In India, NRIs – non resident Indians, are always looked up to; NRIs are often envied for their prosperity and the riches. NRIs hold a special status in all walks of Indian life. They are well recognized for their deep pockets. There is no debate that most of the NRIs are considered very successful among Indian society, regardless how they make their living in the foreign land.

And how are the NRIs and Indians perceived in the foreign land? What is their social status in the county they live in? Well, exactly the opposite in many cases. There are no stories of special stature to write home about. For example, in the American society, you can find lots of successful NRIs, lots of middle class Indians who are well settled, but there is nothing to envy about their social standings, at least not in the adopted country. They are just a part of another minority group.

For example, consider the cases of successful NRIs who have professionally established themselves in the foreign countries – in Europe or America or any other developed country. There are lots of Indian doctors and engineers, and they are good ones too. They make a good living, they enjoy middle class or upper middle class life in most cases; many have big houses and all the other amenities. However, there is no special stature for this successful group of people. If anything, it is quite the opposite – the locals consider them outsiders in many cases. These well behaved and well educated Indians are sometimes, (and more often lately due to rising unemployment,) considered the cause of higher unemployment, and often blamed for stealing jobs form the locals. We are talking about doctors and engineers. The Situation is even worse for those who make their living by driving taxies or doing other average jobs.

So what is the point? The point is that NRIs often have a complete role reversal in their adopted countries, compared to back home in India. Unlike everyone looking up to them in India, they are often looked down in the land abroad.

If you think about it, the NRIs, especially the first generation NRIs, sacrifice a lot to succeed in the foreign country, including their pride, social stature and their social identity. They have to re-adjust to the role of a minority, they often have to adapt to the rules and customs of the new land and that is just the beginning. The hurdles and challenges abroad that a new comer faces are too many, and are discussed in detail in a separate article linked below. Over time, the NRIs often lose their language; their own way of life is compromised and they end up adapting to the foreign life-style. The whole adaptation happens so slowly – over the years, that NRIs don’t even realize the slow change in many cases, the slow changes over the decades of life abroad.

Life is a funny thing. It always looks different when you look back at the past, versus looking at the present. Perhaps going abroad was the right decision at that time. Perhaps, many of us did not have any better choice when we first left the homeland, long time ago. Or perhaps, most of us never thought that we were leaving our country for good. When we first start the journey, most of us may have never realized that we are permanently leaving behind so much. When we first go abroad, we all make a self-promise to return home, and yet rarely keep the promise.

So, there is not a whole lot to envy about NRIs. For some monetary gains, for a dream of prosperity and better life, most of the NRIs have lost a lot, many have sacrificed too much. The sad part – most of us don’t even realize it, don’t even think about it. All along, over the years, something called ‘life’ happens – a new life with new friends, with new family and in the new society in the new land.

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