An Indian man living in Ireland has sparked a conversation online after sharing why many Indians find it difficult to return home after moving abroad. Taking to Instagram, Sanket Salke posted a video in which he reflected on his life in Ireland and explained how the country helped him understand the meaning of work life balance and quality of life.
(Also read: Indian student shares harsh reality of studying and working in Ireland: 'Situation is extremely difficult')
In the video, Salke said, "After living in Ireland for almost two years, I now understand why an Indian doesn't return after coming abroad. I think I have the answer. The place that you see around me is not a tourist destination, and neither am I on a vacation. I just finished my work, and I cycled here for almost 15 to 20 minutes, and I am right here in nature with almost zero or 1 AQI. No air pollution, no noise pollution, just pure calm and nature."
He added that the respect for personal time after office hours is one of the biggest differences he has experienced. "No work calls after 6 pm because they respect your time post-work, which means you get time to enjoy your hobbies like running, cycling, swimming. Here around me, people are fishing at 8 PM, some people are boat racing, and a lot of other stuff. And perhaps you can call this a perfect example of work-life balance," he said.
Quality of life over comfort
{{/usCountry}}He added that the respect for personal time after office hours is one of the biggest differences he has experienced. "No work calls after 6 pm because they respect your time post-work, which means you get time to enjoy your hobbies like running, cycling, swimming. Here around me, people are fishing at 8 PM, some people are boat racing, and a lot of other stuff. And perhaps you can call this a perfect example of work-life balance," he said.
Quality of life over comfort
{{/usCountry}}Salke also clarified that life abroad comes with its own challenges. He pointed out issues such as high taxes and the housing crisis, but said that the overall experience had helped him understand what quality of life can mean.
"Yes, this country has a lot of problems like taxes are very high, housing crisis, and a lot of other problems which can be in any country. But after coming here, you get to know what is the true meaning of quality of life. Now this doesn't mean that everything is bad back home or that everybody just starts moving abroad. My only point is to take that calculated risk, go out for study, for job, once go and see, experience this life for a few years, and then decide what works for you, what is good, what is bad," he said.
The clip was shared with a caption that read, "Should you move abroad in 2026? Or why does one who moves abroad, finds it difficult to move back? In this video, I have shared what I feel can be some reasons."
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The clip has received several reactions from social media users, with many agreeing with Salke’s observations. One user wrote, "This is exactly what people mean when they talk about quality of life." Another said, "Work life balance is the biggest reason people do not want to return." A third commented, "Clean air and peace after work are such underrated luxuries."
Another user said, "Every country has problems, but basic respect for personal time makes a huge difference." Someone else wrote, "This is not about hating India, it is about experiencing a different lifestyle."
(Also read: Indian woman in Ireland rethinks move, seeks advice on returning home: 'Hard to connect with people')
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.)