A 33-year-old Indian woman working in Dublin has sparked an online discussion about cultural disconnect, career growth, and the difficult decision of whether to return to India after moving abroad.
In a post titled “Return to India” on Reddit, the woman said she works in a US-based multinational company in Ireland and is professionally well-settled in terms of pay and workplace environment. However, she said her role in sales has made it increasingly difficult for her to perform at her best due to challenges in building connections with colleagues.
“While everything is nice- package/people etc but since my role is Sales, I find it soo hard to connect with people in my team,” she wrote. Over time, she said she realised the issue may not be racism but cultural and social differences, prompting her to consider returning to India to “unleash the next level” of her career.
“I have now realised that it may not be necessarily racism but more of human nature and that now makes me think to unleash the next level of my career, I need to be in India where I can connect with them and be more productive,” she wrote.
{{/usCountry}}“I have now realised that it may not be necessarily racism but more of human nature and that now makes me think to unleash the next level of my career, I need to be in India where I can connect with them and be more productive,” she wrote.
{{/usCountry}}Concluding the post, the woman asked how she should plan a move back to India with a job offer in hand and how much savings would be needed to feel settled. She said she was considering opportunities in Noida or Bengaluru.
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Social media reactions
The post drew mixed reactions. One user suggested that age and cultural gaps may be playing a role and encouraged her to socialise outside work. “Age and culture are definitely key factors. You need to socialize more, make friends and get involved in activities outside of work. Seek out peers to minimize the age and mindset gap. Hobby and sports clubs are the easiest way,” the comment read.
Another user echoed her concerns, writing that while professional conversations are possible, deeper connections can be difficult. “I feel accent, thought processes, culture and everything else is different. We’ll speak on a superficial level but not on a very deep level. They’d prefer their own than me to hangout or be friends with. Also most of the team mates are older – in 40s or 50s. I don’t know how to connect and speak up. I bound by my nature turn a people pleaser sometimes,” the user wrote.
“Man, whatsoever happens in Life. But never ever come to India to settle. Just for some visiting it’s fine. Or else you’ll seriously — hang – I bet. I moved to the US just 4 years back, I came to India and left the next day. People only survive because of Family & Friends or else this country is an utter matter of collapse. The political people have ruined it like for real,” claimed a third user.
(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.)