An Indian vlogger has sparked widespread debate after posting a viral video on Instagram in which he claimed that returning to India after travelling abroad can feel like a “scam.” The video, shared by Deepak Samal, who goes by the handle @travelwithsamalvlogs, has already amassed more than 69k views and features a montage of his overseas experiences.
(Also read: Indian-origin vlogger faces backlash for calling Melbourne suburb ‘100% Indian’: 'Nothing to be proud of this')
His observations on travel abroad versus India
In his caption, Samal wrote, “Many Indians feel this after their first foreign trip, and there are some clear reasons behind it.” He listed issues such as expectation versus reality shock, smoother systems in other countries compared with India’s chaotic traffic and scams, respect for time abroad against the “chalta hai” attitude back home, corruption and hidden costs, and the lack of cleanliness and basic facilities.
Samal added, “Before travelling, you don’t have a comparison point and just accept things as normal, but after experiencing a different standard abroad, you start noticing the flaws here more intensely. But it’s also important to note that India feels chaotic but is deeply human—the warmth, jugaad, and diversity are unmatched.”
Take a look here at the clip:
{{/usCountry}}Take a look here at the clip:
{{/usCountry}}Users divided over Samal’s remarks
The post quickly drew attention and sparked heated conversations in the comments section. One user wrote, “India is extremely good just for people who understand the game” Another said, “Instead of criticising, why not focus on fixing these issues? Constant comparisons do not help.”
A third user remarked, “No need to go far. Just go to Vietnam and you can find how clean the streets are. The effort is from citizens too. People in India need to unite and get their elected representatives to do their duty.” Another countered, “Every time I come back from Europe, the lack of discipline and corruption really frustrates me.”
One comment read, “He has simply said what many people think but hesitate to admit publicly,” while another user added, “This is exaggerated, India has made great progress in infrastructure and services in the last decade.”
(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.)