Canadian man explains why he chose to move to Bengaluru: 'I wanted to become tougher'

A Canadian man living in Bengaluru shared why he moved to India, calling it a place of 'passive growth.'

A Canadian man living in Bengaluru has captured online attention after sharing a compelling video on Instagram explaining why he left his home country to settle in India. Caleb Friesen, who has now lived in India for eight years, shared his journey of “passive growth” — a concept that, according to him, reshaped his life simply through a change in environment.

A Canadian man in Bengaluru explained how India helped him grow passively.(Instagram/caleb_friesen)

In the video, Friesen begins by posing a question often directed at him: “Why would a Canadian person choose to live here when so many Indian people are trying to leave and go there?” His answer? “Growth. Not the kind you chase with effort and strategy. I call this passive growth. It’s growth that happens just by changing your environment.”

Growth through challenge

Friesen elaborates further on this idea, saying, “It’s not the kind of growth, though, that you chase with effort and strategy. I call this passive growth. It’s growth that happens just by changing your environment. And when I was in my early 20s, I wanted to become tougher. I wanted to become a more capable version of myself. I wanted to become more resilient, right? And I knew that I needed to be in a place where growth was just unavoidable. And so for me, that place was India.”

Now a father, he explains that his desire to toughen up in his early 20s led him to seek discomfort — and ultimately, India. “I wanted to become more resilient… and I knew I needed to be in a place where growth was just unavoidable.”

He recalls a particularly radical decision in his youth when, at the age of 20 or 21, he fasted completely for 40 days — consuming only water and air. He lost 18 kilos during the ordeal. “But what I gained was proof that I could do something most people consider to be impossible,” he said. The experience taught him that commitment alone can yield remarkable growth, even without conventional action — the essence of what he calls “passive growth.”

Everyday growth in unexpected ways

Friesen draws parallels between his experience and other transformative life events — such as moving out of one's parental home or becoming a parent. “When you step away from comfort and are forced to become self-reliant, you learn what life really costs,” he said. He reflected on fatherhood as another form of passive growth: “My son continues to exist, and my growth continues to happen as a result.”

Watch the clip here:

The video, shared with the caption “After calling India home for 8 years… hopefully this video sheds some light on why I chose to live here,” has garnered over 13,000 views.

Internet reacts

One user wrote, “Thanks for this, it really inspired me.” Another added, “That’s a totally new dimension to define passive growth.”

One comment read, “I’m moving out of my house too. It’s inspiring to hear your story — I hope I will also grow as a person.” Another user reflected, “That’s spiritual growth, if you may consider that.”

One particularly thoughtful remark said, “Now that’s a rare mindset there. Even if a lot of people think of it, actually doing it takes another level of courage.”