Moving back to one’s home country is usually an emotional decision, filled with hope and comfort. However, for a 26-year-old woman, the move has brought unexpected regret.
In a Reddit post, she wrote, “Heads up: rant ahead, because I genuinely don’t know what to feel anymore.”
Her move to India
She shared that she did most of her schooling in Singapore, a place she grew up loving. India, too, had always felt special to her so much so that she chose to return for her undergraduate studies. Later, she moved to London for her master’s degree and eventually started working there.
London, she said, had been her childhood dream. But due to reasons she now calls “pretty stupid in hindsight,” she left her job and the city she loved. Looking back, she believes this was the first big mistake.
A move that didn’t go as planned
After returning to Singapore, she joined an investment bank. But within six months, the team was dissolved. Since the work was being shifted to India and she had grown close to her colleagues, they encouraged her to move. She agreed, choosing comfort over pay, believing that being home in India would feel right.
Facing a difficult work culture
Three months into her new role in India, she says the reality is far from what she expected. She described the workplace as toxic, filled with heavy politics and a demanding boss culture very different from her experience in the UK.
“I miss the openness, the structure, and the respect for boundaries,” she wrote, adding that she now has to “justify taking a day off,” something she was not used to doing earlier.
Her biggest question now is whether she made a mistake by leaving London and even Singapore. She wonders if her struggles are just part of an adjustment period or a sign that she should consider moving back abroad. “Do you think I should apply back to UK & Europe?” she asked Redditors, ending her post with, “Just needed to let it out.”
‘Apply for roles in the UK & EU’
Redditors shared their opinion on the post. A user noted, “Apply for roles in the UK & EU, as I’m pretty sure you won’t like it here. You’ll regret every working day until you change your role, or apply to an indian subsidiary of a European company. It won’t be perfect, but miles ahead of where you are..”
Another added, “Yes go back. Your idea of India was a fantasised version. What you are seeing now is reality. Go back to Singapore or London.”
“That’s why whenever there’s a thing between emotions vs brain you should always choose 🧠 If you don’t have any aged parents better to leave,” stated a netizen.
“If you’re stuck in India for the time being, make sure you do not work for an Indian company or an Indian manager in a company with high concentration of Indians across the globe,” opined another.
“Go back if you can. For people like us, who’ve been fighting this culture since the first day of our work lives, it’s honestly exhausting,” wrote another.
(This story is based on a post shared by a social media user. The details, opinions, and statements quoted herein belong solely to the original poster and do not reflect the views of Financialexpress.com. We have not independently verified the claims.)
