (like South Korea) - men often redirect their fantasies onto real-life women. You must be extra vigilant. 

Here's the Wild Part. 

When I told my school, they literally said:

“He was probably just drunk and wanted to look at you.”

Like that made it any better??? 

And the fact that no one was alarmed but this was...alarming. 

Later it was proven that he planned this. He used the only stairwell in the building without cameras. This was a building full of foreign women. I am sure he had done this before. 

Was I scared? Yes.

Was I lucky? Of course.

But I wasn’t wrong.


Now, no matter where I am, I always remember to lock my door. 

Have you had a creepy situation happen while traveling?

📩 Reply to this email - I want to hear your tales. 

Thanks for reading! See you next week! 

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