A story of life in Anchorage seen through the eyes of an immigrant who lived in Seattle for 10 years and Alaska for 5 years.

Sometimes, as I look at the snow-capped mountains beyond the airport runway on my way home, I think to myself.

"How did I end up here?"

I came to the U.S. on a family-sponsored visa. The first place I settled was Seattle, Washington.

After finishing my military service in Korea and coming to the U.S., I started my life here, and back in 2009, Seattle was a great city for immigrants.

The cost of living was reasonable, there were Korean markets, and it was easy to find churches or community gatherings. I believe there's no better place than Seattle to adapt to life in America.

At that time, I was making a decent living working in logistics, which my father was involved in.

Before I knew it, ten years had flown by in Seattle.

However, I also felt a desire to take on a new challenge.

During this time, I heard about Alaska through a friend's introduction.

At first, I laughed.

"Alaska?"

But looking back now, that decision completely changed the direction of my life.

When I first arrived in Anchorage, I honestly felt lost.

It wasn't like Seattle, where there was a large Korean community, and there weren't many Koreans around.

As I stepped outside the airport, the air felt different. The vibe of the city was completely different.

If Seattle is a sophisticated city, Anchorage felt rough but honest.

For the first two years, I worked at a restaurant through a relative's introduction.

There were many days I worked from dawn until night. I did everything from washing dishes to preparing ingredients, cleaning, and cooking.

At that time, I found the work uninteresting and thought a few times, "Did I come here for nothing?"

Especially in winter, it was even more so.

Outside it was freezing, but the kitchen was hot, and when I finished work and stepped outside, I was back in an icy world.

Still, I persevered. I had the mindset that if I could endure in the military, I could handle this too, and isn't that what immigrant life is all about?

Then an opportunity came.

I am currently working for a large logistics company in the U.S.

Anchorage International Airport is much more important than I initially thought. It is a global cargo hub connecting Asia and North America.

Large cargo planes come and go all day, and logistics operates non-stop for over 20 hours.

Sometimes, while working at the airport, I find it fascinating.

The fact that the items we order online and countless cargo traveling between the U.S. and Asia pass through this place.

Above all, I am most satisfied with the job's stability.

Benefits like health insurance, vacation, and retirement plans are well established, allowing me to plan for the future.

My life has stabilized to an extent that is incomparable to when I worked in a restaurant.

Another advantage of living in Anchorage is nature.

The scenery I see on my way home looks like a postcard.

Seattle is beautiful, but Alaska's scale is entirely different. Snow-capped mountains, forests, the ocean, and glaciers are all nearby.

Instead of a complicated urban life, nature becomes a part of life.

And living in Alaska comes with some nice perks, like the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD).

When I first received it, I was amazed. My friends couldn't believe it when I told them.

"The state government gives you money?"

To be precise, it's a system that distributes a portion of Alaska's oil revenue to residents.

Now that I've been living in Alaska for five years, I've gotten used to receiving this dividend.

Of course, the amount varies each year. Some years it's quite a bit, and other years it's less.

Last year, I received about a thousand dollars.

It's not a huge amount, but it helps a lot with paying the electric bill and buying winter supplies.

It's a benefit that doesn't exist in other states, so it's news that Alaskans keep an eye on every year.

Of course, there are downsides.

The hardest part is winter.

It's really long.

It's different from the winter I experienced in Korea. The sun sets by 4 PM, and it gets light late in the morning.

There are days when it feels like I hardly see the sunlight.

People living alone may feel quite lonely.

Also, the Korean infrastructure is lacking compared to Seattle.

In Seattle, if I craved Korean food, I could go anytime, but here, there aren't many options.

The cost of living is also relatively high because most goods have to be brought in from the mainland.

Still, I am satisfied with my current life.

If my ten years in Seattle were a time to adapt to life in America, I believe my five years in Alaska have made me stronger.

It's not a glamorous city life.

But it's a place where you are rewarded for your honest work and can focus on your own life rather than complicated competition.

If someone were to ask me, "Is living in Alaska worth it?" I would say this.

It's not easy, but for those who live quietly, it's a place that's better than you might think.