In 1986, I first set foot on American soil at the age of twenty.

After handling military service issues, I arrived in Dallas, Texas, with my parents and a few bags containing our entire lives.

That year, Korea was bustling with preparations for the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, and with the 1988 Seoul Olympics scheduled for two years later, the entire nation was excited. However, I was far removed from that exhilarating atmosphere, starting my future in the unfamiliar city of Dallas.

At that time, Dallas was much larger, wider, and above all, everything seemed so 'convenient' compared to what I had imagined. Not yet able to speak a word of English, I often found myself in a cultural shock just by driving around and observing.

And above all, the day I first visited the Walmart in Irving, a suburb of Dallas, is an unforgettable memory.

Back then, department stores in Seoul were places where you would ride escalators to look at expensive items, but this Walmart had a vast warehouse-like store with an enormous parking lot, and as soon as I walked in, the cool air conditioning hit my face. The sweat that had been pouring down under the Texas sun instantly disappeared.

Inside the Walmart, there were kitchen appliances that I could never have imagined at that time. Large TVs, record players, coffee makers, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, barbecue grills, toasters... These were items I had only seen in the homes of wealthy families in dramas, neatly displayed with affordable price tags. I remember being deeply impressed, thinking, "Here, even ordinary people use such good products." That day at Walmart, I felt a glimpse of a future that Korea had yet to reach.

Now, there are over about 70 Walmarts operating in the DFW area, but I remember there were only about three back then.

And until the 1990s, the Korean population in the Dallas area was not as large as it is now. The Korean population throughout Dallas was around 20,000 to 30,000, less than half of what it is today, and they mostly lived clustered around small businesses like churches, laundries, and markets. Korean markets were also small. Still, I often miss the times when we would eat together at church, sing praises, and laugh and chat while worrying about our children's education and listening to the latest Korean news.

Another unforgettable memory is the excitement surrounding the Asian Games held in Korea that year and the upcoming Olympics. Among the immigrants, there was a sense of pride that "our country has changed now" and "we are ready to step onto the world stage," and children proudly drew the Korean flag in church. Some recorded the Olympic broadcasts on video tapes to share, and some even teared up saying, "Korea is becoming a developed country."

At that time, I was still young, and the future seemed daunting, but thanks to those small and big moments of inspiration, I was able to endure. During the time when Korea was establishing its presence in the world through the Asian Games and the Olympics, I was learning how to live as an 'immigrant' in a completely different civilization called America.

Now I live in Atlanta. Moving here at over 50 opened another chapter in my life, and the nearly 30 years I spent in Dallas remain the brightest memories of my life. The foreigner who was amazed by the cool air conditioning of Walmart and the young person who quietly smiled with pride at the Asian Games still lives on somewhere in my heart.

Now, at 60, I feel pleased seeing Hyundai and Kia cars, which are now common on American freeways, and Samsung and LG products at Walmart, but the emotions from that time are still vivid. Under the sky of Dallas in 1986, I did not just step on American soil; I faced another possibility and dream of life.

And that inspiration continues to be the driving force in my life.