Would you move to India for a year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not do anything that would require me to live life with a small child without running hot and clean water.

OP didn't say she was without clean water. She said she was without running hot water. Big difference.

"Running hot and clean water" was my requirement. Clean cold water would not be enough for me.

Ok, enjoy living in the highly developed world, but you'll be missing out on some amazing experiences. Even in Europe there are some cold water flats, and it's much colder than India (where a hot shower isn't a necessity). OP may miss her hot shower, but there are huge benefits in terms of availability of family members, inexpensive childcare, amazing fruits and vegetables year round and fantastic places to visit.

None of this trumps clean hot water.

And with regards to cheap labor, many Americans are rightfully squeamish about paying indentured servant wages or having people live like slaves for their convenience.

OP here. My husbands family does not have servants. They can afford extra help but they prefer to to do the work themselves. They live in a small town in south India. I think they're upper middle class. They have a 4 story house and lots of land and gates around the land. I feel safe here. They're looking into getting running hot water. I think they can afford it. My husband has another brother living in Europe and they send money back to family here. My husbands sister works as well.

OP I am an Indian immigrant to the US and was going to say no way (esp. to the North Indian Hindi belt or Delhi), till I saw that its a small town in South India. This piece of info. changes my response and I would say go for it! The small SOUTH Indian towns are typically safe, less polluted, very charming, people are more simple minded and if his family has welcomed you so far, then you should be OK for 1 year. But beyond 1 year, you would get very bored and would need to move to a metro or come back to the US for work reasons. So do not consider this long term under any circumstances. A better option is to visit India for 3 weeks every year, like most of us do, which would give your child wonderful memories with their family.

Also, as you go into the year you need to consider the heat. Do they have A/c in their home and car?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes but only if there was a maid and/or cook. Doing that stuff on my own for my child and myself in a foreign country would not be as worth it without American conveniences I’m familiar with. If someone else is shopping and cooking then I’d be packing my bags.

I don't get how OP's family is upper middle class. I thought India was the same as Latin America. Everyone who is upper middle class has a maid.

Lots of families do. And others don't. Or don't have what they consider full time help but still outsource a lot of things to a bunch of different people who come in for specific tasks. So it's not monolithic. OP could easily have help if she wanted, it's up to her.

As for paying indenture level wages, well, if the choice is between low wages or being unemployed.... which would you rather have? Taking a self-imposed higher road as an expat with misplaced morality means, in reality, denying jobs to people who really need the money.

[Anonymous]

Dumb question perhaps but can an American just go stay in India for a year? Do they offer visas for that?

[Anonymous]

I would in a heartbeat! I am Indian. There are no dryers in India but even lower income households have washing machines. You will have a washer and the maid will hang out your clothes. It is seriously so hot and sunny that clothes pretty much air dry in an hour or two. Most houses do not have hot running water but my family has put in water heaters for that. However the place is so hot in general that the normal tap water is a pleasant room temperature, not cold the way it is stateside.

You can buy Lays and Oreos etc but won't get the range of groceries as in the US, but the selection is not poor.

Yes it is a poor country and there is garbage on the streets etc but I would 100% do it for a year. There are a lot of really cool and fun things to do in India.

[Anonymous]

I would love to.

[Anonymous]

god no

[Anonymous]

I would. We have a huge ancestral estate in panaji where my family still stays and I have a share in the property. My kids love to go there and they will be thrilled if they have to stay there. My problem is that my kids will flunk school there because they are educated in the substandard US system of education and won't be able to cope with the curriculum there. Ugh! I am gripped with anxiety now!!!! Kids are in 1st and 3rd grade here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question perhaps but can an American just go stay in India for a year? Do they offer visas for that?

Op here. Why in the hell would you come here if you don't have any family?

[Anonymous]

OP, if you decide to go then consult a doctor here for preventive medications for your child. Mosquitoes are a serious problem in nearly every part of India and many people become very sick and sometimes die from encephalitis, dengue, chikanguniya and other diseases unknown here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question perhaps but can an American just go stay in India for a year? Do they offer visas for that?

Op here. Why in the hell would you come here if you don't have any family?

What? I was asking if it's possible for an American such as OP to go live in India for a year. Do they have a visa allowing you to do that?

[Anonymous]

Indian American, born here. My sibling and elderly father moved back to Bangalore after my mom died and live in a big house in a great upscale neighborhood. They Uber everywhere, get amazon deliveries and go to nice restaurants with all kinds of food. My dad has a helper— we would never treat as a servant— and gets physical therapy three times a wk and has had top notch medical care — he has a movement disorder and diabetes. They relocated from the Bay Area. My sibling loves it there and doesn’t plan to move back.

[Anonymous]

I'm Indian American -came here as a toddler and never went back. I wouldn't. My parents and siblings have gone back a few times but I don't even care to visit. The heat, mosquitos, always having to drink bottled water or boil the water, no dryers, etc....big nope.

[Anonymous]

South India for a year? I would go in a heartbeat. But I would be crystal clear that it is one year. No re-negotiating.

[Anonymous]

Hell no

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question perhaps but can an American just go stay in India for a year? Do they offer visas for that?

Op here. Why in the hell would you come here if you don't have any family?

OP this is such a bizarre and aggressive comment. Tons of people on here have referenced spending significant time in India without necessarily having family. I am the person that would NEVER go somewhere with small children without hot running clean water but my cousin spent like 3 years in India studying for his dissertation and loved it. He and his wife (both white as the driven snow) go back frequently.

Why in the hell do people go anywhere they don't have any family? I find you pretty unappealing after this comment.