That's the Thing About Bears. They WILL Eat You.

I was rushing like mad today trying to get everything done as fast as possible so I could catch my 10:30 bus to Busan for some three day weekend adventures at the beach. They handed me another class today so it really cut into my plan and the time was running close. There was also another unexpected distraction.

ivleague was actually talking to me. He decided to tough it out, man up and sit down at the computer next to my desk. Every few minutes he would look up and say something and each time he held eye contact for just a little bit longer. He wasn't asking easy questions, so I had to stop what I was doing to chat and play nice. Okay thats cool. But get off the computer.

He finally caught the psychic 'shut up''s I was sending out and stood up to walk out again. I was up and on the computer before he could change his mind, and lucky I did, too. He didn't even make it to the door. Turns out he wasn't interested in the computer anyway. Unlucky. He still wanted to try out whatever Ruby and Grunter had told him about human social interaction. He wasn't quite getting it right.

Stop correcting everything I say. Obviously if I wanted that, I would talk to you. Stop butting into my conversations. And get back over to your side of the room. He had all week to try out this casual conversation thing. It was too late. I had to catch a bus. He can have another go on Monday.

I managed to catch the bus and decided Narky might not be so bad after all. He called a few minutes before the bus took off to make sure that we were on with no problems. He also helped me buy the tickets. I don't think he's told Ruby I have a phone either. I haven't been called on a weekend, yet.

I know, I know. They're sucking me in again. But it's not them, really. Just Narky. He's been standing up to Ruby lately and really pissing her off. If I could understand Korean, I imagine I would hear something like this:

"Narky! Do this! Do that! You smell! My name is Ruby."
"No. Don't wanna."
"Do it!!"
"NO, DON'T WANNA-A-A-A!"- this part is really whiney. Like a three year old who isn't getting what he wants.
"Who gave you a job? Huh? Who let you buy a car? Was it you? No. It was me. Ruby."
Narky stalks away.
"mumble mumble... don't tell me what to do...mumb-"
"What was that?!"
"NOTHIIIING!!!"

So he hasn't actually been able to beat her yet, but hey, at least it's a start. I foresee a midnight run in the next few months. Ruby's starting to interfere with his love life. Saturday working means no weekend social life. I wonder where Korean teachers run when they flee into the night...

Anyways, New Guy and I got to Busan super late and had to catch a cab out to Haeundae Beach. Man, that was one long cab ride. After about 10 minutes neither New Guy nor I were able to communicate rationally or coherently. We were talking about all kinds of stupid stuff including- but certainly not limited to- what gets lost in translation, scuba diving, and the different kinds of animals that will eat humans.

Bull sharks will bite you, but probably won't eat all of you. "Yuck. Tastes Bad."
Grizzly Man. "That's the thing about bears. They WILL eat you."
Crocs and gators will kill you and save you for eating later. "They eat all kinds of weird stuff."

He says pirana wont. I disagree.

We get to Haeundae Beach and find out that our cab driver speaks English really well. Eggcellent. But he had no idea where our hotel was. Paradia. Par-AH-dia? Para-DEE-uh?

"Ahh... yes. Different pronunciations." ...He's not gonna take us to the right place, is he? No. He is not. He pulls into a hotel about a block over.
"I pronounce it 'Paradise.'" Oh do you now?

I called Teresa from the hotel parking lot and luckily she could see the next hotel over from her window. We walk out to the meet up point. Before we even get there, I have forgotten what she said the meeting place was. It was late and I was tired and New Guy should have been eavesdropping. So I had to call her back.

The room was really cool, but only two beds. We rock-paper-scissored to be fair. Lost rock-paper-scissors and had to share a bed. Not that it mattered. I suspect that even if I had won I still would've been bullied into sharing. New Guy and Teresa aren't bed sharing close, yet.

We couldn't figure out how to turn off all of the lights. There was one switch in the room and it didn't turn everything off. We ended up just taking the key out of the spot by the door. Taking it out turns out the lights and shuts off the air conditioner. It was hot. And humid. We need to ask about the light thing tomorrow.