For many NRIs, it is always a dream to return to their motherland after achieving their dreams and also earning substantial savings.
A social media post on Reddit of a young woman resonates this emotion. In 2021, a 26-year-old woman from India packed her bags and moved to the United States to pursue higher education, a path familiar to many young professionals chasing the promise of opportunity abroad.
After completing her Master’s degree in May 2023, she transitioned smoothly into the American workforce, working as a software engineer for the past two and a half years.
First on OPT, now on an H-1B visa, she appears, on paper, to be living the dream.
Why does she want to move back?
Beneath the surface, the journey has been anything but simple. Now working full-time, she finds herself questioning if the cost of staying, emotionally, mentally, and financially, is worth it.
In the post, she opens up about the growing weight of long-distance love, visa pressures, and a life that feels increasingly disconnected from what she once imagined.
Her boyfriend, still based in India, had long hoped to join her in the US, but financial hurdles delayed his plans.
Now, as he is finally in a position to consider moving, the reality of starting over amid a volatile job market, immigration stress, and limited social support, is giving them both pause.
“The amount of stress the whole job market and visa uncertainty brings… it just doesn’t seem worth the hassle for him,” she wrote. “Even friendships here seem very superficial.”
She admits she has begun to reconsider her own path. “It would be much simpler for me to move back. I’ll earn less, but at least have some peace of mind.”
While the pay scale in India may not match her current earnings, she is beginning to weigh what’s more valuable: money or mental well-being.
But like many immigrants standing at the same crossroads, the idea of moving back is not without confusion. “I have no idea what moving back would involve,” she admits.
“I’ve only just started out in my career, and I don’t know what kind of salary I’ll be able to land there.”
‘Returning can be exhausting’
Netizens posted their comments on the post. “I think it would be better to move back. I can understand that living standard is high here but what is the point if you are stressed all the time about your status,” noted a user.
A netizen explained, “Before considering a move back to India, it’s important to acknowledge some changes and differences—not as criticism, but as preparation. India can feel louder than what you’re used to abroad, and adjusting to that may take time, as constant noise can be draining. Customer service may also come across as less polite compared to the U.S., which can be jarring at first. Keep in mind that India has evolved over the past few years, and so have your friends—you may not find things exactly as you left them. There will be days when you question your decision, but staying close to family and remembering why you moved can help you stay grounded. With time, things will fall into place.”
“Not a lot has changed in the past 4 years. I wonder what’s the objective of this post. If you’ve lived in India for 22 years, you know what it’s like. If you’re looking for relationship advice, then that’s a different matter,” claimed another user.
“Honestly i am here from past 2 months and i haven’t made a single friend. Sometimes its like how alone i am here and back in india it was i had group of 15 people. I don’t know what is situation here everyone is like busy and like in their own world. I also see people talking about how quiet here it is here but what is point of that you can peace wherever you want. Honestly its kinda depressing as well,” added a netizen.
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