The Golden Handcuffs of Repatriation: Why a 37 LPA Job Can't Buy Happiness for This US Returnee
Ah, the classic 'escape to freedom' narrative, only this time the freedom comes with a 37 LPA paycheque and a side of existential dread. One might assume that ditching a toxic American startup for a senior architect role back home, especially with PERM approval under his belt, would be the ultimate mic drop. But it turns out, even a hefty Indian salary can't quite soothe the soul when you've traded the Golden Gate for gilded cages of a different sort, proving that sometimes, the only thing more painful than staying in a bad situation is realizing you left something you didn't know you cherished until it was gone.
Indeed, this techie's journey wasn't born of whim but necessity, a desperate flight from a US startup where professional humiliation and career stagnation were daily bread, compounded by the soul-crushing H1B visa gauntlet. Despite achieving PERM approval, a ticket to long-term US residency, he chose repatriation, hoping the senior architect role in India would offer the respite and professional growth he craved. His current dissatisfaction, however, subtly underscores a complex truth: even after escaping a clear antagonist and landing a seemingly ideal role, the void left by intangible losses—be it specific work culture, opportunities for intellectual stimulation, or perhaps the sheer anonymity and independence of life abroad—can be profoundly challenging to fill, regardless of the impressive salary.
