I've been living in the U.S. for 20 years. It's been over 15 years since I started running an auto repair shop.

I am an ordinary person making a living through auto repair in Palisades Park, New Jersey, commonly known as Pel-Pak.

I spend my days changing engine oil, replacing brake pads, and diagnosing cars with check engine lights from morning to evening.

However, sometimes when I talk to customers, I have a strange thought.

"How much do we really know about America while living here?"

This is a question I ask myself.

Many Koreans think they need to learn English first when they come to America.

Of course, that's true. But living here, I've realized that there's something even more important than English.

It's understanding the country of America itself.

In the auto shop, I meet all kinds of people.

An Italian-American police officer, a Puerto Rican firefighter, a Jewish lawyer, an Indian IT engineer, a Russian immigrant, and an African American truck driver.

When I first came to America, they all just looked like Americans to me.

But I soon learned that America is not just one country; it's a vast union of hundreds of cultures.

Even in New Jersey, people from Pel-Pak and South Jersey have different mindsets, and New Yorkers and Floridians often seem like they are from different countries.

If you live without knowing that, can you really say you understand America?

Once, a newly arrived immigrant came to my shop.

"Why are Americans so unfriendly to immigrants?"

I smiled and replied.

"Have you met all Americans?"

In fact, Americans are not unfriendly to immigrants or just people in general. It's just that their way of expressing things is different from Korea.

In Korea, relationships and emotions come first. In America, respect comes first.

So, they do not invade each other's personal space carelessly.

At first, it may feel cold, but over time, it can actually be more comfortable.

Cars are similar.

In Korea, having a car is convenient.

In America, in many areas, life itself can be difficult without a car.

Except for Manhattan in New York, most Americans spend a significant amount of their lives inside their cars.

They commute, shop, send their kids to school, travel, and even date.

So, for Americans, a car is not just a means of transportation.

It's an extension of their living space.

After 20 years of fixing cars, I've also noticed something.

When I look at a car, I can see a person's life.

People who keep their cars clean often have organized lives, and those who meticulously keep maintenance records tend to manage their finances well.

On the other hand, I've seen many people who procrastinate when problems arise, treating not only their cars but also other life issues similarly.

Interestingly, regardless of nationality, the way people live is ultimately quite similar.

Koreans, Americans, Mexicans, and Jews all worry about family, money, and health.

Though their appearances may differ, their core concerns are not that different.

So, these days, I want to tell young people this.

Living in America for a long time does not mean you understand it.

Being good at English does not mean you comprehend America.

You need to watch the news, learn history, understand why things differ by region, and meet people.

America is a much more complex and interesting country than you might think.

Sometimes, I watch people passing by my shop with a cup of coffee in hand.

Twenty years ago, I thought I understood America when I came from Korea.

But looking back now, I realize I knew almost nothing about America back then.

I'm still learning.

So these days, when someone pretends to be an expert on America after living here for a few years, I chuckle to myself.

America is so vast and diverse that you can't know it all just by living here for a few years.

In the end, it's true for people and for the country.

The most enduring individuals are those who humbly continue to learn.

I've been in auto repair for 20 years, but my study of America is still ongoing. I may never graduate from it.

But that's okay.

You need to know something to be a mayor. The more you learn about America, the more you realize how much you still don't know.