India Changing

[Zenzone]

After 19 years in this country, I finally got greened. Came to the US in 2002 as a masters student and filed for my GC in my 6th year of my H1(another long story why I couldn't file earlier). How many sleepless nights thinking about the missed career opportunities and the uncertainty about the future. When I first came to the US, I never imagined the journey to be this way. The process made me more humble and mature though. I'm happy it all ended well. It has been almost 8 years since I have been to India. Didn't want to go through the hassle of stamping. Many of my younger cousins probably don't even know who I'm. Lots of catching up to do with my career and family in India. Now that the hard part is over(things not in my control), I can focus more on the relatively easy part.

It has almost been a ritual for me for the past few years to come in every weekday to this site and see what everyone is talking about their experience. Sometimes, it helped me keep my sanity in check knowing that I'm not the only one going through this journey.

My timeline :

PD: July 12 2010 (EB2-I)
RD: Oct 21 2020
ND: Nov 18 2020
FP: Jan 21 2021
EAD/AP Approval: Jan 28, 2021
I485J Receipt - May 17 2021
New Card Being produced: July 27 2021
I485, i485J Approval - Jul 28 2021
Card Was Mailed: 07/29/2021
FO: Seattle


https://youtu.be/OX0OARBqBp0

Best,

Wow! That's quite a wait to see your loved ones, wishing you many more enjoyable return to home seasons in coming years.

[srimurthy]

Wow! That's quite a wait to see your loved ones, wishing you many more enjoyable return to home seasons in coming years.

I will beat him to that on the travel to back home.. been 13 years. Family travelled in between a couple of times, and parents and in-laws visited a couple of times and I never could get a break for more than a week. And still waiting for this shit to get approved.

[qesehmk]

I will beat him to that on the travel to back home.. been 13 years. Family travelled in between a couple of times, and parents and in-laws visited a couple of times and I never could get a break for more than a week. And still waiting for this shit to get approved.

That's very sad my friend. India has changed beyond your recognition. Be ready for a massive shock.

[gammaray]

That's very sad my friend. India has changed beyond your recognition. Be ready for a massive shock.

My first time back was in 2012, after 9 years. And it hit me like a brick. I was more than shocked about how unexpected it felt -- the crowds, the heat, the smells. Must admit it took a couple more visits to feel it was normal and familiar. And yet not quite familiar. I still don't recognize the roads around where I grew up -- it's just development extreme.

[qesehmk]

My first time back was in 2012, after 9 years. And it hit me like a brick. I was more than shocked about how unexpected it felt -- the crowds, the heat, the smells. Must admit it took a couple more visits to feel it was normal and familiar. And yet not quite familiar. I still don't recognize the roads around where I grew up -- it's just development extreme.

Yes. I mean - from positive angle too. The hotels are better than anywhere in the world literally and I have stayed all over the world in hotels upto $1000 / night. But Indian hotels give so much bigger bang for your buck in just under $200.

On the flip side - I used to love my Honda Splendour and now I just don't like the traffic. I have totally gone UBER in India. It's cheap and convenient. And of course I have become old and lazy i guess

[Noesis]

That's very sad my friend. India has changed beyond your recognition. Be ready for a massive shock.

Q, I went to India in 2019 after a gap of 10 years and indeed got a super massive shock. Everything was so unrecognizable. It took a couple of days to come to terms that those were the same streets I grew up on..

[gammaray]

Yes. I mean - from positive angle too. The hotels are better than anywhere in the world literally and I have stayed all over the world in hotels upto $1000 / night. But Indian hotels give so much bigger bang for your buck in just under $200.

On the flip side - I used to love my Honda Splendour and now I just don't like the traffic. I have totally gone UBER in India. It's cheap and convenient. And of course I have become old and lazy i guess

Yes I realized you were insinuating the positive aspects in the original post but unfortunately my feelings towards the country have been more negative over the years. With the ever increasing population (which latently affects everything including traffic, pollution, water supply, electrical supply, list goes on), effects of climate change, and limited resources, factors which have gotten worse over time, living in India, imo, is not the greatest. ( And I am not even accounting for politics, babudum/bureaucracy, civic sense of the population, etc. -- things that drove me away in the first place).

Certainly some positives as well. Agreed, definitely India is amongst the best in the hospitality industry. The western world is more minimalistic that way.

[qesehmk]

Yes I realized you were insinuating the positive aspects in the original post but unfortunately my feelings towards the country have been more negative over the years. With the ever increasing population (which latently affects everything including traffic, pollution, water supply, electrical supply, list goes on), effects of climate change, and limited resources, factors which have gotten worse over time, living in India, imo, is not the greatest. ( And I am not even accounting for politics, babudum/bureaucracy, civic sense of the population, etc. -- things that drove me away in the first place).

Certainly some positives as well. Agreed, definitely India is amongst the best in the hospitality industry. The western world is more minimalistic that way.

I hear you. As much as we have left India, India too has left itself and in some cases us too. What can you do? We made the choice.