To Stay Back or Move Ahead

Indiansummer · Post by **Indiansummer** » Tue May 11, 2010 1:14 am

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post here and some of the threads here have really been very helpful:))

A little background about me: Me and my husband are both PhD's from US and are now contemplating a move back home. My husband just lost his job few months back (3 months) and the recent economy has not helped our situation much. I completed my PhD last year and am now doing my Postdoc on an H1-B, while my husband was on O-1 visa and due to lay off is now on H4. We both still do not have a GC in process

One fine day, we just decided that we should apply everywhere and not restrict ourselves to US. Fortunately, my husband got a very good offer from a huge company in Bangalore. We still need to determine what package he is getting, but Professionally it will indeed be rewarding for him. All this has happened in less than 2 weeks. With him uploading his resume and going through 4-5 set of Interviews and landing up with a job. I still havent actively started my job search.

However now that the prospect of us moving back is materializing, and I am a huge proponent of it, we are still confused. Since we came here as students, worked for a year or so and have decent savings. Most of them in our personal friends circle have moved back with huge savings, with a Citizenship and kids etc. Both of us nearly have around ~$15K in savings minus our 401k and IRAs but we dont have a home or anything back home.

I am pretty sure that I will also land up with a good job (hopefully) within Bangalore. However, we do get cold feeted at times. India and prices in India seem to be huge than what it is over here. In US, we have managed decently on a single Postdoc salary for 3 months. However, we dont want to waste our productive years waiting for something to happen in US and at the same time do not want t let go off a good opportunity in India. We love it here in US, The country which has given us so much in the last 6 years but recently we havent been getting jobs because of visa restrictions. Also Pharma in India is doing very well. We re determined to make it work in India, but kinda not sure if the saving we have will be enough:e

oasis138 · Post by **oasis138** » Tue May 11, 2010 1:32 am

Indiansummer;287320Hello Everyone,

This is my first post here and some of the threads here have really been very helpful:))

A little background about me: Me and my husband are both PhD's from US and are now contemplating a move back home. My husband just lost his job few months back (3 months) and the recent economy has not helped our situation much. I completed my PhD last year and am now doing my Postdoc on an H1-B, while my husband was on O-1 visa and due to lay off is now on H4. We both still do not have a GC in process

One fine day, we just decided that we should apply everywhere and not restrict ourselves to US. Fortunately, my husband got a very good offer from a huge company in Bangalore. We still need to determine what package he is getting, but Professionally it will indeed be rewarding for him. All this has happened in less than 2 weeks. With him uploading his resume and going through 4-5 set of Interviews and landing up with a job. I still havent actively started my job search.

However now that the prospect of us moving back is materializing, and I am a huge proponent of it, we are still confused. Since we came here as students, worked for a year or so and have decent savings. Most of them in our personal friends circle have moved back with huge savings, with a Citizenship and kids etc. Both of us nearly have around ~$15K in savings minus our 401k and IRAs but we dont have a home or anything back home.

I am pretty sure that I will also land up with a good job (hopefully) within Bangalore. However, we do get cold feeted at times. India and prices in India seem to be huge than what it is over here. In US, we have managed decently on a single Postdoc salary for 3 months. However, we dont want to waste our productive years waiting for something to happen in US and at the same time do not want t let go off a good opportunity in India. We love it here in US, The country which has given us so much in the last 6 years but recently we havent been getting jobs because of visa restrictions. Also Pharma in India is doing very well. We re determined to make it work in India, but kinda not sure if the saving we have will be enough:e

You guys are still early in your professional lives. Plus while the financial a/c might not be 5 stars you guys have acquired knowledge which should be far more rewarding (including monetarily) in the long run...take the jump today versus waiting out

BeeAndButterfly · Post by **BeeAndButterfly** » Tue May 11, 2010 1:44 am

How about him going there for 6 mos and checking it out while you continue here on h1. That way if he feels that the r2i will work out, you can follow. If he feels it will not work out he can return and continue job search here.

vizagdesi · Post by **vizagdesi** » Tue May 11, 2010 3:12 am

If your India salary package is less than 60-70% of what you would get in the US, stay back. You are way too young to return. For most of us, India is rosy only when you have the big bucks in your pockets. You have all the right ingredients to make those big bucks. Your savings potential in the US is far more higher than in India.

ana · Post by **ana** » Tue May 11, 2010 4:18 am

Its about the attitude. Living in India has its own charms. Both personally and professionaly. People save money over there too if their professional life is good and moderate liestyle.
If I were you, I will go back and enjoy what India has to offer.

But if you decide to stay put, its not a bad decision at all....

AriJay · Post by **AriJay** » Tue May 11, 2010 6:07 am

Indiansummer;287320Hello Everyone,

Fortunately, my husband got a very good offer from a huge company in Bangalore. We still need to determine what package he is getting, but Professionally it will indeed be rewarding for him.

If your husband is getting min 50k and you are getting min 30k after you land in job, India will be a good place for you. US economy is also picking up momentum. If you don't like life in India, you can return back to US as getting visa for PhD holder is easy compared to others.

Vid_Bangalore · Post by **Vid_Bangalore** » Tue May 11, 2010 6:39 am

OP,
Yep, life in Bangalore has become pretty expensive..But given that you both are well educated and both plan to work, it should be no big deal. If you make the right investments, you can do well financially from India too.

That said, apart from the finaces, it does matter what other ambitions you have. Do you care for USC? Do you want to give your kids USC? Will you regret if you went back without it? What about travelling and sight seeing and such? What are your ambitions??

If you do enjoy your life here in US and have some or more ambitions to fulfill here in US, stay put. If it is only financial worry, you should be fine in India too. Lot of people whom I know did not step out of Inida, but made nice investments prior to the RE boom and are doing pretty well for themselves..So, whether it is RE or stocks,etc, investments play a big role (you may already know this..)..

Good luck with your decision..:)

our.r2i · Post by **our.r2i** » Tue May 11, 2010 6:48 am

If you both are PhDs ....wht did't you apply for your GC yet?getting a gc for PhDs is very easy n fast. that will give you a cushioning to venture out in India.

roxstar · Post by **roxstar** » Tue May 11, 2010 9:50 pm

It depends on what your DNA is, meaning are you comfortable living and assimilating into the US way of life. The US is the biggest economy on this globe and if your husband has had job issues they are only temperory. In the long run, things will even out fine. Ask people who went through the 1991 recession. In my mind if your DNA is suited to assimiliate well into America, stayback and make the $$$. The option to India will remain open for a while. If you go to India now, it will be a one way ticket, without GC and USC , coming back will be nearly impossible.

back2desh · Post by **back2desh** » Tue May 11, 2010 10:11 pm

If $$$ is the main objective then you may want to stay here and wait for opportunities, that being said in India also depending upon the package your husband gets you could still save good money and have comfortable life. There are many MS and P.Hd(s) who returned to India immediately after finishing their studies and doing well at the same time there are some old timers who decided not to go back but regretting their decision of not going back then as it is too late! (most of their kids ended up marrying non-indian which is causing issues with-in family and so on...).

I think it is a very personal decision depending on what you like in short and long term, what someone may like may not be what you like and what you don't like may be someone else likes. So in the end you both should sit together and work out the pros and cons giving weightage to each item and then finally decide.