- An Indian tech worker in the US plans to return home after eight years abroad
- He moved to the US in 2016 for studies and secured a tech job by 2018
- Financial lessons from "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" inspired his saving and investing habits
An Indian tech worker in the US is planning to return home after eight years, driven by a growing "craving for stability" and a desire for community. The unnamed techie shared his emotional journey and decision in a Reddit post, which has since gone viral. The Redditor mentioned that he relocated to the US in 2016 to pursue his master's degree and landed a job by 2018. He appreciated the opportunities he received, including a signing bonus in company stocks and robust visa support. However, he always harboured the aspiration to return to India someday.
"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," he wrote in the post.
He attributes the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad for transforming his financial perspective, inspiring him to save aggressively and focus on building passive income streams. He decided to utilise his resources to create multiple income streams. Over time, he adopted a minimalist lifestyle, avoided unnecessary expenses, shared housing with roommates, and made long-term investments.
Even after achieving financial security, he struggled with emotional disconnection. He disliked going to the office and looked forward to his annual month-long trip to India. He would cry before leaving India and found it tough to return to the US, describing it as the toughest time of his life.
After 2 years of pondering, I think I am ready to move
byu/New_Specialist_5339 inreturnToIndia
The pandemic marked a turning point, enabling him to adopt a nomadic lifestyle through remote work. "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 wrote.
As he approached his 30s, he began to prioritise stability over travel, driven by a growing desire for a more settled life. Inspired by India's startup culture, he decided to plan his return. However, he had to postpone the move twice due to financial uncertainties and unstable investments. However, over the past year, he made a deliberate effort to rectify his financial situation, stabilise his finances and build passive income to support his transition.
"And now I think I am ready; I am planning to talk to my company about a move to India. Even though I love NYC, and I would definitely miss it, 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," he added.
The Redditor shared how he would miss the walks in NYC parks, the vibrant cafe culture, and the city's energy. However, he felt that not making this move would trap him in a cycle, preventing him from pursuing what he truly wanted.
The techie's post resonated with many users on Reddit, with some sharing similar sentiments about returning to India. The post also sparked a debate, with some users cautioning him against leaving his stable life in the US, while others supported his decision.
