I have been living in Texas for about 25 years. I started living in Austin in my late 20s, and now I live in Dallas.

Because of this, I remember a time when Texas was not as popular among Koreans as it is now.

In between, I lived in New York and Boston for about a year combined and spent several long periods in California.

So when the topic of where is a good place to live in the U.S. comes up, I have my own thoughts on it.

Sometimes when I mention that I moved to Texas, people say things like this:

"Koreans who live all the way in Texas must have a great pioneer spirit."

However, after living here for over 25 years, my opinion is quite the opposite.

These days, many Koreans living in Texas are not here because of a strong pioneer spirit, but rather because they prefer a comfortable lifestyle, which is why they chose Texas.

If you really want to see a pioneer spirit, you should try living in New York or Boston.

At first, I thought New York was amazing. It's a world-class city with plenty to see and many people. But living there is completely different from just visiting as a tourist for a few days.

First of all, there are so many people. Whether you take the subway, walk down the street, or enter a restaurant, there are people everywhere. On top of that, you hear police cars, fire trucks, and ambulance sirens several times a day.

At first, I thought, "This is New York, after all," but after a few months, I wouldn't even turn my head when I heard the sirens. If I woke up to a fire truck siren in the early morning, I would just pull the blanket over me and go back to sleep.

Boston was no walk in the park either.

The city itself is really attractive. The old buildings are beautiful, there are many universities, and the atmosphere is nice. The problem is the winter.

When someone who has lived in Texas encounters a Boston winter, they briefly wonder why they are working hard to earn money just to suffer like this. Seeing people clearing snow off their cars and walking on icy roads to work makes me feel a sense of respect.

Thinking about those who live there for 10 or 20 years makes me feel a bit sorry for calling Texans pioneers.

California is impressive in a different way.

One thing I can't deny is the weather. Especially in Southern California, there are very few places that can compare.

But once you start looking at housing prices, you suddenly come back to reality.

Due to the high cost of living, it becomes a significant burden for an average worker to buy a house in a decent area. When you calculate car insurance and various living expenses, California turns from a cheap and nice place into an expensive and tough one.

So when I see people who endure and live in places like New York, Boston, and California for a long time, I think their mental strength is quite remarkable.

Beyond a pioneer spirit, they might even have what I would call a titanium mentality.

In comparison, life in Dallas is surprisingly simple.

You can drive around, and the parking lots are spacious. The houses are relatively large, and it's not unusual to find a house with a garage and backyard just a little outside the suburbs.

If you go towards Carrollton, there are Korean markets and many restaurants. If you want to eat seolleongtang, you can have seolleongtang, and if you want jajangmyeon, you can have jajangmyeon.

Most daily needs can be met with Korean hair salons, hospitals, dental clinics, insurance, and real estate.

It's also hard to overlook that Texas has no state income tax.

Ultimately, when you look closely at why people are coming to Texas these days, it is far from the idea of coming to challenge themselves in a new land like in the western expansion era.

They want a slightly larger house, convenient parking, a little less tax burden, and to eat Korean food nearby.

When you think about it, they are quite realistic people.

I, too, found complex cities exciting in my 20s. I liked places with lots of people and lights on late at night. But my thoughts have changed a lot since my mid-40s.

Now, I don't have to drive around looking for a parking spot when I go to the market, I can just park in front of a restaurant and go in, I don't have to listen to police and fire truck sirens all day, and I don't have to shovel snow every winter morning.

This is more than enough for me.

So when someone asks me if Korean Americans in Texas have a strong pioneer spirit, I just smile.

We are not people who came to pioneer the wilderness.

Rather, I think many of us settled in Texas after trying out different places in the U.S. and calculating whether it's worth the extra money to struggle.

Real pioneers might be living somewhere else.

Those who clear snow on freezing mornings, those who ride crowded subways every day, and those who endure high housing costs while saying, "But the weather is nice here," are the real pioneers.

Compared to them, I feel like I still lack the pioneer spirit while living in Dallas, searching for spacious parking lots.