After six years of living a structured, independent life in Canada, a 31-year-old man has shared a candid and emotional account of what it’s been like to move back to India, and why the transition hasn’t been easy. In a Reddit post that quickly gained traction before being deleted, he opened up about the challenges he’s faced since leaving Toronto and settling in Dehradun with his parents. Originally from Delhi, he returned to be closer to family and for personal reasons. It is not a decision he regrets, but one that’s come with its fair share of struggles. “I’m a 31M, originally from Delhi, and spent about 6 years in Canada for work Last year, I moved back to India to be closer to family due to some personal reasons,” he wrote. “While I really value being close to my family again and, of course, enjoying the food, almost everything else feels off.” His post, titled "Moved back to India after 6 years in Canada - struggling to adjust. How do I improve quality of life here?" struck a nerve with many Indians who’ve made the reverse journey - coming back home after spending years abroad. He detailed the difficulty of finding meaningful work, the lack of a social circle, and the general mismatch between his current lifestyle and the one he left behind. “Most of my friends are abroad. I’m struggling to find meaningful or well-paying work. The lifestyle, weather, and everyday chaos make it hard to stay motivated,” he shared. “One feels familiar but frustrating, and the other (Canada) was lonelier but came with structure, independence, and better systems," he wrote in the post. See the post: The post sparked an outpouring of empathy, advice, and tough love from others who had faced similar decisions. One commenter, who had themselves moved back after spending 15 years in the United States, encouraged the man to be patient, sharing that it took them more than a year and a half to fully adapt to life in India again. Another user commented, “It is the case for almost EVERYONE who returns after some years of living in the West, or even Far East! My solution, if you can afford it, is to focus on getting meaningful job that lets you work remote and visit nearby countries for a change of scene for at least 3mos at a time (e.g. Singapore, Bangkok, Bali, UAE) where you can "recharge" and return for 9mos of chaos each year.” A third user wrote, “You adjust the same way you adjusted to Canada when you moved there. It's just that the adjustment phase came easy and effortlessly since you were probably excited to live a western lifestyle as an NRI. If you accept india as your home, you should be able to adjust easily. If you keep comparing your NRI life to the one you have now, you will find it hard to adjust. Give it some time and you will be adjusted in no time.” A fourth person suggested, “All I can say is after you have "adjusted", what you have done is compromised with life. There are no second thoughts about much better quality of life, no mad rat race for kids, civic sense etc. in Canada. Being with family for a few years vs yours and kid`s future ahead. Your choice. Absolutely move back.”
