An Indian founder has opened up about his decision to leave the United States and move to Europe, explaining that the shift was part of a long-term plan driven by his desire to experience life across different parts of the world. He also reflected on choosing global experiences over making wealth his primary goal.
(Also read: After 5 years in Europe, founder says returning to India felt suffocating: ‘It's hard to move back home’)
‘I absolutely fell in love with Europe’
Taking to Instagram, Nand Javia shared a video explaining that his first experience of Europe came in 2022, when he travelled to Spain as part of a student exchange programme.
"People ask me, "Why did I move to Europe?" Well, in 2022, when I first came to Spain for the first time ever, I came for a student exchange program to Spain, and I absolutely fell in love with Europe," he said.
Javia explained that before the trip, he had little first-hand understanding of how life in Europe compared with the United States. After Spain, he travelled around the world before returning to America to study.
{{/usCountry}}Javia explained that before the trip, he had little first-hand understanding of how life in Europe compared with the United States. After Spain, he travelled around the world before returning to America to study.
{{/usCountry}}When an opportunity to relocate eventually came his way, he decided to take it. "Hey, I'm going to take this. I'm going to move to Prague," he recalled thinking.
The founder also spoke about how travelling beyond one country changed his perspective. He said people studying abroad can sometimes become so accustomed to one place that they overlook how different neighbouring countries can be.
A decision years in the making
Javia stressed that moving to Europe was not an impulsive choice. "It was a long plan, so it was not like an immediate decision, but pretty much like four or five years ago, I actually decided that I want to move to Europe at some point," he said.
He added that he waited until his company had reached a stage where he could relocate while continuing to run and grow the business remotely.
Explaining what ultimately influenced his decision, Javia said, "my primary goal in life is to become a global citizen and have experiences from around the world. It's not to become a millionaire."
At the same time, he acknowledged what he believed he was giving up by leaving the US. "America is the place to become a millionaire. Europe is not the place to become a millionaire," he said, adding that accepting this trade-off took time.
The clip was shared with the caption, "Why did I move to Europe?"
Watch the clip here:
Social media reacts
The post attracted several reactions. One user wrote, "It’s so good that you get the chance and privilege to settle in the country of your choice. It’s truly empowering when you’re able to do it on your own." Another said, "Europe offers a different kind of life." A third commented, "Experiences over money, always." Another user described it as, "A well-planned life decision."
(Also read: Bengaluru CEO says ‘ungrateful’ relative flaunts Europe success, has forgotten his roots)
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)