5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 1

US or India ? When to US or India ? When to move ?move ?A confused desi mind A confused desi mind

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 2

US or India ? – Context US or India ? – Context Read further if you are…

new comer to USA from India with an American Dream living in USA for >5 years and want to go back to India have kids and want to go back to India first generation in your family trying to live in USA deciding the right time to go back to India confused if it is OK to raise your kids in USA an average employee making 100k+ an year

This is NOT about/for US-Indian citizens. They have already decided ;)

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 3

US or India ? When to US or India ? When to Move…Move…

Things to consider… Infrastructure Property (Investments) Kids Education Kids Marriage Family and Friends In bound spiral

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 4

US or India ? - US or India ? - InfrastructureInfrastructure

+ve have a car driver have a maid servant great with medical care good shopping malls family, relatives and friends nearby many miscellaneous things are taken care

-ve power cuts are very common - can buy a generator; not sure if it works emergency medical care sucks get used to traffic jams difficult to deal with police, electricity, water, land and other authorities things that you expect to WORK will not work for some reason and people don’t take it seriously

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 5

US or India ? - PropertyUS or India ? - Property Unfortunately you can live either in USA or in India; Only at one place. If you have long term plans in USA, its wise to have a home in USA. There is not much sense to have >2 houses in India and stay in rental property in USA (when you are certain about longer stay). It is quite unfortunate that we build and invest in home market in India and are not sure if we live in them It is NOT about single income or double income; It’s about deciding to have a home.

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 6

US or India ? – Kids US or India ? – Kids Education (I)Education (I)

Some facts about USA Education

Focus on Creativity Focus on Innovation Independent Thinking Less competition compared to India Less stress compared to India Quality depends on School District (proportional to the available funds) More focus on Extracurricular activities

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 7

US or India ? – Kids US or India ? – Kids Education (II)Education (II)

Some facts about USA Education

In USA kids are thinking in totally different way by the age of 6-7 years Stage by stage kids talk Disney characters and some grown ups talk TV Shows and Hollywood By the age of 10 (or even less) kids are REALLY talking about the boy friend and girl friend and gossiping Education is not cheaper anymore in India.

MBBS can cost you 30 lakhs MD can cost you 70 lakhs

You should calculate costs adjusted to future inflation

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 8

US or India ? – Kids US or India ? – Kids Education (III)Education (III)

Finally, when should you move ?

When your eldest kid is 10 or less.

What if I don’t ? Well, it’s a HUGE risk if you move at later age!

Cultural Crash Language Clothing Behavior Friends and Bullying Concept of School Concept of Teacher Privacy Concerns

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 9

US or India ? – Kids US or India ? – Kids MarriageMarriage

Your conscious/unconscious decision to LIVE in USA influences the decision that kids are going to marry someone from USA. – This is a fact; Face it. The fact is, “This is still male dominated society” A girl from India marrying a US-Indian boy is OK A boy from India marrying a US-Indian girl is disastrous – there could be exceptions but in general it just does not match! If your kids are born here and raised for at least 15 years, you are simply foregoing the opportunity to go back to India. Move at least before 10 years of your eldest kid’s age!

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 10

US or India ? – Family and US or India ? – Family and FriendsFriends

A big PLUS in India. Unless someone’s entire family is settled in USA for few generations, usually we have our family and friends in India. Nothing like the Family Support System in all walks of life (Young, Adulthood, Parenthood, Old age, Happiness, Sadness, etc…) In USA, we call friends for functions and say “They are like my family” or “My friends are more than my family” . How sad! For your or your spouse’s parents this is a GREAT news that you are returning! Returning to India and spending time with your family is NOT equivalent to those tons of Pictures, Videos and DVDs that you sent to India.

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 11

US or India ? – In bound US or India ? – In bound SpiralSpiral

Come here on H1-B (or to do MS/MBA), thinking that you will live here for 6 years and go back. You need Green Card

pay all your Loans pay up your higher education in USA buy more houses in India buy a home in USA get Social Security once you go back to India (an Illusion)

You need Citizenship got used to life style and cant go back (natural) lived in USA so long that you don’t have a motivation to go back kids don’t want to go back. They don’t understand what is real India (going to India once in 2 years for 10 day vacation is not knowing India)

At retirement; you curse your self; But…Hai…you are a US Citizen

5/27/2010 http://www.sureshkrishna.com 12

US or India ? Final US or India ? Final Words…Words… Everything in this world has exceptions and so are my views! The ultimate decision point to go back to India is … you “Decided to go back” (with some calculated risks) There might be 1001 reasons to stay in US but only 1 reason to go back, that you really want to “Go back” If you procrastinate things based on an “unknown thing” or “uncertainty”… you are mostly cheating your self

Decide and live by it. Life is too short to live in Confusion.