Been in the GC queue for many years, see anxiety inducing new articles for renewals which seem to shake the very core of our existence here. Just curious if people are indeed happy living in the US like this? The initial charm of the lifestyle is slowly fading away by constant insecurities and inability to make important life decisions. How is everyone else coping? How do you justify living here with this huge thing over your head and not deciding to leave for elsewhere (including back home)?
I'm curious to know if the older Indian people had their happiness increase after a green card? Did you have that fire in you at age 37 to go double your income with your new green card? Did personal life get better in any way after you got your green card?
37 is old? Wow
I mean 37+. My point is the following: the desire to go out and double/triple your income goes down substantially after after age 30. So green card at age 35/40/whatever doesn't really matter. Therefore it might make no material difference to your happiness. Because all else like family/children/school district/car/holidays are the same on H1B too.
I’m happy but was born and raised here. Oh and no one in my family is from India.
I’m applying to Canada’s Express Entry as soon as my transcripts get verified and I get my latest IELTS results. I’m done living with too much uncertainty. I don’t think I fit in very well in India. Yes I was born there and grew up there but my personal values and likes/dislikes don’t match up too well with mainstream India
After a few years in US I too feel that I will find India to be too closed for comfort. However I am not thinking of moving to Canada etc, I believe the law correction will happen in next 4-5 years if not sooner, and I can wait it out. I have setup strong roots here too, so uprooting will be mighty inconvenient.
What sort of law correction are you expecting? Why do you think it will happen?
I think the younger generation looks for immediate gratification , I understand times have change but 37+ being old is something am not used to . 35+ right now and still may be 7-8 years before getting a green card . At this moment the best bet is to just keep learning and keep that light inside alive . Leave once there is no more happiness left . Hard to think about retiring at 40 if in the Bay Area .
Whats keeping you here? Like really?
With regards to compensation and happiness, I have found the following rule applicable to me, and to almost everyone I know. If I am happy now, I will be happy in 5 years. If I am unhappy now, I will remain unhappy in 5 years. GC, citizenship, increment all count only for fleeting moments of joy, nothing else.
Interesting. Maybe I need to adopt your attitude or meditate or something. Somehow I feel an unsteadiness without a firm platform of knowing I'll can be here without the fear of losing status.
Marry an American and accelerate your path. Also piss off Trump supporters as an added bonus
I just stopped giving a fuck about it. I can’t change the policy of this country so I don’t worry about it. Its not in my hands. I only care about what I can influence.
It seems like many people here have achieved mastery in applied Stoic philosophy
As past few responses have indicated , lack of GC is a huge bummer for the happiness index. My take is if both spouses want to get back to India they probably should try it , maybe try to return later and get EB1C. Problem is aggravated if only one of the spouses wants to go back
Even if not going back, atleast migrating to countries with better immigration policies (Canada,Australia etc)
Can we start with you, OP? I used to constantly worry that I'd be unable to genuinely earn the big bucks and progress in my career for the next 12 years. Then a major unfortunate event happened in my life that dictated that I'd have to permanently move to India in the next 1-2 years. I'd say my 'happiness index' has improved a lot in the last one year after I decided to move back to India at the earliest good job opportunity. Friends who continue to be in the green card queue either give up on their career dreams in 12 years, or have lost their edge by then. I feel you man...
I hear ya. So for me, Ive been here for many years as well and it's come to a point where I'm seriously wondering if staying here is a delusion I've created for myself. Yes, I get paid well but I also live in bay area so I despite that buying a nice house is not really easily within reach. I have to think multiple times before switching jobs, roles. I can't pursue things I really love, I can't take long breaks without losing status. So yeah, clean air, nice roads blah blah blah but at the very inner core of my being I'm not happy. I can't peacefully sit and plan my future out cause a new immigration policy can just uproot my any day. I also feel very frustrated to know that all of this is because I'm born in India and not because of my qualifications. People from other countries with vastly inferior qualifications are citizens and pursuing their lives while I'm languishing in anxieties waiting for my millionth visa renewal to go through. I think bitterness is seeping into my daily outlook towards everything now.
I feel you man... This is almost everyone's feeling. You're explicit about it and I respect you for it.