In this day and age, almost everyone in your social circle wants to settle abroad. After the pandemic, especially, some of the highest numbers of student emigrants were from India. But not everyone is a fan of living abroad. An IITian couple who graduated from IIT Kharagpur and moved to the US for a few years shared their honest pros and cons of moving back to India after living in the US.
IITian Couple Share Honest Pros & Cons Of Moving Back To India
My wife and I made the decision of moving back to India from the US after completing our higher education.
We decided to dedicate our lives to building & researching technologies out of India for the world.
We recently completed 1 year of our stay here.
To all the Indian… https://t.co/zMKQ80VVmU pic.twitter.com/wFIermI1Ij
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
According to a thread recently shared by an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur on X (formerly known as Twitter), there are many pros and cons of both living in the US and in India. In the post, Nayrhit Bhattacharya, who is the co-founder of Gushwork, talks about his move back to India with his wife.
1/10
The ease and affordability of having a domestic help.
While I do worry about the of the cost of labour being cheap, the convenience is undeniable – an 15-20 extra hours each week as working couple is a luxury tough to imagine back in the US.
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
He starts with the ability to afford help. Hiring maids and servants is not really a custom in the US. Hence, being able to hire an extra set of hands helps in saving time. He then compared the traffic in the two countries. As per his observations, the two are relatively similar but in India, traffic jams are unpredictable as many motorists aren’t uniform in their driving.
2/10
Traffic in India is not necessarily worse than downtown NY/SF/CHI, but definitely much more irritating because of the unpredictable driving practices & multi-modal forms of transport which slows down the overall traffic.No clear solution for a few years to come.
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
He then said that quick commerce in India is quite unparalleled. The convenience it offers cannot be compared to services in the US like Instacart and DoorDash.
3/10
Digital convenience in India is on another level.Quick commerce delivers groceries/essentials in 10 minutes, food delivery is fast and efficient.
Sure, the US has Instacart & DoorDash, but the intra-city logistics here are far superior & efficient.
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
From Being Able To Afford Help To Lack Of Orderly Queues
4/10
Culturally, as an Indian, I found it challenging to make deep connections in the US—beyond coffee meetups, drinks, or the usual work/sports talk.
It is easier for me personally to form meaningful relationships and even rekindle old ones.
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
He also talked about the ease of digital payments in India. He compared UPI to Apple Pay and highlighted that UPI is completely free to use whereas Apple Pay is not. He then talked about the lack of orderly queues in India which is the standard in the US.
5/10
Digital payments here wins hands down.Apple Pay and UPI are comparable from user experience standpoint.
Real difference: UPI is free & a part of govt infra – where in Apple Pay, there is a 2%-7% of transaction volumed which flows into private players
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
The food was also a huge plus point in India. To his Indian palette, burgers and PB&J didn’t quite hit the same as dosas and biryanis.
6/10
One thing I miss about the US? The orderly queues.In India, lines at counters, coffee shops, security checks and QSRs can be really chaotic, sometimes very irritating.
It’s a bit of an adjustment at first, but you get used to it…eventually.
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
7/10
I am a foodie.
Coming back to Dosas & Biryanis from PB&J & Burgers is a relief.
Though – I do sometimes miss the variety of cheese, bread & desserts.
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
8/10
If you are an outdoorsy person, STAY in the US.If you cannot live without hiking, biking or love frequenting beaches, you will not be very happy here.
India, on the other hand, makes it incredibly convenient to stay, workout & find leisure in indoor activities.
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
9/10
India is still very judgemental of queer communities.Yes, there are hyper-urban pockets where it is fine.
But, mass India still is not very accepting of LGBTQ communities.
I am bullish though that this will change fast in the next 5 years.
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
10/10
Job market is tough in both countries but for different reasons.
You can get a job but to get a high-paying gig that can allow you an equivalent house & car here, it is not trivial.
Several of my friends who came back had to cut back on their lifestyles significantly.
— Nayrhit (@NayrhitB) August 20, 2024
Have you ever thought about moving abroad? Do you agree with this thread? Does it motivate or demotivate you to move abroad? Let us know in the comments section below!
Cover Image Credits: @NayrhitB/X (Formerly, Twitter)
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