‘I feel overwhelmed’: Woman returns to India after 17 years in US, opens up about how life has changed

An Indian-American woman has recently been going viral on the internet as she shared her experience of moving back to India after living in the US for 17 years. Dhara, who goes on Instagram by 'twinsbymyside' spoke about her family's decision to relocate.

She explained that they packed up their entire lives and made the move and after living in the country for the past six months, there were some things she had realised.

When talking about the move, she said it was a mixed experience. Some days it felt easy, while other days it felt really really hard. She revealed that she had left India at the age of 15 and grew up in the United States. "So even though this is supposed to be home, in so many ways it feels like I am starting over," she said.

She said life in India has introduced her to new routines, new systems and a completely different pace of life. "There are days when I feel overwhelmed, a little out of place, where I miss the comfort and familiarity and the life we built for so many years," she said.

However, India allowed her more time with family, the opportunity to slow down and truly be there for her kids whom she homeschooled. "To teach them more about our culture, while I am still learning it myself," she added.

In India, Dhara said the pace of life allowed her to know herself too, to become a new version of herself. "So here we are, six months later, we are still adjusting, we are still learning, and still growing into this life," she concluded.

Social media reactions

Many on the internet agreed with Dhara's perspective and appreciated her honest take on the journey after moving back.

"Wow this is so good...love it. I feel like no one talks about this side of moving back," said one user in the comments.

"On our way end of May, this is inspirational," added another.

Many in the comments mentioned moving back to India from the US. "We are contemplating a move to India too. Did you find any issues with finding schools for kids? Did you see any issues that you didn't foresee facing, if you were Indian citizen?" asked one.

Ever since the beginning of the second Trump administration in January 2025, life for immigrants in the US has changed for the worse. The US President increased the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 while also unleashing ICE to deport illegal immigrants. Moreover, the online hate and racism in the country against Indians in particular has become a cause of concern. US was described as the "epicentre of anti-Indian digital racism" by a 2026 survey by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, highlighting just how dire the situation has turned. All of this has caused many Indians to make the decision to move out of the US.