An Indian man living in Germany has shared how one year in the country changed the way he looks at work, discipline, personal identity and everyday life. Rishabh Mishra, who moved to Germany after working for six years in India, posted a video on Instagram describing the experience as both humbling and eye opening.
(Also read: Bengaluru techie explains why life in Germany felt calmer than India: ‘Never opened laptop after work’)
In the caption of the clip, he wrote, "Working 6 years in India vs 1 year in Germany. Moving from India to Germany has been the most disorienting, humbling, and quietly wonderful education of my life, not just professionally, but as a human being navigating a completely different operating system."
He said Germany taught him that "Work-life balance" is not merely a phrase used by companies, but something built into the culture of work. "Companies here consider employee wellbeing as a structural input to productivity. It's not a perks page on a careers site, it's baked into working hours, holidays, and leadership culture," he wrote.
‘Silence is not cold’
Mishra added that one of the biggest cultural shifts for him was understanding silence in public and professional spaces. "Silence is not cold, it's respectful," he wrote, adding that while India often thrives on conversation and quick engagement, Germany taught him to appreciate pauses, quieter meetings and limited small talk.
{{/usCountry}}Mishra added that one of the biggest cultural shifts for him was understanding silence in public and professional spaces. "Silence is not cold, it's respectful," he wrote, adding that while India often thrives on conversation and quick engagement, Germany taught him to appreciate pauses, quieter meetings and limited small talk.
{{/usCountry}}He also spoke about how Sundays in Germany feel different. "Sunday is a sacred pause. Shops closed. Streets quieter. No deliveries. The city collectively exhales," he wrote. Mishra admitted that this initially frustrated him, but gradually helped him understand the value of a real holiday and weekend rest.
Rules and identity
The Indian man further said that rules in Germany feel social rather than merely legal. From recycling and road crossings to public transport behaviour and appointment timings, he observed that people follow systems even when nobody is watching. "Discipline here feels collective, not forced," he wrote.
He also reflected on how people in Germany separate their identity from their profession. "In India, conversations often begin with: “What do you do?” Here, I found more conversations around hobbies, travel, and sports," he wrote.
Mishra said he still misses his mother’s cooking, Indian markets and masala chai, but the move has changed him deeply. "Moving countries doesn't just change your address, it rewires how you see yourself," he wrote.
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The clip has drawn several reactions. One user agreed with him and wrote, "this is true", while another said, "yes i agree with you". A third commented, "yes yes its right", while another added, "this is relatable".
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his response is received.
(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.)