Returning to your homeland after so many years abroad may lead to a mix of emotions. Many of us who experienced repatriating can easily feel that happiness and familiarity while meeting our loved ones. While at the same time, there might be a sense of sadness, or a sense of complete change may arise within them. 

Gushwork co-founder Nayrhit Bhattacharya and his wife, Rashita Das, decided to relocate to India after staying in the United States for some time. Recently, the couple posted a thread on social media, sharing differences they observed while moving back to their homeland, India. 

The couple graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur back in 2016 and moved to the US to pursue higher education. With the presence of his company, Gushwork, in India and the US, Nayrhit divided his time, while his wife, Rashita, worked as a tenure-track assistant professor in aerospace engineering at IISc Bengaluru. 

Gushwork is an IT company based in India and the United States and is specialized in AI-powered marketing and business process outsourcing (BPO). The company offers a wide range of services to help other businesses and entrepreneurs grow and manage complex workflows. 

Meanwhile, after moving back and staying in their homeland, India, for around one year, the couple noted several differences between the two countries involving different lifestyles, routines, cultures, personal and professional, etc., on their official X handle (formerly Twitter). 

“To all the Indian 20–40-year-olds who are contemplating their move back to India but are filled with uncertainties, this is an honest compilation of 10 differences we observed after our move back here!” Nayrhit added in his latest tweet. 

Here’s what the couple observed after moving back to India: 

Domestic Help and Extra Hours to Spend 

The first major difference the couple observed between India and the US is the cost of domestic and house help in India, which is quite cheaper as compared to the US. 

“While I do worry about the cost of labor being cheap, the convenience is undeniable—15–20 extra hours each week as working a couple is a luxury tough to imagine back in the US,” Nayrhit mentioned in a tweet.

Traffic Management 

Although the couple didn’t find the traffic in India worse than in New York and San Francisco, they were seen little upset with it. “Traffic in India is not necessarily worse than downtown NY/SF/CHI, but definitely much more irritating because of the unpredictable driving practices and multi-modal forms of transport, which slow down the overall traffic,” he noted. 

Digital Convenience 

In terms of digital convenience, the couple found that India is far superior as compared to the US, having quick commercial e-platforms that can deliver all your necessities, like groceries, within just 10 minutes. 

“Digital convenience in India is on another level. Quick Commerce delivers groceries and essentials in 10 minutes; food delivery is fast and efficient. Sure, the US has Instacart and DoorDash, but the intra-city logistics here are far superior and efficient,” said Nayrhit. 

Culture 

The couple further found that it was a bit challenging for them to form connections in the US. The Gushwork cofounder underlined that it is easier for me personally to form meaningful relationships and even rekindle old ones. 

Digital Payments 

Highlighting the superiority of e-payment applications like UPI and Apple Pay, he wrote, “Digital convenience in India is on another level. Quick Commerce delivers groceries and essentials in 10 minutes; food delivery is fast and efficient. Sure, the US has Instacart and DoorDash, but the intra-city logistics here are far superior and efficient.” 

Food 

In terms of food, the couple has a big sense of relief now; the co-founder said, “Coming back to Dosas and Biryanis from PB&J & Burgers is a relief.” However, they sometimes did miss the variety of cheese, bread, and desserts. 

Orderly queues 

The couple loved many things on moving back to India again, though they do miss one thing about the US, the orderly queues. “In India, lines at counters, coffee shops, security checks and QSRs can be really chaotic, sometimes very irritating,” they said. 

Outdoor Activities 

The couple also shared another advantage of staying in US over India, as they said, “if you cannot live without hiking, biking or love frequenting beaches, you will not be very happy” in India. 

LGBTQ Friendly 

Being familiar to the fact, that India has a long way to go when it comes to LGBTQ acceptance. “Yes, there are hyper-urban pockets where it is fine. But mass India still is not very accepting of LGBTQ communities,” said Nayrhit , while hoping for seeing change in the upcoming years. 

Job Market 

The couple further said that the job market is still tough in both the countries, “you can get a job but to get a high-paying gig that can allow you an equivalent house and car here, it is not trivial. Several of my friends who came back must cut down on their lifestyle significantly,” the couple added.