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‘India is not for us’: Gujarat Redditor lists 11 reasons for moving back to Canada after a year

In the post, they said the decision to relocate to India, choosing it over Dubai, was made to be closer to parents. But the reality turned out to be far from what they had hoped.

The post triggered an intense debate on Reddit

Leaving behind a life in Canada to reconnect with family in India sounded like the right move — until it wasn’t. That’s the experience one Reddit user from Navsari, Gujarat, who posts under the handle @Economy_Push_8886, shared in a candid post titled “Moving back to Canada from India, India is not for us.”

After a year of trying to settle down, they’ve decided to return to Canada. And behind the decision is a long list of frustrations with everyday life in India.

The Redditor wrote that the move was intended to be closer to their parents and was chosen even over Dubai. But reality turned out far from what they had hoped. “Poor air quality” left their eyes burning and trapped indoors. Dining out, they claimed, felt unsafe due to “low-quality ingredients and unhygienic kitchens,” while driving became a “daily battle” with reckless behaviour, bad roads, and road rage.

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They also listed systemic and social issues — festival noise, caste dynamics, political tensions, social competition, drugs and gambling among youth, costly schooling, and steep taxation. “33% income tax for what? If you are successful and make 1Cr a year, you are paying 1/3 to income tax for exactly what services?” they asked. Competition, show-off culture, and inflated egos, they added, finally sealed their decision to leave.

Check out the post:

Moving back to canada from india, India is not for us.
byu/Economy_Push_8886 inbacktoindia

The post triggered an intense debate on Reddit. Some readers empathised, sharing their own frustrations with pollution, hygiene and infrastructure. One of the users commented, “But the grass is always greener on the other side, right?” Another user wrote, “I mean in such a large country you don’t specify where exactly you moved so doesn’t make sense. Unlike Canada, India is a lot varied.”

Also Read | ‘Can’t even get 3.5 LPA’: Redditor who applied for over 100 jobs highlights harsh truth of India’s job market

Others supported the original poster’s choice. A third person commented, “You are talking about physical comfort and material life. Definitely Canada or any other country will be better. India is for Indians by soul not connected by comforts.I won’t blame you but that’s life in India.”

A fourth individual wrote, “Once you are used to a higher quality life in a developed nation, it is very difficult to adjust to conditions back home. Follow what you prefer and live the life you want to live.”