It starts subtly. A frustrating week at work. A glance at the insane cost of US childcare. A FaceTime call with aging parents back in India where they look a little more tired than last time.

Suddenly, the thought creeps in: What if we just moved back?

It’s a trend gaining serious momentum among the "1.5 generation", those of us who arrived in the West as children or young teens, now hitting our 30s and 40s. We have one foot firmly planted in American soil, and the other hovering over the idea of "home."

But the dream of reverse migration is complicated, especially when you bring the next generation into the mix.

The fantasy of moving back is seductive. We imagine our kids growing up surrounded by adoring grandparents and endless cousins. We picture a slower pace of life, connection to culture, and our dollars stretching further.

The reality, according to many who have made the leap, is often jarring.

The India we left 20 years ago doesn't exist anymore. It’s faster, incredibly competitive, and deals with modern infrastructure challenges that our "Americanized" brains struggle to process. The bureaucracy alone can induce a migraine.

We find ourselves in a strange limbo: not fully accepted as locals because of our accents and expectations, but no longer feeling fully at home in the West either.

This is the biggest hurdle. Our children are growing up with "free-range" American parenting, inquiry-based learning, and a certain level of civic predictability. Let’s be honest, they are soft.

Dropping them into highly competitive, rote-learning focused school systems back home can be a massive culture shock.

Are we giving them the gift of "roots" and heritage? Or are we uprooting them from the only home they’ve ever known, making them foreigners in the land we call home? There are beautiful stories of reconnection, but also stories of teenagers who resent the move deeply.

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We want to hear from you. This is a massive life decision, and we’re all navigating it together.

If you are seriously considering this, don't do it alone. Here are some resources tailored to this specific journey:

Feeling seen? 🥺 The 1.5 generation experience is a wild ride, and we’re navigating it together every week. You aren't doing this alone. Share this piece with someone who gets it, and sign up for The Weekly Chai to join the smartest, most honest group chat in the diaspora.