Ramana spent close to 13 years in the US before his IT family moved to Bangalore in 2018. He explains the 2017 trial trip, the money and shipping plans, the children's schooling and how he rates the move six years on.
Ramana spent close to 13 years in the US before his IT family moved to Bangalore in 2018. He explains the 2017 trial trip, the money and shipping plans, the children's schooling and how he rates the move six years on.
Ramana grew up in Pondicherry and finished his engineering there. Through campus placement, he joined a company in Madras, now Chennai. An on-site role on an H1B visa took him to the Boston area for about a year and a half. After his marriage, he worked on the West Coast, in the Bay Area around Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, for several client companies through his employer.
The original plan was to stay for five or six years, finish the first four or five years on the H1B, and then travel and come back to India. The plan changed in stages. The job and the salary package kept them in the US, and they had bought a house in Bangalore whose loan he wanted to settle first. When their first child was born, they stayed for a while so the family could feel comfortable with the child's elementary education in Santa Clara, at a school they got into through a lottery.
US life had real comforts: no traffic to deal with, chances to travel within the country, and easier trips to India while the children were young. Festivals were different. Celebrations were usually a day or two of gatherings at the office or with nearby friends, and after more than ten years the family missed celebrating with relatives. Parents and in-laws visited for the birth of their first child and the first birthday, but once they went home, the household was back to just the immediate family. Ramana says that is when he began to miss India.
Green card processing was slow. Ramana had applied late, and the queue was long, so his case was not moving much. The family visited India in 2014 and 2015, and from 2016 they discussed a move with family and worked through the options. Their elder child was in first grade, and they wanted her to join an Indian primary school before finishing primary school in the US, so the adjustment would be easier.
The 2017 trip changed their thinking. It lasted three to four weeks, and a little over two weeks were spent in Bangalore. They stayed in a serviced apartment in a large society, visited CBSE and IB schools, and talked with a couple of friends about how children settle. Ramana and his wife came away feeling the move would be a little difficult, but that the children could adapt.
They chose 2018 and travelled in May, about a month before the US school year ended. For another family's longer trial run, read a 2.5 year trial run in India after 15 years in Denmark.
Weather was the main reason for Bangalore. Ramana wanted a climate close to Silicon Valley, where the family had lived. His employer had offices in Chennai and Bangalore, and Bangalore was easier for children who had not lived through Chennai summers. Driving to Chennai takes about six hours, which he counted as an advantage.
The family already owned a property in Bangalore, bought from a builder while Ramana was still in the US. They looked for a large society of at least 15 acres with play areas and classes, and narrowed the search to one area of the city. The house was secondary, he said, because weather was the key factor.
Career planning was simpler. About six months before the move, Ramana spoke with his manager about an internal transfer. The company's team in India already existed, and he had worked with that team, so the transfer needed little extra planning. The rest of the planning was financial and practical, including movers and packers.
The main financial goal was to have housing paid off before the move. The US apartment was on a loan, and he finished paying it off within four or five years, so there was no extra burden on the EMI. The loan on the Bangalore property was nearly complete by the time of the move, and he counted that as the other item covered.
The second goal was income. He was clear that an Indian package would not match a US dollar salary. What mattered was whether it could cover regular expenses without an EMI, and he says that was covered too.
Ramana did not give figures for salary, savings or property prices, so this section records his goals rather than numbers.
Ramana studied shipping before the move. An online forum with a lot of shipping information had recently been down and was being revamped, but he read through what was available and checked with a couple of vendors. Containers came in 20-foot and 40-foot sizes.
He booked a shared container with about 42 boxes, by his memory, which he says fitted into less than half of a 40-foot container. The service collected from his home in Santa Clara, delivered to his apartment in Bangalore and handled customs. He says the shipping and customs costs still worked out, though he gave no figures.
Timing was tight. About a month before the move, the shipper said it could collect the items within ten days, and the family had not packed everything. They took a basic set: a 65-inch TV, a couch and basic furniture, because some electronics were expensive in Bangalore at the time.
For a fuller list of what to bring and what to leave, see what to ship and what to leave when moving back to India. A free, personalised plan is also available through the return-to-India planner.
Health was the hardest early adjustment. Ramana moved when his children were in third grade and LKG, and he says Bangalore's pollution and some allergies were a problem. The family made repeated doctor visits over close to a year, more than they had expected.
School had a bright side. Snacks from home are generally not allowed in US schools, because nobody can be sure what allergies each child has. In India his children could bring a snack to share with friends, and they enjoyed that. His elder child had a harder start at her CBSE school but got the hang of it, and Ramana says both children adjusted reasonably well. For more on how children cope with a country move, read why kids struggle when you move countries.
Traffic was the next surprise. The family used a tempo traveller cab service to reach the office, and going out on evenings or weekends was hard. It took six to eight months to learn the best times to travel and eat out. They kept one habit from the US: going to restaurants around noon, when it was not crowded, and eating dinner at seven in the evening, which was not common in India. Ramana describes the first year as a learning period for everyone.
Ramana was lucky with the internal transfer. His employer was US-based, and his manager understood the situation. He is not sure how he would have fared in a services company, and says he does not know the current situation there.
About 13 to 14 years earlier, work culture was desktop-based and people were expected to stay late in the office. Laptops made it easier to leave early for traffic and log in for half an hour or an hour afterwards. Meetings after 5 pm happen, so he says it helps to come in early. Overall, he found little difference from his US work culture.
Job opportunities were harder at first. After 15 or 16 years as an individual contributor, he found that Indian companies often expected experienced people to move into managerial roles. He found it hard to move to a different job for a year or two, and then found a division where a senior individual contributor role was possible.
Bangalore has more options now. He says the startup culture is beyond what he had experienced at his 2018 move, and young people arrive with clear goals and plenty of learning. For another IT family's experience, read another IT family's return after 20 years in the US.
The elder child started in a CBSE school in her first year. The school's handling of the transition did not help as much as the family had hoped. Ramana found that CBSE schools did not use the home room teacher model he knew from US schools and some IB schools in India. Each subject had its own teacher, which was hard for a child moving from a US school.
After the first year, she moved to the International Baccalaureate programme, where a class teacher handled several subjects. Ramana says that helped her settle far more easily, and that the move helped both children.
Both children stayed in IB for about four years, then returned to CBSE with Class 10 and the competitive exam dates in mind. The two pandemic years mixed online school with learning at home. For the admission steps, see the school admission timeline for returning NRI families.
Languages needed their own decision. While still in the US, the elder child learned basic Hindi over Zoom to prepare for a CBSE school. In IB she could take French as her third language instead of Hindi. Ramana can read Hindi himself, but he found CBSE third-grade Hindi grammar hard and felt it was unfair to ask a child that age to master it. French was the simpler choice, and the children continue with it.
Ramana's main regret is financial. He says he would have planned better in the US, perhaps by buying a condo or house there, selling it and then moving back, which he thinks would probably have appreciated better. He notes that the Bangalore property has risen strongly only in certain pockets of the city. He also says investing in the Indian equity market or in US real estate could have done better. This is one family's experience, shared as general information, not personal tax, legal or investment advice.
On shipping, he would change the timing. His family shipped in April and flew in May, and some items were left behind. They gave some away and threw others out. He would send the belongings in two trips, or pack earlier and find another method for anything left.
His advice to families has three parts:
One can easily adapt as long as you have an open mind.
Avinash called the trip to Bangalore before deciding practical, and said families should experience a place before they decide.
After six years in India, Ramana rates the reality of the move as easier and nicer. The biggest difference is family travel. His parents found a US visit hard after a month or so, and every trip meant a 24-hour flight. In India, he or his wife can book a train or drive to see their parents. If parents cannot travel, they can come and stay for a month or two, then go back and return about six months later.
The children also benefited from time with their grandparents, including family time and festival time. Ramana says the closeness to parents and in-laws worked out as he had planned and hoped.
In hindsight, he says better financial planning might have helped, but he is not bitter about the move. He says that in another couple of years he wants to be financially independent enough for a sabbatical of a year or two, travel and then return to work. He describes the dollar-based income from his US years as a benefit he would not have had after 15 or more years working only in India.
Watch the full conversation on the Desi Return YouTube channel.
If you want help coordinating the transition itself, explore Cross-Border Transition Packages.
Auto-generated captions, lightly cleaned
0:05 Been thinking about stay for five or six years, finish the first four or 5 years in H1N, do travel and come back. That is the initial plan. Stayed in a service apartment in one of the bigger societies. It gave us a clue that visiting schools figuring out what are the options of schools you have say CBC or IB schools interviewing them and figuring out kids settling and checking with couple of friends. So that gave both my wife and myself a sense of feel that yeah it might be a little difficult but we'll be able to get the kids adapted to it. Financial goal wise I what I was looking is make sure the house is paid off wherever you take the apartment. So I would say I was lucky enough even though you take care of the shipping and customs and stuff it would still work it out to be a wer more of a our used items or whatever you carry it.
0:56 So I did manage to take a shad container which is what the options were available like the 20 and 40 in options folks were expected to be in a bigger managering role and stuff. So the opportunities for a senior IC role was little difficult. Got it. So they were from 4 years in the IB curriculum and then now back in the CBSC. Had I invested either in the equity market in India or in US-based real estate that could have appreciated better. That's what I would say I would have wanted to redo it.
1:43 Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of DIY return. Today I'm excited to have Mr. Ramna on our show. Mr. Ramna went to US, spent close to 13 years before deciding to move back to India. They moved back in 2018. So it's been 6 years since they have been living in India. So quite a long time to get a good flavor of how the initial transition was how they are doing now and definitely would help a lot of future aspirants who are thinking about moving to India. So really appreciate you taking the time and willing to share your journey with us on our podcast. So with that welcome to the show. Welcome. Thanks for making this platform. It should help all the new aspirants.
2:28 Great. So let's start a bit about
2:31 Your background you know your education your professional background and what made you to move to US. Yeah. So I was born and brought up in Pondicherryi and finished my engineering and pond engineering college. Then joined campus placement in future software madras currently knows Chennai when I then through future software I got the option to get the on-site opportunity through H1B visa and I visited US east coast initially for a year and a half. Yeah. the Boston area and after marriage I came down for marriage stay for 6 months. Then I got in the west coast again through future software. So the west coast the bay area or Santa Clara Sunnyale area. So that's where I was there continuing to work in the services division from future software working in different clients. So nal networks then foundry networks then brokerage. So different clients then I took a break decided to join the US company. Then our family grew. So I've been like initially
3:34 While going I've been thinking about stay for five or six years finish the first four or five years in H1N do travel and come back that is the initial plan. So after that yeah the journey changed then I had to take some dish and really when kids were growing up so that's in a nutshell I could put on. Got it. So it's the job opportunity that
3:56 Brought you to US. So I think you kind of gave a kind of an high level overview of the life in US. So maybe if you can expand a little bit how was the life and I think kind of explain this situation you know you had the plans to move after 4 years but something changed which went from 4 to 13 years. So what changed that and how was the life in US in general? So as you said one is the job opportunity and next is more of making a better salary package and stuff. So I had initially purchased a house in Bangalore wanted to make sure to get that loan all handled and stuff. So after 4 5 years it's more of we had our first kid then we decided okay let's stay for some time until we are able to have the comfort of the initial elementary education for our kid in the Santa Clara school it's more of a lottery school that we got able to get into it so for folks who are in Bay Area might be able to relate to it's called the milik school in Santa Clara so in that way we were all comforted more of
4:56 The comfort and so-called we didn't have the traffic or more of benefit of traveling within US with the dollar package availability and in young age it was easier to do a US to India travel. So once a year or once in two years it was sort of easier. So as days grew by then we figured out okay we were not really having the full Indian diaspora level of celebration what we used to have for our usual festivals. So the festival celebration was more of a one or two days in office you have a gathering and more of nearway friends gathering and stuff. So that's where after u 10 plus years we were able to figure out we really do miss getting connecting to Indian festivals and families there. So yeah initial after I guess we had our first kid after 6 years then it was fine then we had our second kid after four or five years. So it was all fine with kids and having going education day in day out school
5:57 Drop and pick but we did miss because our parents were able to make a trip during the first year birthday delivery and all stuff parents and in-laws. So it was all good for 6 months. So once they travel back then you find a small sort of left out state right because you are back to the same two or three people or four people you don't have the family extended family living together to that's where you sort of miss India got it so yeah thanks for sharing that so
6:28 Sounds like I think it's the void and it's just trying to be back so maybe let's talk a little bit about this 13 years what marked that like you know why to move in 2018 you know even though you have a plan like you know 4 years things have moved around you know comfortable life everything is is is going fine. I know there is this idea in the back of the mind but why how you come up with this 2018 is the time that you want to move and what was the planning that was done beforehand and yeah if you can share some insights in that so the 2018 was not sort of crystallized so that had been planning had been there for quite some time so every time I mean green card wasn't processed again the long wait queue and all stuff I had applied really late so the prior data was really not moving much So, so 2014 we made a trip, 15 we made a trip every time we think and so this I started really from 2016 discussing with family and figuring out we should start figuring out options. So my elder kid was in
7:31 First grade so we just wanted to make sure before finishing the primary school get back to here and join in the primary school so the adaptation would be easier. That's when we evaluated made one trip to 2017 in Bangalore and every time we visit it's either in my hometown Pondicherry or Chennai but we never went around different cities and figuring out how do we really adapt to it. So 17 when we made a trip to Bangalore stayed in a service apartment in one of the bigger societies it gave us a clue that the options of schools you have say CBD with couple of friends so that gave both my wife and myself a sense of feel that yeah it might be a little difficult but we'd be able to get the kids adapted to it. So 17 is sort of gave us the feel that yes we can take the move the next year. So that's when we decided 2018 end of the academic year. So sort of little one month before school education
8:32 Completion in US. So May is something what we decided and packed the bags we traveled in May. Got it. Understood. So thanks for that. so for how long you lived in Bangalore? I think you sent about the short time right? I think is it a month a few weeks? It was close to 3 weeks is what we stayed in Bangalore. Okay. It was 3 to four weeks was our trip. So two and two plus weeks was we stayed in Bangalore. We're staying around checking out and schools and staying in the place. The other two weeks we were in our hometowns. So two plus weeks is what we stayed in Bangalore decided okay yeah because we had decided the location of Bangalore and while I was in US I had purchased a property in Bangalore from one of the builders in prestige. So I figured out yeah more to a prestige based society that has a bigger at least 15 plus acre you have bigger society where everything is all available the play area or some classes. So the location was sort of identified for us. Yeah. So we had narrowed down to a school area in Bangalore area in Kakpura road. So
9:34 That's how we decided okay yeah this location this city would be a good enough to start with sort of closer to our hometowns Bangalore Metas and Ponicheri. Yeah. So I think let's
9:45 Talk a little bit about the planning. I think you kind of mentioned about the city. So is it primarily like the that you have a house there or like it's a career opportunities and still close to the family that drove the city selection and also if you can talk a little bit about your career planning something on the financial planning you know anything that that would be very helpful. Primarily the weather I would say have the comfort of close to Silicon Valley climate that was the primary although we were contemplating to choose Madras or Bangalore but career opportunity will be the second one which sort of fitted in. So the company which I worked had the u option to relocate to Bangalore or Madras office but the weather making it acclimatized for the kids who have not really stayed in summers of Madras it would be easier that's how we chose to do Bangalore that's the first one house is sort of something that we figured out even if you're not in that area we would rent it or buy a new one later in place but weather is a key
10:45 Thing. Mhm. and driving to medas is sort of 6 hours. So that's the added advantage with Bangalore. Got it. So anything on the career planning? So did you take a internal transfer within the company? Is that what it sounded like? Yeah. Just I did speak with my manager like 6 months before and I was checking that what are the options and doing the internal transfer. So the previous company which I worked Broadcom had an option and my manager was more contemplating enough to figure out it should be easier. he had to check and it was easier where I was able to get through the internal transfer. So it was sort of seamless at least with the career move I didn't have to put lot of planning through wherein the team existed in India and I had worked with the team in India. So it was an internal move. The other logistics is what I had to plan for financially and out the movers and packers. Those are all the steps that we had to plan for. Got it.
11:39 So if you're open maybe you can talk a little bit on a financial plan. I know like initially when you moved to US I think you know you mentioned about career and also like the salary and you have bought a house you know the paying off so it went with the financial objective right again so while moving back is there certain goal or a milestone that you have in mind or so anything that you can share from your planning on the finance side before making a decision on moving to India. Yeah. So financial goal-wise I what I was looking is make sure the house is paid off wherever you take the enough when I moved to US I had got a two bed apartment. I was on loan moved there. Withinitial couple of four five years I was able to finish the loan.
12:24 Then after that I was planning on Bangalore for a long time. So I had bought the apartment. I was waiting for the loan to get completed. So that sort of gave me a one checkbox handled. So the initial apartment is paid off. So there's no extra burden on the EMI. So when I was planning to move here, the house was nearly the loan completion was done. So that is covered. The other one is is more of having a substantial package coming from the India package. Although it won't be equivalent to the USD based salary but as long as that is able to handle the regular handling without the EMI that is the next checkbox taken care. Yeah, got it.
13:04 So anything on the logistic side on the physical move I know you mentioned about packers and all that stuff. Anything that you can share like is it with a container or some boxes that you shipped? yeah yeah so I did try to overcome I mean previously there used to be the amazing form r2 club forums.com which recently went through a down and they're trying to revamp so got a good amount of information had gone through the forums read about it container which options I did check with couple of vendors and stuff so we did plan quite a good but last a month before the container shipper guys told us you're ready to give the items within 10 days we can ship it out as soon as possible. So obviously whatever planning we got it done, we weren't able to make sure to pack up our entire stuff whatever we want to do pack it and good. So we did plan a basic level of make sure to carry our 65 in TV and couch and basic furniture whatever we were able to procure and stuff because at the time
14:05 Couple of electronics were really costly in Bangalore. Even though you take care of the shipping and customs and stuff, it would still work it out to be a wer more of a used items or whatever you carry it. So I did manage to take a shad container which is what the options were available like the 20 in and 40in options. So I did manage to take up a shad container wherein I had like 42 boxes or something I remember. So which would sort of fit into a less than half of the 40in container and it was a more of end to end pick it up from my home in Santa Clara and get it delivered in Bangalore apartment which would they take care of working with the customs and medas and all covered the vendors help it out good enough. So
14:51 How was the life in India? I mean I wanted to because someone who lived for 13 years how was the transition and also you can say like how it has evolved in the last 6 years you know for kids for you as a family definitely a lot of insights from that yeah life in India initially health-wise it was really difficult I moved with when my kids were in third grade and LKG so it was really difficult for them to get used to it Bangalore had pollution some allergy and stuff. So initial close to 13 14 months repeated visits having standard so we had I don't know many would be able to correlate the Montlair is a standard medicine allergen being suggested to avoid from allergy. So that was our repeated visits we sort of were expecting it but we didn't expect this repeated visits for close to a year time. So kids had a tough time with health-wise but at least they were able to manage very good in the schools
15:51 Because schools the first key point I would say they still used to remember and say is they can share the snacks which are sort of not allowed in US schools because you don't know what allergy would kids would have. So here they used to enjoy I carry a snack with the schools that I get and I'm able to enjoy it with my friends. So they were getting used to it nicer. So that sort of initially yeah my elder one had little difficulty in the initial CBC school but she got the hang of it. So they were able to adjust pretty decent. as expected I had trouble with the traffic in Bangalore. So although at the tempo or the tempo traveler cap service to go to my office and come so it was really difficult to go out on evenings or weekends or something. So it took us close to 6 to 8 months to adjust to it. Figure out which timing is a better way to travel or go for a dinner out or a lunch out on a weekend. So we sort of got adjust to figuring out the best way.
16:53 But one nice thing what we helped us from our US timings is we generally go to the restaurants by 12:00. At the time there's not much crowd. So you go early then it's easier. You go early for a dinner at 7:00 p.m. which was not a common in India. So those steps helped us adjust earlier avoiding the traffic. So that has evolved a far better. we are able to adapt to it. now figuring out which is the best way or optimize solutions. Initial one year it was more of a learning for all of us. Yeah. No. Yeah. So great. So I
17:29 Think let's talk a little bit about you know your u work culture right. I think you know for someone who worked in 13 years you said you worked in the services and then US- based company and then it's an internal transfer how is the work culture how things have changed in terms of the industry you know from when you initially started long time back to where it is right now anything that you can give you know your thoughts on that I would say I've been lucky enough to get the internal transfer that makes a big difference because it's a US-based company and the manager just do understand because the rapper have built in the company for a longer time. So what was before like 13 14 years before there was not this laptop culture it was more of a desktop and you need to be available late in the office and stuff but it quite changed and comfort adjusting to the traffic and leave a little early then you are plugged in for half an hour 1 hour get things covered so work culture I didn't really find much of a change or anything compared to
18:32 Us in India so you are available for an hour or two in the meetings after the work 5:00 make sure you come early avoid it. So it was pretty I would say close to seamless. So that I've been lucky being in the MNC company. I'm not sure how to have fared in the base services company. Probably it could be different. Frankly, I don't know what is the current state. Got it. In terms of the opportunities, do you see any difference in terms of like for the youngsters who were graduating you know 20 years before and where it is right now in terms of the career growth or opportunities in India? probably I'm not be able to give you the right exact answer for your question. I can just first relate to my current state. Opportunity wise I found a little difference. being an experienced person coming from US I had difficulty at least initially after a year or two to relocate to a different job being the individual contributor
19:34 Role beyond 15 16 years was not much of a looked upon or necessary in the companies here folks were expected to be in a bigger managering role and stuff. So the opportunities for a senior IC role was little difficult. So that was a little challenge for me. So after that you were able to locate the right division or BU and M andC it was doable. For coming to your question on current insters opportunity wise yeah Bangalore has got a plethora of opportunities past couple of years the startup culture is beyond level which I had even experienced initial move of 2018 or even in 2005 and six. The youngsters have come up with good amount of learning even prior to join. So where it gives a beyond level of they have a clear understanding what they want to do and they have a different options to start with newer startup options that is I can see a good exposure is there more about
20:35 The available technical acumen and skill set of the person is there they are able to reach pretty good heights I would say. Got it. No, thanks for sharing that. Now let's switch gears a
20:46 Little bit and you know talk about the kids adjustment. I think you kind of gave a little bit you know insights into that. So were the kids in the CBSC initially or later like maybe you can talk about how did you select a curriculum the school selection and you know some of the you know initial challenges I think you kind of indicated but maybe if we can share that a little bit more I think that would be helpful since we were looking for the move earlier so we were figuring out it's better to have the kid do a basic Hindi course have this language we get her to acclamatize using the zoom and she was learning Hindi when she was in US so hoping to get into CBC school. So basically Hindi understanding would be useful. So we did put our elder one in the CBC based school initially for a first year it wasn't the perfect I would say. So she was able to because since we moved we weren't able to identify good amount
21:46 Of the right school visits. We did visit three four schools in 2017 before our move. So we had identified one and it was okay but probably CBC and the way the school management helped the kid to move into the one did not help us better. I found the concept of HRT the home room teacher in US and couple of IB schools here is not very much u enjoyed or legged upon by the CBC school. So each program having each subject having a separate teacher is a little difficult for kid moving from kid moving from US-based school. So that's where I decided after the first one year we moved our kid to the IB based curriculum home room teacher or class teacher who was able to manage at least three or four knowing the positives of kid working with the kid helps them to easily adapt to it. So moving our kids to IB helped them settle better far far
22:46 Easier. So we did choose the IB later it has helped them a lot I would say. Got it. Are they in IB curriculum right now or we did move them back to CBSC looking at the 10th grade wherein the competitive exam and the dates would come. So after 4 years I guess we have moved both them to IB based where kids are now managed they understand how it works so sort of put them back in IB CBC based one. Got it. So they were from four years in the IB curriculum and then now back in the CBSC out of the two years went in pandemic and online schools and stuff. So they got the better hang I would say both of mix of school and home based education. Yeah. And I'm assuming I think especially for your elder one the languages you kind of mentioned about Hindi but in terms of the other languages you know going back to CBSC so it's all like you know now she's at the same level where she's comfortable with the languages no we did figure
23:50 Out an option to choose the French instead of Hindi because in the IB there was a very good option where she was able to choose the French as the third language so where she was able to handle better. So I have managed to read Hindi but I figured out the CBC third grade Hindi is really difficult. I found it hard to grasp and do. So it wouldn't be really fair on my kid to grasp the vakaran level of in third grade. So I decided it's better she goes into simple French based one handle it then now they are able to continue in third language French. Good enough I would say. Got it. in terms of you know
24:34 Looking at your own story, is there anything that you would have done differently like you know with the move or u anything that you would say like you know if we can redo it you would have done it in a different way. Anything that you can think of? Nice question. probably I mean financially I would have wanted to plan better in US to invest in US sort of buy a condo or a unit and house and anything and then sell it off and come back which would have probably appreciated better. So hoping to move back in India 10 years later. So I had purchased a real estate in Bangalore but comparatively the appreciation level you look at real estate Bangalore is only in a pocketed area. So the location some pockets have really appreciated great where people do see yeah we have made a lot of money but had I invested either in the equity market in India or in US-based real estate that could have appreciated have wanted to redo it. Nothing else I would really want to figure out a better
25:34 Way to handle it. Got it. Cool. Thanks
25:37 For sharing that. is there anything that we haven't covered that you want to bring up that you know would help the future aspirants? probably on the packing and moving I would say sort of even better planning for any future aspirants is making sure to send it sort of two trips or because we did send the shipping in the month of April when we were flying on May there were good amount of left out items which we could have either packed it before or we should have figured out another shipping method or something. we ended up giving away throwing it off and stuff that a better planning would help although all said and done in theory practically one has to go through it and figure out what's a better way to handle it and the other one I would suggest if folks aren't really planning is take a break in based on your flight tickets either in Dubai side or Europe side take
26:37 Four five days travel around and then come back to India it's better so it gives the ease of spending more time because before coming back to your hometown and settling down. So you do a multiple travel and makes it easier too.
26:51 Got it. No, thanks. is there any advice that you would give for the moving back to India? one is there would be challenges but it should be have a open mind. One can easily adapt as long as you have an open mind. even I had this issue of will the kids be able to adapt it? How will they find it moving from this place to that place? They are missing their friends and all stuff. To be fair and frank, they adapted really very faster because for them the memory they don't really much worry about it. They look at the other set of kids, it's easier. But for adults, it was a little challenging because your connected friends and whatever you had for 10 plus years in US, they have not relocated. So you have your old cousins or friends, they would have changed places or different cities or society. So it for more of the adults where they train to adapt and do it. So that need to have an open mind and getting and handle it. That's one. The other one I would say based on your
27:54 City move I would say find the best location cannot think that yeah I can move from point A to point B easily. Figure out a better society which is big enough where you can handle it's more of a pocketed area where you have all celebration happening in a society or anything that could take care of everything I would say. Got it. Yeah. So
28:15 I think one last question. so because it's been six years so I'm very curious. so in terms of your expectation at the time of the move, right? There are reasons why you decided to move and there are certain expectations on what you want to get for the kids, for the family, for everyone when you made the move. how do you rate in terms of the reality? Right? I think you know after living in India for 6 years the expectations was just reality. How do you say it went? your summary on a high level about the journey so far. you know the return to India reality has been really easier and nice I would say because if I have to meet my parents or they have to come over it was always a 24 hours flight for them planning and they come and it's all good for them for one or one half months after that they find it difficult they are not comfortable in US but here if there is anything that I have to visit my parents my wife has to visit parents all it needs is go online book a ticket take the train and go or take the car and drive which is just 6 cars that's
29:17 The best advantage or even worst case if I'm not able to travel ask the parents or in-laws to come and they come and stay here it's more of they can extended time of stay of 1 month or 2 months they find it difficult they go back then come back after again 6 months it's more of easier travel so the stuff what I was trying to make sure to reach being connected to parents and in-laws that handled it well so that perfectly fitted in which I had planned hoping that would happen and kids had the benefit of staying with grandparents, spending family time or festival time with grandparents that helped and achieved I would say. Yeah, reality wise that got achieved. Yeah. hindsight better financial planning might helped but I would say still no s grapes good enough. I blessed to be in a better state to say another couple of years I say I want to take financially independent. I can decide to take a break and a year of two sabbatical travel and then go back to work. That convenience of staying in US making the
30:18 Dollar based package is a benefit which I would not have had it if had I been this entire 15 plus years in working in India. That's a benefit I would say. Got it. So yeah thanks a lot for sharing your journey with us. really appreciate you being open and talking through the details and especially like you know you you thought through and able to spend three weeks in Bangalore to get an experience on how the life would look like and then kind of made the decision right. I think that's so practical and you know experience it before making the decision. So really appreciate you talking through us and giving some tips along the way. thank you Mr. Minhash. I really appreciate it. Thanks. We have been doing doing a great job in getting the right content reached to people. The apprentice has to go away only when they are able to listen to people who have done it. I appreciate this. No, thank you very much.
A 30-minute call on the one decision you're stuck on.
