Student Shares 'Heartbreaking' Reality Of Returning To India After 5 Years in Canada

A 26-year-old student who returned to India after failing to secure Canadian permanent residency has shared the "heartbreaking" reality of their homecoming. Despite deeply missing family and friends during their five years abroad, the student faced a painful shift in their loved ones' behaviour for not achieving financial success.

Highlighting the lack of privacy and everyone poking in their business, the student said what hurt them the most was the behaviour of people towards them just because they were not earning currently.

"Everywhere I go, someone asks, “Why aren't you married yet?” or “When are you getting married?” I'm 26 years old, and it feels like that's all people care about," the user wrote in a Reddit post.

"But what hurts the most is how differently people treat you depending on whether you're earning. When I was in Canada, I sent money home every month. I took out a student loan, which I'm still paying back myself. I also sent money for my family's expenses and EMI payments every month. Back then, everything seemed fine."

Instead of receiving support, they were being constantly told that they didn't work hard enough to secure the residency and that they should have never left for Canada.

"The contrast in how people spoke to me when I was abroad versus how they treat me now is honestly heartbreaking. It feels like your value depends entirely on where you live and how much money you're bringing in," they said.

"Some days I catch myself thinking, “Maybe I should have just stayed in Canada illegally.” I know that's not the right answer, but that's how low I've been feeling."

Check The Viral Post Here:

After 5 years in Canada, I had to come back to India. I wasn't prepared for how different people would treat me.
by u/anasm17 in returnToIndia

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Social Media Reactions

As the post gained traction, social media users empathised with the individual and advised them to focus on what they wanted to pursue after returning.

"Only focus on what you wanted to do after returning. The words of others change very fast; if tomorrow you get a job with a good package, everyone would say you are an achiever," Said one user, while another added: "You are not alone in this. I recently came back home after 2 years in the US, and I've also noticed the mixed messaging from family when I was abroad versus now that I'm back."

A third commented: "I know how you feel. When I left my first job in 2018 to prepare for my master's applications, my mother used to taunt me every day to go out and earn and help the family rather than sitting at home and doing nothing."

A fourth said: "I'm very sorry. But unfortunately that's just how people are sometimes. Maybe getting some distance would help? A different city or an apartment perhaps?"