Indians working abroad

[Alan]

Well, I'm an Indian working in India. But I have friends & relatives working abroad. I've always wondered why ppl actually go out to work- is it the money or the quality of work or the living conditions that drive u out of home?
Or do u hate India & her problems? Do u feel nostalgic about India?

I've never had the idea to work abroad though my GRE score was 720/800. I just wrote it for the heck of it..lol!

Ok, coming back to the point, there are fellow hubbers abroad- could you give me your opinion on why should you work abroad?



I'm sorry if this thread has already been done.

[Chappani]

Thats a nice topic to discuss.

I have worked for sometime in Singapore, in Germany, in switzerland and now back home in Bangalore.

For me the factors that drove me to work abroad are:-

1) My wife wanted to visit foreign countries. I was looking for a chance of going abroad. As I'am into software this was not very difficult and when I found one, I immediatly jumped into it.

2) Obviously there's lot of Money outside India. Your saving potential gets easily multiplied when you are abroad.

There are lot other factors like better quality of life, and better life style. But for me deep down my heart I felt that the life there was in-complete, there is something I lacked in the absence of my parents whom I loved a lot, My sister, my close relatives, my city etc... and this is one of the reason that drew me back to my Home town.

Opinions differ, from the people I met its mainly the money that drives most of them to work from abroad and for some the urge to see and stay abroad but this doesn't mean they hate their mother land, the nautral urge to see new places and meet new people.

[Alan]

Thankyou for the response, Chappani. So you went abroad after mariiage, is it? What are the problems you've encountered while abroad? If you don't mind discussing>

[ssanjinika]

Well...the reason Im in US is because I got married and my husband is here heheh..
No seriously one of the main reasons I wanted to live somwhere else is that I wanted to experience living in someother country and see how different it was from home.I love to travel and so does my husband..we are naturally curious people and want to experince various cultures.
Also the money doesnt harm us :P.Working in the US has definitely given me better work ethics and technology wise I feel you cant beat it.We afterall are in the software industry and technology is very important to us.
Having said all that do we wantto settle down here??Absolutely not!We are both only children for our parents and I found out the hard way a couple of months back how far we are from home.My father suddenly passed away..and I was stuck here.The 17 hours it took for me to fly home were the hardest 17 hours of my life.I NEVER EVER wantto go through something like that in my life again!When it comes to family on one side of the scale and money/culture/technology etc etc on the other..family wins hands down.No doubt about that.So as far as Im concerned family not being here is a big issue.

[solona]

Hi Alan,

Like Sanjinika, I too went abroad after my marriage to a NRI. I come from typical indian middle class family, I know what is to struggle and live without money and that too for middle class people. Every month end was tight. How many things I sacrified and cried because we were'nt able to afford. It is better to be either poor or rich, the middle class status is really horrible. There was always fights in the family wrt money, debts, budget, savings. I have never seen my mom and dad happy. even festivals were struggles, had to find money to make sweets, dress etc etc

It is easy for people who have money (enough) to judge the others telling that we seek for better lifestyle. But me, who knows the 2 ways of living can tell you that the the life I live now is nothing compared to what I lived in India. Not that I hated my life at home, I compare to the childhood my children have, I was a really unhappy child (even though my kids are'nt pampered)

BUT! DON'T THINK THAT I HATE MY COUNTRY! I love India, every time we go on holidays to India, I start getting depressed about the return date and yearn for the next trip. Here I have everything, I travel almost every year, but I MISS VERY BADLY MY COUNTRY. Same as Sanjinika, I missed my father's funeral because I was pregnant. I can't tell in words how it was horrible. My only aim is gain as much as possible invest in my country and come back. I even changed my hubby's mind who was so pro Indian. He has started thinking about living retirement in India.

Hope God enables me these things

Solona

[Alan]

Thanku for the input, ssanjinika & solona. I'm sorry to hear about both your fathers, though.

[Anoushka]

I moved to Ireland more than seven years ago, mainy because I wanted to see the world. Even though I was earning fairly ok in India I couldn't have travelled as much if I stayed there! I've nearly seen most of India and now most of Europe as well.

I go home twice a year. I can't say I miss anything much as I moved out of home years before I came here.

Each place has something positive and something negative and you can't compare it. I haven't decided what I want to do in the future, as of now I am happy here and that is what matters!

[Alan]

Thanku Anoushka for sharing your opinion.

Well, I'll reveal my real reason & dilemma for having started this thread later, after a few more responses :-)

[svasu_ani]

Hi,

I came to US after my marriage last year.. its gonna be an year. I missed every one in India.. but with technology (internet , voice chat webcam) my home sick was gone.. was able to speak daily with my family.
again with me becoming pregnant and no one was able to come, i felt bad and lonely. but with my husband by my side during child birth i was comfortable.. and now we hve become a family of 3 and are close knit.
life here is so peaceful,relaxed .. am not working am a home maker and have a good time with baby and my husband.

And one more advantage of being here in US is paying the utility bills..we dont hve to go in person for everything. jus pay it online....:)


Anitha

[rajraj]

And one more advantage of being here in US is paying the utility bills..we dont hve to go in person for everything. jus pay it online....:)
Anitha


Don't worry Anitha! You will have more bills to pay online or have it deducted from your checking/savings accounts. This country encourages living way beyond means! :lol:

[stranger]

Hi, life here is so peaceful,relaxed ..

That is what everyone thinks in the beginning! :)

[Anoushka]

Hi, life here is so peaceful,relaxed ..

That is what everyone thinks in the beginning! :)

Stranger: Athu enga ippadi sollreenga? Oru velai US vithayasamaga irukumo?

[stranger]

I am afraid in a "long run" one would not feel the same! The comfort and relaxing are not "free of cost"! :)

Anyway, I don't think Irish have anything like "ABCD"? :lol:

So, u dont have to worry, anou! :D

[rajraj]

Anyway, I don't think Irish have anything like "ABCD"? :lol:


They have/will have IBCD ! :lol:

[stranger]

:rotfl:

[Alan]

WEll, my real reason for starting this thread is to see whether ppl enjoy living abroad esp women.

My fiancee wants to go abroad & settle there. But being an Army Officer's son, I have some ideals- I cannot work for another nation. I don't mind going for visit but you need loads of money for that. I don't like to work or live abroad.

My fiancee is nagging me to the point of a break-up. I love her & don't want to call off the engagement but at the same time.............everytime we speak on the phone, she has to mention this at least once.

[stranger]

well, well, well, there is a song u remind me of:

"paRavaigaL palavidham ovvonRum oru vidham

paavaigaL palavidham ovvonRum oru vidham"

Anyway, Alan, if u r too "patriotic" and country means a lot to you, just find another girl. I am sure u have the potential! 8-)

[ssanjinika]

I feel thats jumping the gun a bit :P.

Why dont you try working abroad for sometime...just to see a different place.I am sure its the novelity thats driving your fiancee to nag you.Get a job abroad..stay for a couple of years then if you want to tell her see I tried it for your sake but Im happier in India lets please go back.She will also by that time come to realise that India is not a bad place to live.Afterall thats our country.
BTW who said that you wont be helping/working for India if you are abroad?I for one find that Im paying more attention to the growth of our nation after leaving the country.I try to contribute as much as I can to our economy by investing more.Also we try to take part in other social welfare activities like fund raising for the orphan children of our country and contributing generously to various NGOs of everymonth.All this I started doing only after coming here. Dont know if I would have thought about all this in India.

[Braandan]

I do not get any job matching my skill set in India.
Therefore my employer sends me abroad. There are cases like this also. It is not my choice. But wherever they send I work and live happily. This is my fourth country with my present employer. I have not had any problems till now.

[Sowmya]

Hi Alan
I 've been a silent spectator so far..but now after seeing your reason to start the thread I wanted to express my views..
Congrats! on your engagement and hats off to your strong principle of staying put in India though absolutely eligible to settle down abroad.
Your situation is a very delicate one..
but believe me.. as a couple only if both of you are hell bent on returning back to India after a few years of experiencing life abroad you should contemplate/initiate a trip abroad.The reason being.. even if one person wants to settle down abroad the other will automatically oblige considering the fact that the betterhalf is happy there + it also demonstrates the love and respect they have for each other.

The common reason for people opting to go abroad is initially a curiosity to see what the life style is in other countries(courtesy: inputs from friends and relatives abroad!),to make money,have fixed hours of work (as against what IT professionals in India experience)and finally opt to settle down cos the facilities and lifestyle is superior /better than India.

Of course women love living abroad especially so when everything related to India/ indian is available right from indian neighbours ,grocery stores to indian TV channels. :lol:

Regards
Sowmya :D

[Badri]

Not that one would want to come inbetween two people, considering the sensitivites involved, but if you don't have things in common, what's the point? I mean I understand, as Stranger has put it rightly, Paravaigal Pala vidham, ovvundrum oru vidham" (Birds are of different types, and each is unique) but at the same time, let us also remember that Birds of a feather flock together. If you guys want to be happy, then one of you has to compromise....

[lordstanher]

Altho I've been viewing this thread for quite a while, I havn't been able to log into the Hub until today.......!
Alan, I was (& still am!) in a situation similar to urs recently.......I've even lived abroad (Singapore) for a couple of years so from my personal experience I cud tell wat I'd missed there.....like u, even I was reluctant to go abroad in the 1st place......:D
Actually, my parents sent me to study there in 2003, hoping tat I wud finish my grad. & look for a job there, to ultimately settle down there- or go towards the West for further studies/job....& hehe let's be honest :D, had ne-one else from India been in my place most wud've luvd to do jus either of the 2! :wink: :lol2: (Not tat I'm trying to show off as a patriot or nething!)......
As 4 me, its jus tat there was sumthing abt living in a foreign (westernised) country tat din't really match my views/interests in life.....& no offence to ne-one but personally I jus cudn't agree w/ the idea of going all the way to sum foreign country for greener pastures & once settled down there, getting increasingly homesick/sentimental abt India/Ind. culture & thereafter striving to be "more Indian than those in India"......! :D
Plus I even want to marry a gal who's reasonably traditional & wat today's yuppies call as 'conservative' :D.......& I wasn't sure if we (esp. she) cud always maintain the same way of life/attitude in a totally different atmosphere in years to come.....(yes I know the situation is changing even in India- but not entirely! & evn otherwise we can be as cultural as/when we want in our own land as long as we want to! :wink: )
So I began to say to myself- well, if ur still so attached to ur home-country & r not willing/comfortable adjusting to a differnt atmosphere, stop moping & return to where u came from 4 good, asap!........& so I did in April this yr! :D
Neways, these r jus MY personal reasons for not wanting to go & live abroad........hope I get to share my life w/ a gal who shares my views! :D
I do know how u feel abt this not being the case between u & ur fiancee Alan! And its evn harder to break up if its a luv-marriage.....but I personally don't quite agree w/ sum of the others' suggestion abt going abroad (reluctantly) jus 4 a couple of yrs & then saying ok tats enuff, let's pack up & go back!
Wat if ur wife refuses to return evn after tat, saying tat 2 yrs is hardly enuff to've experienced life there or if she likes to live there forever whether u like it or not?? It'll only result in disharmony between the 2 of u then! Talk to her once again, giving her clear-cut explanations/reasons abt y u prefer living in India, wat is it tat u r content w/ here, & ask her if she can find the same- or even better- living abroad & not jus the money factor/NRI status! :wink: :D

[lordstanher]

The common reason for people opting to go abroad is initially a curiosity to see what the life style is in other countries(courtesy: inputs from friends and relatives abroad!)
Curiosity?? Really?? :D But if tats really a common reason, y go all the way abroad if its the US/Western countries for eg., as many of our ppl.- rite down to little tots- know enuff abt lifestyle/characteristics of ppl. in those countries evn while staying in India itself..... :lol2: :wink:
I may agree w/ ur 2nd reason (money + fixed hrs @ work) tho! :D


and finally opt to settle down cos the facilities and lifestyle is superior /better than India.
Hm....facilities yes, but not sure if the lifestyle nec. is superior/better than ours......? Or maybe tat depends on wat kind of lifestyle u crave for.......I know for a fact tat many of our youth find solace in the lifestyle abroad (esp. the fact tat u can remain single for as long as u want, w/out ur parents fretting/relatives picking abt when u intend to "get married & settle down in life"....or ur neighbours wondering whom u've been sneaking in to sleep over at ur house now & then...... :lol2: :lol2: )

[Sandeep]

For me it was Money and Curiosity first time. Second onwards it was purely Money.

I think everybody should go abroad for atleast short while as it gives you more exposure and the experiences you carry back home contribute to the nation's maturing.

Alan but your case is troublesome. You may want to know what your fiances interest in you is.

[lordstanher]

I think everybody should go abroad for atleast short while as it gives you more exposure and the experiences you carry back home contribute to the nation's maturing.

Hmm.......well, as for exposure & experiences, I've come across ppl. saying tat if u've lived in various parts of India, u've experienced living in the world! :wink: :lol2:
Um....as for ur last sentence, how many ppl. actually try & contribute to our nation's maturing once back home?? :?
For eg. I've known loads of ppl. who've lived abroad, following the local disciplines/rules as long s they r over there but once they get back to India its back to the same old ways!
Btw, where in Singapore r u living?? I lived at Farrer Park (near Little India!) initially, moving to Punggol later. :)

[Sandeep]

All I ment was we shouldnt be like 'the frog in well'.

Sure you get expo and exper as long you are alive (may be even after that - I dont know). Nation maturing is may not be done as a consious effort but a silent revolution is sure happening. But it is limited to a very small percentage of Indians and hense the effects not glaring.

I am staying at Pasir Ris and working near Suntec city

[Alan]

Thanku all for your input. I would love to give you individual replies but time is a big constraint here.

Well, yes, working abroad.............I'm slowly trying to like it. But one part of me ( the part that resists change) is not willing to abide by it........hmmm.........let's see how all this works out.

Regarding my fiance, she is my Uncle's daughter & my childhood sweetheart......................so, though I mentioned the word "break- up", I didn't really mean it.
Thanks all, once again. I'll get back to you .

[sivajayan]

You don't have to be afraid of working in another country. They, the foreigners also cook with water. Only the way of cooking is different.

And Alan, you are working for a company and not serve a foreign country. Well, you are a slave there but as long as you don't run your own stuff you remain a slave, even in India!

Your fiancee is your cousin? Are your parents also cousins?

[Alan]

No, my parents aren't cousins. Well, regarding my cousin being a wife-to-be, is another long story............a romantic one with a happy ending, lol! :-) Will tell u sometime.