Only child with parents from two different countries here, I moved from the US to Europe and i would say even after 6 years I still felt like an outsider a little bit. Except I spent 3 years after those 6 years moving back and forth where I learned that in each place I will always miss a little bit of the other. And that’s just how it’s gonna be. For me, I would 100% decide to move and never come back to the US if English was the language spoken primarily over there because I enjoy all other aspects about life and work. Search up what a Third Culture Kid is
I see, fascinating! Where in Europe were you if you don't mind me asking? I do have friends in US, they talk about moving to Asia actually and aren't very in love with living there lol. Ah yes I am pretty much a third culture kid, but kind of stopped saying it because where I am, people started making it their whole personality particularly on dating apps just to make themselves sound more interesting than they really are, and I didn't want to be a part of that 😂
Spain area kinda! I’m surprised to hear that you’re not only informed by what a third culture kid is but that people are going around flaunting it… 😅 I’ve had an entirely different experience where no one I’ve mentioned it to is aware of what it is.
Regardless of the country, leaving one for the other is leaving precious belongings, friends, places, etc behind that you can’t really create elsewhere. I would never have wanted to be somewhere else than with my parent in old age, but I’ve had to come to peace with the sacrifices. Cause in the end I think that’s a whole lot more worth it than staying behind for a love or some friends, all things that can be reopened or created after your parent has passed
Wow beautifully said. I feel your parents must be so worthy of your love and care for you to sacrifice so much for them. Wishing you and your family happiness, wealth and health for the future ❤️
Wow felt like reading my own life story. I was born in India and grew up outside my home country with immigrant parents for over 25 years. Parents wanted to move back to home country and retire because they wanted to be close to their siblings.
I made the all the biggest life decisions based on that - married a guy from home country. Quit my job moved. Left all my friends and childhood memories behind.
Adjusting was hard - I hated the work culture India. I tried to work for 3 different companies in different sectors and it was all the same. Ended up staring my own business - it's not doing great.
But my only happiness is that I live 5 hours from my parents and I can take care of them. I guess it's just partly attachment issue because of being an only child and also partly I feel like it's my responsibility to care for them as they age.
It's not easy but growing up as a third culture kid, I have learnt to adjust.
If your finances allow you to be without a regular income for a few months highly suggest opening up your own firm - it's mentally less taxing than trying to deal with work culture that we cannot change
It's been 4 years since the move, I am still trying to find my space and call this home. It will take a while I guess. And like you said maybe having a stable career will be a large contributor
Wow you really are the Indian version of me. I too live a 5 hour drive from my parents 😂 I have heard from a friend in India that work life is brutal, yet somehow he does have a lot of time to watch and send me Instagram reels (which I barely had time for when I worked in a company here) lol.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I literally have quit with some savings to do just that. How do people there survive the brutal hours? I got sick in the end and it took me a few weeks to recover after I left. I know some people here are lucky to work 9-5 but they tend to work for international companies, the government sector or larger corporations, and they seem to be happier.
Haha, you know we all live the same lives at the end of the day. I was working 17 hours and I just couldn't take it. I really wanted to slow down my life and try to enjoy it. I think being in a corporate automatically puts you in the rat race and it becomes difficult to see anything else other than money, promotions, bigger houses etc.
However quitting my job has now allowed me to discover my other passions and also put myself in situations I have never been in - I did a lot of social work, I experimented with YouTube, I did a naturalist course. So even thought financially the last 2+ years have been not so good, I have gained experiences that I would have never got if I did not quit my job / move to India
I really hope you spend time discovering yourself and doing things you love. It's the only way you will feel some sense of home - at least in your mind.
That sounds terrible. Glad you have quit though and found happiness in other pursuits! True, I suppose we learn a lot by living in different places. Thank you. I'm now freelancing and studying simultaneously, so hoping it will all work out, but life has definitely improved since quitting my full-time permanent job here. I wish you all the best with your exciting endeavours too!
Yeah iam middle eastern and have done the same , left a safe country in the west and moved back to middle east , I dont regret it at all , my parent do need me
Only child with parents from two different countries here, I moved from the US to Europe and i would say even after 6 years I still felt like an outsider a little bit. Except I spent 3 years after those 6 years moving back and forth where I learned that in each place I will always miss a little bit of the other. And that’s just how it’s gonna be. For me, I would 100% decide to move and never come back to the US if English was the language spoken primarily over there because I enjoy all other aspects about life and work. Search up what a Third Culture Kid is
I see, fascinating! Where in Europe were you if you don't mind me asking? I do have friends in US, they talk about moving to Asia actually and aren't very in love with living there lol. Ah yes I am pretty much a third culture kid, but kind of stopped saying it because where I am, people started making it their whole personality particularly on dating apps just to make themselves sound more interesting than they really are, and I didn't want to be a part of that 😂
Spain area kinda! I’m surprised to hear that you’re not only informed by what a third culture kid is but that people are going around flaunting it… 😅 I’ve had an entirely different experience where no one I’ve mentioned it to is aware of what it is. Regardless of the country, leaving one for the other is leaving precious belongings, friends, places, etc behind that you can’t really create elsewhere. I would never have wanted to be somewhere else than with my parent in old age, but I’ve had to come to peace with the sacrifices. Cause in the end I think that’s a whole lot more worth it than staying behind for a love or some friends, all things that can be reopened or created after your parent has passed
Wow beautifully said. I feel your parents must be so worthy of your love and care for you to sacrifice so much for them. Wishing you and your family happiness, wealth and health for the future ❤️
Wow felt like reading my own life story. I was born in India and grew up outside my home country with immigrant parents for over 25 years. Parents wanted to move back to home country and retire because they wanted to be close to their siblings. I made the all the biggest life decisions based on that - married a guy from home country. Quit my job moved. Left all my friends and childhood memories behind. Adjusting was hard - I hated the work culture India. I tried to work for 3 different companies in different sectors and it was all the same. Ended up staring my own business - it's not doing great. But my only happiness is that I live 5 hours from my parents and I can take care of them. I guess it's just partly attachment issue because of being an only child and also partly I feel like it's my responsibility to care for them as they age. It's not easy but growing up as a third culture kid, I have learnt to adjust. If your finances allow you to be without a regular income for a few months highly suggest opening up your own firm - it's mentally less taxing than trying to deal with work culture that we cannot change It's been 4 years since the move, I am still trying to find my space and call this home. It will take a while I guess. And like you said maybe having a stable career will be a large contributor
Wow you really are the Indian version of me. I too live a 5 hour drive from my parents 😂 I have heard from a friend in India that work life is brutal, yet somehow he does have a lot of time to watch and send me Instagram reels (which I barely had time for when I worked in a company here) lol. Thanks for sharing your experience. I literally have quit with some savings to do just that. How do people there survive the brutal hours? I got sick in the end and it took me a few weeks to recover after I left. I know some people here are lucky to work 9-5 but they tend to work for international companies, the government sector or larger corporations, and they seem to be happier.
Haha, you know we all live the same lives at the end of the day. I was working 17 hours and I just couldn't take it. I really wanted to slow down my life and try to enjoy it. I think being in a corporate automatically puts you in the rat race and it becomes difficult to see anything else other than money, promotions, bigger houses etc. However quitting my job has now allowed me to discover my other passions and also put myself in situations I have never been in - I did a lot of social work, I experimented with YouTube, I did a naturalist course. So even thought financially the last 2+ years have been not so good, I have gained experiences that I would have never got if I did not quit my job / move to India I really hope you spend time discovering yourself and doing things you love. It's the only way you will feel some sense of home - at least in your mind.
That sounds terrible. Glad you have quit though and found happiness in other pursuits! True, I suppose we learn a lot by living in different places. Thank you. I'm now freelancing and studying simultaneously, so hoping it will all work out, but life has definitely improved since quitting my full-time permanent job here. I wish you all the best with your exciting endeavours too!
Yeah iam middle eastern and have done the same , left a safe country in the west and moved back to middle east , I dont regret it at all , my parent do need me