Expat Life Hack Tip: Hey Hey Friends

So, when I took over my new job 

the outgoing teacher turned me on to a great website 

called Hey Hey Friends. 

This website is great for:

WORK

TV shows with Korean subtitles for classes

PLAY

Watching US tv shows without a VPN

www.heyheyfriends.com

Pumpkin Duck

 

 Pyeongtaek Restaurants

That we love

Where to Go: Pumpkin Duck Shabu Shabu 호박오리

 

This is one of our top three meals to eat in Korea.  Every time we go we think, "Maybe this is the best food ever".  First you eat shabu shabu with numerous fantastic sides. Then they bring out the roasted duck in a bed of roasted pumpkin, at which point you die and go to heaven.  Honestly, just get in your car and go.  Don't even waste your time reading the rest of this, just put down what you are doing and go eat.

 

In addition to being wildly delicious, it’s crazy affordable.  Between $15-$20 per person depending on group size.  If you don't like this place, basically, we can't be friends.  It's as close as you can come to the perfect meal.

 Pro Tip: Go with a group and just order the set.  It will be too much food and you will be delighted. The menús are not in English.  The set menu is on the top left side and there are two options based on the number of people in your party.

Address: Look for a big orange sign with a duck on it.

네이버 지도]
호박오리샤브샤브 031-667-2372
경기도 평택시 장안동 192
http://me2.do/5KTSea9M

  

 

P.S. Now I am hungry 

and desperate for duck. ㅠㅠ

Country Cooking

Best Meal in Town

Pyeongtaek Restaurants

That we love

Where to Go: JJ's American Restaurant Angeong-ri

Since moving to Korea The Harri-bou-bou, a born and raised Southerner, has been withering away without his BBQ sandwiches, while I have been crying myself to sleep over the lack of plantains in my life.  Then, out of the blue, our lives were changed when we found JJ's American Diner.  After four years without the taste of soul food, our hearts have found a home.

We originally tried it on a whim, because Braii Republic was closed and JJ's isn't far away.  To be honest, we had very, very low expectations since it advertises itself as an "American" restaurant which usually means either weird food or tasteless food.  Needless to say, we have never been so glad to be soooooooooo wrong.  Thus far, we haven't had any bad experiences at JJ's and we eat there a lot.  The food is fan-flippen-tastic.  Like, no joke.  Usually we stick to the pulled pork sandwiches, but last week The Harri-bou-bou went crazy and ordered the Macaroni and Cheese with Pulled Pork Panini. Mind blown.  We also had a sample of some country fried chicken they are working on, it was wonderful. 

 

Personally though, it's the Fried Dill Pickles and the Fried Plantains that make me get in the car and drive 20 minutes every week..  Just be warned, the plaintains will set you back a pretty penny, but if you are dying for the unique flavor it's totally worth it.

 

Pro Tip: If you like spicy then they have a special BBQ sauce you can order on the side, or on the sandwich.  This is my preference.  Also, they usually close for a short time between lunch and dinner so come before 2 and after 5.  Oh, and this isn't fast food, it's delicious food so just chill out and wait.

Address: New Camp Humphry's Main Gate.  Look for the building painted like an American flag.

 

Fried Dill Pickles

Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwhich

Fried Plaintains

Look for this.

No Way Around It

Four years together.

Can't believe we are saying goodbye

to so many of the original cast.

Spreading love and good from
one hemisphere to another.
Rob and Kolene, we will miss you.
You changed lives,
and you will change many more.

Until we meet again...

Plugging In

Songtan Language Exchange

Two of the most daunting aspects of living abroad:

1 ) the language

2 ) making friends

A great way to kill these two birds with one stone is to join a language exchange.  You aren't going to become fluent in a language by doing this, but you are going to meet people and become more comfortable in your new country.  You also might pick-up a few useful phrases here and there.  Groups usually have scheduled meetings as well as special events and nights out.

Of course, not every language exchange group is the same.  

Some are big, some are small. 

Some focus on learning, some focus on play.

Some are formal, some are free flowing.

You just have to decide what you are looking for.

Here are a few options near the Pyeongtaek area.

Songtan Language Exchange

Saturdays 11am - 1pm

Pyeongtaek Language Exchange

Monday 7:00pm

Osan Language Exchange

Wednesday 6:30 or 7:00ish

(Anjeongri) JJ's Cafe Language Exchange
Wednesday (check their group

Normally I don't encourage comments, but in this case, please feel free to add a group to the comments or tell us which group you attend and why you love it.