An Indian woman living in the US has sparked a discussion on social media after sharing why she can no longer "romanticise America," citing visa-related stress, loneliness and the challenges of finding work.
Talwar, who wished to remain anonymous in the report, shared the video on Instagram, where she reflected on the realities of living in the US as an immigrant. She clarified that despite the hardships, she is grateful to be in America.
In the clip, she said she wanted to "de-influence" people considering moving to the US for higher studies, an MBA or to start a business. "Let me de-influence you in case you're wanting to come to America. If you're someone who's trying to come here for Masters, MBA, building your own business, let me tell you some real facts so that you could make a better decision, because I personally think America is a bit overrated," she said in the video.
Talwar described life on a work visa as emotionally taxing, saying it ends up defining a person's identity. She claimed that corporate promotions often take years, salaries are tied to visa petitions, job switches can become difficult while visa applications are pending, and even international travel can be restricted without the required visa stamp.
{{/usCountry}}Talwar described life on a work visa as emotionally taxing, saying it ends up defining a person's identity. She claimed that corporate promotions often take years, salaries are tied to visa petitions, job switches can become difficult while visa applications are pending, and even international travel can be restricted without the required visa stamp.
{{/usCountry}}She also spoke about her struggle to find employment after moving to the US. "America is huge. It's a land of opportunities. I started off in a small town called Rochester, which made me go to Chicago, but believe me, I applied for 500 plus jobs, and I lost myself in that process. I didn't make any friends, and it was the hardest period of my life," she said.
Talwar also shared her personal view of American culture, saying she felt many people lacked distinct identities. "Everyone looks the same way, they talk the same way, they're sort of people pleasers, and they need to take a unique perspective masterclass," she said.
Talwar further described life in the country as "expensive" and said it could "take your identity". However, she clarified that she does not regret moving to the US.
"Do I regret coming here? Probably not, because I think I had major character development. But what makes me unique is I didn't forget the fact of who I was 22 years ago when I was in India. So I combined both the lives together to try to bring my best self here," she said.
In the caption accompanying the video, Talwar elaborated on her experience. "Visa stress that owns your identity. 500+ job applications alone in a city that doesn't know your name. A culture where everyone looks, talks and thinks the same. Lonely. Expensive. Ruthless," she wrote.
She added that while she does not regret moving to the US because it led to "the biggest character development" of her life, staying connected to her roots helped her navigate the experience. "That's just me though, you can agree or disagree," she concluded.
Speaking to HT.com, Talwar further said, “Despite the hardships, I’m genuinely grateful to be in this country. There are hard days, of course — but navigating challenges is exactly what we signed up for as immigrants, and I wouldn’t trade the opportunities this country has given me.”
(Also read: Woman who earned up to €8,500 a month says corporate life cost her things ‘no salary could pay back’)
How did social media react?
The post prompted a mixed response from social media users, with some agreeing with her observations while others offered a different perspective.
One user wrote, "So much power to you, couldn't agree more with everything you said!!!"
"I really hear u when it comes to visas and jobs.. And that dependence on employer and job makes an Indian's identity just revolve around the job. Infact I see most people don't even know how to contribute in a conversation beyond that. But unfortunately that's immigrant life. I don't know how different it is for a Desi living in another country," commented another.
However, not everyone agreed. "I disagree! Everyone is not the same in US. From outside you might look and think everybody is similar but not really. What I learned here is you have an identity always, it's only that alone time, that develops it more so you start understanding that okay! This is actually who I am. Because in India you're constantly surrounded by people and trying to mold as per people or situation. Which is not the case here!" one user wrote.
"It's too expensive and the visa is too dependent on you being hired by a company. Only if you come from money then it's doable. Otherwise you should go to another country," said another.