After spending eight years in the United States, an Indian tech worker says he is now preparing to return to India, describing a growing “craving for stability” and a sense of community he feels is missing in American life. In a Reddit post titled “After 2 years of pondering, I think I am ready to move,” the user recounted how he built a financially secure life abroad but never felt emotionally rooted there.
An Indian techie recounted how he built a financially secure life abroad but never felt emotionally rooted there. (Unsplash/Representational image)
“In 2016, I moved to the US. I completed my master’s degree and secured a job in 2018. I was fortunate enough to join a great company that offered me a signing bonus in the form of stocks and provided excellent support throughout the visa process. I always had the goal of saving and investing as much as possible during this time and was constantly looking for ways to return to India,” the OP wrote.
Emotional struggles
He credited the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” for changing his financial mindset, saying it inspired him to save aggressively and focus on building passive income streams. “I decided to use all the money I could to build multiple income streams. Over the next 7-8 years, I diligently worked and saved, avoiding unnecessary expenses like cars, houses, and extravagant purchases. I even lived with roommates to save on rent and focused solely on investing,” he shared.
But even after financial security, the emotional disconnect remained. “I detested going to the office and eagerly anticipated the month I spent in India. I used to cry before leaving, and the thought of returning to the US was incredibly difficult. It was the toughest time of my life,” he said.
The pandemic, however, briefly changed everything. Remote work allowed him to travel and embrace a nomadic lifestyle. “I travelled extensively and had the best time ever. I started spending 3-4 months outside the US exploring different parts of the world, and my time back in India increased from one month to two or more,” he said.
(Also Read: ‘Hawaii never quite felt like home’: Man leaves stressful US job for slower, cheaper life in Vietnam)
The turning point
But turning 30 shifted his priorities again. “Instead of embracing nomadic travel, I developed a craving for stability,” he wrote, adding that he was increasingly inspired by India’s evolving startup culture and entrepreneurial environment.
Then, in 2024, he began planning a return to India, but delayed the move twice due to financial gaps and unstable investments. Over the past year, he said he “made a conscious effort to make a course correction”, stabilised his finances and built passive income that can support him through a transition.
“And now I think I am ready; I am planning to talk to my company about a move to India,” he said, admitting he will still miss parts of life in New York City. But he added, “I feel it does not have that sense of community, freedom to try new career’s and a sense of stability that I want and crave. I would honestly still want to go back and spend summers there but I feel now is time for me to make a move back home.”
“I feel if I do not make this decision, I will forever be stuck in this cycle and never be able to do what I truly want to,” he concluded.
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