It will take years before you'll be considered anything other than a visitor and you will never be truly accepted as a local.
I call Bullchit on that. Sure if your an azzhole maybe. Funny I have heard these very words from people when I lived in Hawaii, Louisiana, and Alabama. Never was the case in any of the places.
In my opinion you will have better chances at making it work in Southeast AK. Unless you want a 9 to 5 job. If you make it two or three years deckhanding you should be able to get a permit and boat no problem. It isn't rocket science just hard work.
