Finding a sense of community is one of the most important parts of feeling at home. In our home countries we know how to do that based on habits and cultural rules. We have the usual places we go and the usual things we do. As we move around from town to town we can usually recreate these experiences since we all share a culture and a language. However, when we move abroad all this changes. It becomes harder to find those centralized experiences that bring us together with others. This is why PIEF and their events are such an important part of our community here in Pyeongtaek. They give us a place to gather and build community. Two weeks ago they launched their latest gathering called the “Traditional School Celebration” and we went to check it out. We don’t have kids and we’ve seen just about all the cultural things there are in Korea so we weren’t exactly sure what we would get out of it, but doing all the things is what we signed up to do when we started this blog and then the app. So exhausted from our busy schedules and, honestly – less than enthusiastic – we set off. As usually, we enjoyed ourselves far more than we thought we would. Was it the coolest thing we have ever done in Korea? Nope. Was it packed full of experiences that changed our lives? Absolutely not. “So why did you love it?”, you might find yourself asking. We loved it because it was beautiful and community focused. We loved hanging out with our friends and watching kids play. We loved seeing local martial arts folks demonstrate their skills. We enjoyed making things in the tents and talking even more with our friends. We loved being outside. We loved slowing down and taking time to just be present in our community. We loved the fact it wasn’t too much, it was just enough and we didn’t have to run all over damnation to do it. We loved that this was just a super chill Saturday event that didn’t leave us exhausted. Parking was easy, the events are in a confined space, you can bring a picnic, and you can just relax and be entertained. If we had kids we would totally bring them here on Saturdays to run amok while we chat with our friends. This is what we need more of in our lives. Those Spiderman socks. It’s also just a very cool opportunity to have an up-close and personal look at how people in our area used to live. In Pyeongtaek there are only two traditional Korean schools that still exist. One is in a rural area kind of near Songtan, and the other just happens to be in the middle of Paengseong near Camp Humphreys (where this event is held). These schools are no longer used for regular classes, but instead host Confusion rituals throughout the year. So this is a pretty unique chance to be close the history. It’s a very unique opportunity PIEF has opened up for our community and I, personally, am very grateful for the experience. This event isn’t about hype, it’s about a wonderful healthy way to get out of the house and go meet people. Please, grab your kids, your friends, your date and just go spend a few hours here hanging out. Meet people. Start conversations. Make some friends. It’s the perfect place for it. WAZE PIN/ID: Buyong Elementary School You can download the South of Seoul App from:

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We love to be outside and spend most of our time outside, so avoiding smog is important. It’s true. The air quality this  year the air quality in Pyeongtaek is the worst we have seen in our seven years here. However, it hasn’t really been cramping our style too much because we have been testing out some handy air quality apps that help keep us headed to the best places to breath. That’s right, you can use your hand phone to avoid the worst air quality. Let’s talk about the myths of air quality and how understanding them can help you spend more time outside on the right days at the right times. MYTH 1: All Korea is smoggy. No reason to go anywhere this weekend. Korea is surrounded by ocean and covered in mountains. Heading an hour south, west or east can change everything. It’s nearly impossible (but has happened) for the ENTIRE country to be smoggy all at once. Sure the air quality is terrible in Seoul or Pyeongtaek or Busan,  or other major cities. However, it doesn’t mean that every inch of Korea is covered in smog. It means that cities and city adjacent areas are covered in smog. It also means it’s time to consider going to the beach, mountains, or islands for some outdoor time. Check your app so see where the low smog areas are and go there on the weekends. MYTH 2: The sky is blue today. The air must be perfect! (or vice versa) It’s also important to not that bad air quality isn’t always something you can see. Sometimes a beautiful blue day can be terrible. Also, low visibility doesn’t always mean bad air quality. This is ESPECIALLY true in Pyeongtaek in the spring and fall when temperatures from the ocean and the rice paddies are creating a lot of fog and mist. Just because it’s white out doesn’t mean it’s smoggy. It just means we have cold and warm air mixing. Check your app to see what the actual levels are. MYTH 3: I checked my app this morning. I better not go outside today. (or vice versa) Smog is in the air and the air is moving, especially in west Pyeongtaek where winds come off the ocean. Hour to hour the winds move smog around. It might be terrible in the morning and then cleared out by lunch time. Or the other way round.  It’s important to choose and app that gives you updates on big changes in air quality so you know immediately when things have gotten better or worse. MYTH 4: If it’s bad in Pyeongtaek City it must be bad in ALL of Pyeongtaek.  Not true at all. West Pyeongtaek tends to have far better air quality than downtown. It’s important to find an air quality app that has detailed information about the Pyeongtaek area so you know where the besting hiking trails or the best parks to hangout in for the day. Don’t stay inside just because it’s bad in your neighborhood. Check your app and head toward the best air. What we use: Air Matters The app that we are really loving right now for keeping informed about local air quality is Air Matters. We especially recommend using it with the Notifications turned on. As active people, we find it incredibly usefully to be immediately notified of the changes in air quality in our area. We also like the fact that this app allows us to track multiple areas in Pyeongtaek so that we are always aware of where we can go for a walk. Here are some screen shots from our favorite app so you can see how useful it is and maybe give it a try. We track multiple neighborhoods since we are out and about all day. Keep notifications on to always stay current. Area map helps you quickly see which way to go. Even though Bijeon was terrible in the morning, it was the place to be in the afternoon. You can download the South of Seoul App from:

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Nothing fancy, just a few links to some of our favorite FB Groups in Pyeongtaek. The expat community uses FB to connect, meet new friends, share information, and build relationships.

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Shabu Shabu (샤브샤브) is one of the most delicious things you can eat. Originally from China, but also famous in Japan, it is often called “hot pot”. In Korea it has many delightful variations that involve a fusion of different cultures. In the Pyeongtaek area we have eaten almost as much Shabu Shabu as we have eaten Budaejjigae so we’ve done our research. These are our favorite styles thus far, as well as our favorite place to eat each one. This list is in no particular order and summarizes our favorite places and styles.  Click through to the full blog for additional information and addresses. We are too lazy to put it all here. This is what we eat when we are craving crazy amounts of veggies. At this particular restaurant, you not only get veggie but you also have unlimited meat. So come hungry. Click here for full review. 1. Pumpkin Duck Shabu Shabu Go here hungry because the side dishes are a meal in themselves. You will be feasting on shaved pork and duck cooked in pumpkin. Then you will be left wondering how you lived before eating this meal. Click here for full review. 2. Seafood Shabu Shabu with Udon Sometimes we aren’t feeling like a lot of meat, so we choose seafood shabu shabu which is lighter… well, it would be lighter if we didn’t our body weight in side dishes. This particular restaurant is nice because the pot is split in half. So you can actually order pork and seafood at the same time and cook them separately. Click here for full review. 3. Beef Shabu Shabu with Homemade Noodles The full blog for this restaurant will come along in a few weeks, but it needed to be on this list. This restaurant does not serve side dishes with their shabu shabu, instead they rely on one of the most delicious broths I’ve ever tasted. This particular restaurant is a chain, but they are not all created equal. The one in Anjung-eup is one of the best meals I’ve ever had and non of the other versions of this chain come close. Since there isn’t a bigger blog for this yet. Here is the name and address. Name: 등촌칼국수 Address: 경기도 평택시 안중읍 안중로18번길 Nave Map: http://me2.do/5PqAbmnV

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If you enjoy spicy, garlic-y, comfort food this is your jam. Budaejjigae (부대찌개), often translated into Soldier Stew, is a spicy meat stew originally made from base scraps during the Korean War. It is now a very popular, hearty meal very popular on cold or rainy days. In our house, it’s a huge favorite and we have tried it across Korea. In the five years that we have searched for the perfect Budaejjigae, we have never found anything better than these three versions in Songtan.  Our top three choices are each uniquely delicious, but all share a richness in flavor that is hard to match. 김네집 (KimNaeJeep) – Walking distance from Osan Main Gate The most popular place in Songtan is 김네집 located in a back ally just off the main shopping strip in Songtan. Just before the train tracks you go right and then take another right into an alley that looks like it couldn’t possibly be a delicious restaurant. However, there is often a long line of people waiting to get it during lunch and dinner so go early if you want to be seated quickly. There are two floors, so just because downstairs is full doesn’t mean there is no seating. Check out additional imagines on this Korean blog. Address: 경기도 평택시 중앙시장로25번길 15 Street Address: 경기도 평택시 신장동 322-38 Phone Number: 031-666-3648 숯고개부대찌개 – Walking distance from Osan Main Gate This is actually our favorite location because it has more garlic than most.  Its located on the main shopping strip in Songtan past the train tracks on the left across from the auction house. Once again, this restaurant has two floors so check upstairs for seats as well. Street Address: 경기도 평택시 신장동 325-12Driving Address: 경기도 평택시 쇼핑로 39-1Telephone: 031-666-2768  송탄최네집 부대찌개 – Walking distance from City Hall / Lotte Cinema We love this version because it’s a little lighter than the first two and tastes very fresh. It’s nice in the summer when we feel like a little less garlic. The onions are also just delicious and a highlight. We have eaten a lot of Korean food so things like the quality of the onions stands out to us. They also have Dr. Pepper which is usual and a plus. You can see more photos on this Korean blog. This is a good location if you aren’t sure you are ready to go full garlic. Address: 경기도 평택시 경기대로 1401  Street Address: 서정동 779-3

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For all the lamb lovers out there, we actually have a few nice options in the area. I’m a huge fan of almost all of them. If you know of a great place for lamb in your area, please leave the address or phone number in the comments so that we can add it to the list. South African Braii Republic – Anjeong-ri Main Shopping Street Out Camp Humpherys Walking GateItalian Del Vino – Pyeongtaek Located near KB Bank Intersection. Indian Moti Mahal – Pyeongtaek, Anjeong-ri Swoyambhu – Pyeongtaek

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