Why Naveen Left a High-Paying Job to Return to India from Europe and USA
Naveen spent 7.5 years at Google and 8 years at Amazon, living in Luxembourg and Seattle before returning to India in 2024. Learn about European vs US life, kids' education challenges, and practical financial planning for the move.
Why Naveen Left a High-Paying Job to Return to India from Europe and USA
Naveen spent 7.5 years at Google and 8 years at Amazon, living in Luxembourg and Seattle before returning to India in July 2024. Along with his wife Himabindu, they share insights on European vs US life, kids' education challenges, and practical financial planning for the move.
Key Highlights from Naveen and Himabindu's Journey
- 7.5 years at Google (Hyderabad) + 8 years at Amazon (Bangalore, Luxembourg, Seattle)
- Lived in Luxembourg for 3 years, Seattle for 3+ years before returning
- Left Luxembourg before PR (5 years) - never intended to settle there
- Left US while green card was close to processing - same reasoning
- Executed move in ~2 months: decision in May 2024, landed India July 31, 2024
- Sold Seattle house, came with only 4 suitcases
- Kids (10 and 5 years) adjusted well - daughter now writes Telugu paragraphs
- Monthly expenses in India: ~35-40K + school fees 2.5-3 lakhs/year for both kids
The Open Mind Approach: "If we are taking this move, we should come with an open mind. Otherwise it is very difficult." - Himabindu. Naveen and Himabindu's story is about making calculated decisions, not overthinking, and trusting that things will work out.
💼 Career Background: From IT to Google to Amazon
Naveen's career journey is a testament to adaptability and continuous learning. Like many Indian engineers, his career path didn't follow a straight line from his degree.
Naveen's Career Timeline
| Phase | Role/Company | Key Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Education | BTech - Electrical & Electronics | Foundation |
| First Job | Software Developer, Mastech Bangalore | 16-17 hour days, fresher enthusiasm |
| 2008 Recession | Sales & Marketing (AC) | Door-to-door sales, 200-250 km/day |
| ~7.5 Years | Google (Consultant/Vendor) | Operations, compliance, program management |
| ~8 Years | Amazon (Bangalore → Luxembourg → Seattle) | Leadership, global visibility |
The 2008 recession was a turning point. When the job market crashed, Naveen took a sales and marketing role selling air conditioners - a job many would look down upon. But he saw it differently.
The Sales Experience: "Sales and marketing jobs are very heavily looked down upon, but it involves a lot of hardship and technicalities. I used to go around 200-250 kilometers daily in Hyderabad, going from one corner to another, trying to find clients and sell products. You have to know your entire product."
The Google Years
Naveen got an opportunity to work at Google in a consultant/vendor environment. Over 7.5 years, he wore many hats: operations, business analysis, compliance, incident management, program management, and product management.
The Amazon Opportunity
When Amazon came calling, Naveen relocated from Hyderabad to Bangalore. His initial observations were eye-opening.
Reality Check at Big Companies
"Before you get into any big company, you think they are really perfect with many good things and no flaws. In Google, I saw things to some extent. But when I moved to Amazon, I saw that the company is really big but there are so many small things - problems that have been aged for 7, 10, 15 years that haven't been solved. It's just prioritization - it's not a priority, so nobody solved it."
Within the first 6-9 months at Amazon, Naveen solved some critical problems that had been lingering. This gave him visibility across global stakeholders and opened doors to international opportunities.
🇱🇺 Life in Luxembourg: The European Experience
When Amazon offered Naveen opportunities to relocate, he had three choices: Luxembourg, Sydney, or another team in Bangalore. He chose Luxembourg.
Why Luxembourg?
- Financially made more sense at the time
- Felt safer in terms of security
- Daughter was only 3 years old - young enough to adapt
- Parents' health was okay - no immediate concerns
The Language Challenge
Luxembourg has three official languages: Luxembourgish (a mix of German, Dutch, and French), German, and French. English is not widely used in daily life.
Himabindu adds: "Even for grocery, for everything, we used to use Google Translator. It was initially very challenging."
The Education System Concern
One of the most concerning aspects of Luxembourg was the education system's early career tracking.
Career Decisions at Age 11-12
"From the time kids start school till they complete 5th grade or middle of 6th grade, teachers take a call as to whether the kid will go into a technical field or non-technical field. Their career decision is kind of made at the entry of middle school."
Parents can appeal, but in 90-95% of cases, once the teacher decides, that's the path the child takes.
Limited Social Circle
The Indian population in Luxembourg was small - about 1,500-2,000 people at the time. Social circles were very limited.
Other Luxembourg Challenges
- Weekend shutdowns: Most things close over weekends
- No "customer is King": Monopoly in most fields - only 1-2 options for telecom, groceries, etc.
- Gray weather: Depressing, especially for homemakers
- Free culture: Concerned about cultural impact on children
Himabindu shares her experience: "After my daughter goes to school and after he leaves to office, sometimes I used to feel - why stay here? I'm missing so much of colorful life in India."
The Smart Financial Move
Despite the challenges, Naveen made a smart financial decision early on.
Luxembourg Property Purchase
Within the first year, they purchased property in Luxembourg. The financial policies were incredibly favorable:
- Down payment: Zero (100% loan available)
- Interest rate: 1.2%
- Rent vs EMI: Exactly the same
- Capital gains: Zero after 2 years of ownership
They held the property for 2+ years and sold it before leaving, capturing the profit tax-free.
🚪 Why They Left Europe Before Getting PR
Many people asked Naveen and Himabindu: "Why are you moving now? If you stay 5 years in Europe, you'll get permanent residency. Why not wait another 6 months or a year?"
The 3-5 Year Integration Window
Naveen observed a critical pattern with children abroad:
The Integration Point
"With kids, if you stay in one place for 3-5 years, they will slowly get integrated to the local culture. Once they get integrated, it's hard to pull them out. Even if you move to a different place, the transition is going to be difficult."
They were about to hit that point with their daughter in Luxembourg.
Cultural Concerns
Both Naveen and Himabindu are heavily rooted in Indian culture and traditions. They observed the "free culture" in Europe and were concerned about its impact on their children.
What They Wanted for Their Children
- Indian ethics and morals
- Respect for elders and traditions
- Connection to Indian culture
- Not necessarily doing puja three times a day, but foundational values
The opportunity to move to Seattle came at the right time. They took it, even though it meant leaving Europe before getting PR.
🇺🇸 Life in Seattle: The American Chapter
The move from Luxembourg to Seattle in August 2021 was challenging - it happened during COVID. They stayed in a hotel for 75 days (extended from the usual 45 days due to COVID) before finding rental accommodation.
Seattle vs Luxembourg
| Aspect | Luxembourg | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | Very gray, depressing | Gray but more pleasant |
| Language | 3 languages, no English | English - much easier |
| Indian Community | 1,500-2,000 people | Huge - "finding locals was anomaly" |
| Social Life | Very limited | Active, many Indian families |
| Kids' Activities | Limited options | Play freely with other kids |
They settled in Redmond, right opposite the Microsoft campus. The area was so heavily Indian that "finding local people was an anomaly."
Property Purchase in Seattle
Continuing their strategy from Luxembourg, they looked to purchase property in Seattle as well. Some of their friends had even bought houses before arriving - working with realtors remotely and moving directly from company accommodation to their own house.
Naveen took a more measured approach: "Let's get into a rental first, figure out which areas are better, which one we like. Let's not rush through this, but we will want to move fast as well."
🎯 The Decision to Return: Multiple Factors
The decision to return to India in 2024 was driven by multiple converging factors - kids' timing, job market realities, and personal priorities.
The Kids' Timing Window
Naveen's daughter was completing 4th grade in early 2024. If they continued in Seattle, she would enter 5th grade there. By the time she reached middle school, it would have been close to 4 years in Seattle.
The Window: "Our thought process was that before my daughter gets to middle school, we wanted to take a decision. If we delay any further - maybe maximum another one year - we are stuck to the US."
The Job Market Reality
Naveen had clear visibility into what was happening at Amazon and across the tech industry.
What Naveen Observed
- No promising activity: His portfolio and teams showed no growth potential
- Heavy cost-cutting: Across all teams he knew in his 8 years at Amazon
- Micro-layoffs: Unlike 2023's mass layoffs where entire portfolios were scrapped, 2024 saw people laid off without backfill - work distributed to already oversubscribed employees
- No end in sight: Companies moving to frugal approach for 2025 as well
- Amazon announcements: 5-day return-to-office mandate, cutting managerial positions, adding more IC workforce
The Green Card Question
Naveen was on an L1A visa, and his green card was close to being processed. Many would have waited another 6 months to a year. But his reasoning was consistent with Luxembourg:
Why Not Wait for Green Card?
"I cannot move to any different company given the visa I'm on. But what different is it going to be even if I move to a different company? Given that any company, when you look at it from a financials perspective, is not going great. People want to do more with less - that's the mindset everywhere now. Normally only Amazon is considered frugal, but now every company is thinking like that."
The Personal Situation
Fortunately, Naveen's personal situation supported the decision:
- Not financially bound to stay in the US
- Family situation didn't require them to be stuck there
- Had an independent house in India with no loan
- Had built passive income sources
The Timeline
- January 2024: Started thinking about the move
- January - April/May: Observed how things were going at work
- Mid-May to End of May: Made the final decision
- July 31, 2024: Landed in India
Total execution time: ~2 months
⚡ Executing the Move in 2 Months
Once the decision was made, Naveen and Himabindu executed with remarkable speed and efficiency.
The House Sale
Naveen had a friend in Seattle who was a realtor with his own company. The first question he asked: "What is the fastest time in which we can put the house for sale?"
The Project Plan
The realtor gave him a detailed project plan with specific steps and timelines. If they executed everything on time, the house could be listed in 2 weeks.
The execution:
- Emptied entire 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath house into the garage in 2-2.5 days
- Handed over to staging and repair folks
- House listed for sale in exactly 2 weeks
- Didn't sleep for 2 days continuously while packing
Sell vs Rent Decision
Many NRIs face this dilemma. Naveen's reasoning was clear:
Why Sell:
- No easy way to go back to US and monitor things
- Global taxation hassle
- Rent income vs costs didn't make sense
- Friends who kept properties faced 10+ months of shipping delays during COVID - luggage arrived after they'd already bought everything new
Target: No profit, no loss. Anything extra was a bonus. They achieved this.
What They Brought
Learning from friends' experiences with COVID-era shipping delays (9-12 months), they made a bold decision:
Their reasoning: You don't know how big the house will be in India. If you ship everything including furniture, you might end up taking a house for the luggage rather than for living.
Timing the Move
They were strategic about when to arrive in India:
Why July/August?
Many people think you should arrive by April/May since the Indian academic year starts in June. But Naveen thought differently:
- April-May is peak summer in India
- Moving from pleasant US weather to Indian summer is a health hazard
- Kids losing a couple months of school is okay
- Better to arrive when it's cooler
- Kids have the rest of the year to settle before next summer
- By next summer, they'll have built some immunity and adjusted
👧 Kids' Adjustment Across Three Countries
Naveen and Himabindu's daughter has now lived in three countries - India (birth to age 3), Luxembourg (age 3-6), and USA (age 6-10). Her adjustment journey offers valuable insights.
Luxembourg: The Hardest Transition
The move to Luxembourg at age 3 was the most challenging.
The Challenges
- Completely different language
- Classmates and teachers looked different
- Different toilets (she was used to Indian toilets)
- Different food smells (vegetarian family in a meat-heavy culture)
- She cried a lot initially
Himabindu shares: "That period was really challenging. We took her to parks, tried to make her happy every weekend. We couldn't step back - we had made the decision."
But children are resilient. She picked up Luxembourgish quickly, and by the time they left, she was trilingual (Luxembourgish, German, French).
Seattle: Easier but Still Challenging
The move to Seattle was easier because of English, but there were still gaps.
The Math Gap
The math standards differed between Europe and US. It took 6-7 months for her to catch up academically.
Parents' approach: "We didn't push her much academically. Given the age, you don't really need to push them. As long as they have decent academic performance plus social-mental balance, you're good."
India: The Smoothest Transition
The move to India at age 10 has been the smoothest.
Preparation Made the Difference
While in Seattle, they prepared their daughter for India:
- Enrolled her in Telugu Badi (Telugu language classes) on weekends
- Taught her Telugu script (varnamala) before coming
- She could read simple sentences without matras
Result: Within months of arriving, she can write Telugu paragraphs and scored well in Telugu exams. She's reciting padyams (poems) in Telugu.
The Resilience Factor
Himabindu reflects on her daughter's journey: "Maybe her brain got used to it. She can now adapt to anything. The hardest was Luxembourg to India - that trained her. From Luxembourg to Seattle also got trained. Now she's in a position to adapt to anything."
The parents have given themselves a 1-2 year timeline for full adjustment, without putting academic pressure on the children.
💰 Financial Planning: Practical Advice
Naveen's financial advice is refreshingly practical and grounded in reality rather than fear.
Don't Overthink the Numbers
"There are so many calculators online and experts who will tell you that you need 8 crores, 10 crores, 15 crores. You may not have that money right now, and it may take time to build that corpus. But in all honesty, there is no one number that will make you happy."
Naveen's Actual Numbers
Here's what their life in India actually costs:
Monthly Expenses Breakdown
| Category | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Groceries, internet, phone, daily expenses | ₹35,000-40,000 | For their lifestyle |
| School fees (ICSE, 2 kids) | ₹2.5-3 lakh/year | Combined for both children |
| Housing | ₹0 | Own house, no loan |
Note: School fees vary significantly by area. East Hyderabad (where they live) is cheaper than West Hyderabad (near Hitech City). The same ICSE school might cost 5-6 lakhs on the West side vs 3 lakhs on the East side.
The Planning Framework
Naveen's Advice
- Go deeper: Calculate actual monthly expenses + yearly one-off expenses (like school fees)
- Consider EMIs: If you have property loans, factor those in
- Have a cushion: 2-3 years of expenses saved
- Have income: Either a job lined up or passive income sources
- Diversify: Real estate, land, farming, angel investments, mutual funds
Naveen's Situation
Naveen planned for flexibility:
- Independent house in India: No loan, so no EMI pressure
- Passive income sources: Investments in different places
- Career break: Taking time to explore starting something of his own
- Backup plan: If entrepreneurship doesn't work in 6-12 months, can always get back into a job with his experience
- Future housing: Planned for moving to a gated community (budgeted in financial planning)
Need Help with Financial Planning for Your Return?
Every family's situation is different. Get personalized guidance on financial planning for your move to India.
🇮🇳 Life in India: What They Appreciate and Miss
After a few months in India, Naveen and Himabindu have clear perspectives on what's better and what they miss.
What They Appreciate
Healthcare: Night and Day Difference
Naveen shares two stories from Luxembourg that highlight the healthcare difference:
Story 1: His daughter had an ear infection with 103-104°F fever. They went to the hospital at 8 PM and waited until 12:30-1 AM for a doctor - only to be told "take medicine and go."
Story 2: A friend's daughter broke her hand during skating. They went to the hospital at 6 PM and waited until 2 AM just to confirm it was a fracture. The orthopedic appointment? Two weeks later. The child waited with a strapped hand for two weeks.
In India: "No matter what check you need, at what point in time, you can just go get it done. Whether you put money or not is secondary - the first important thing is the care is given."
Other Positives
- Digital payments: "I can see the digital revolution. This is simply amazing. I don't have to carry my wallet - just phone, you're good."
- City development: Hyderabad has changed significantly in 6+ years - "the change is for good"
- Services: Everything delivered to doorstep
- Family: Being close to parents and extended family
What They Miss
Parks and Play Areas
Himabindu: "Parks, obviously. Kids' play areas - these things we are definitely missing."
They live in an independent house, not a gated community, which limits the spontaneous play opportunities kids had in Seattle's apartment communities.
Their plan: Move to a gated community with amenities - this is part of their financial planning.
The Mindset
Himabindu emphasizes the importance of mindset:
💡 Advice for Future Returnees
Based on their experience across three countries and multiple moves, Naveen and Himabindu offer practical advice.
Key Advice Points
- Don't overthink finances: There's no magic number. Go with your gut but be practical.
- Trust your kids: They will adjust better than you think. Give them 3-6 months.
- Prepare kids for language: Teach them the local language basics before moving.
- Time the move right: Consider weather, not just academic calendar.
- Come with an open mind: Otherwise it's very difficult.
- Have a backup plan: But don't let the backup become an excuse to never move.
The Bottom Line: "Be practical in terms of financial planning. If you have a constant source of income and decent savings, don't wait for the perfect corpus. You'll miss the bus and never make it."
Naveen's final thought on the decision-making process:
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What was Naveen's career path before moving abroad?
Naveen was a BTech graduate in Electrical and Electronics Engineering who moved into IT (like many Indian engineers, with no relation to what he studied). He started as a software developer at Mastech in Bangalore. When the 2008 recession hit, he was demotivated but moved into sales and marketing for air conditioners, doing door-to-door sales covering 200-250 kilometers daily in Hyderabad. He learned that every job has learning opportunities. Later, he got an opportunity to work at Google in a consultant/vendor environment, where he spent about 7.5 years doing operations, business analysis, compliance, incident management, program management, and product management. He then moved to Amazon in Bangalore, where he solved critical problems within 6-9 months, gaining visibility with global stakeholders.
Why did Naveen choose Luxembourg over Sydney when Amazon offered relocation?
When Amazon offered Naveen opportunities to move to Luxembourg, Sydney, or another team in Bangalore, he chose Luxembourg for several reasons: 1) Financially, Luxembourg made more sense at the time, 2) Safety and security - Luxembourg felt safer, 3) Even though Luxembourg didn't have English as a primary language, they were okay with that challenge. His daughter was about 3 years old at the time. Their decision-making framework was: Where are parents and how is their health? Are kids young enough to adapt? As long as both factors balanced out, they were open to moving.
What were the challenges of living in Luxembourg?
Luxembourg had three languages: Luxembourgish (a mix of German, Dutch, and French), German, and French. Kids become trilingual through the school system. Daily life required using Google Translator for everything - shampoo, soap, groceries. Some locals wouldn't speak English even if they knew it. The Indian population was small (1500-2000 at the time). Social circle was very limited. Things shut down over weekends. There's no "customer is King" concept - it's monopoly in most fields with only 1-2 options for telecom, groceries, etc. The education system was concerning: at the entry of middle school (around 6th grade), teachers decide if a kid goes into technical or non-technical fields, essentially making career decisions for children at age 11-12.
Why did Naveen and Himabindu move from Luxembourg to Seattle?
Multiple reasons drove the move: 1) Cultural concerns - they wanted their kids rooted in Indian culture, ethics, and morals, and the free European culture concerned them, 2) Education system - the early career tracking in Luxembourg schools worried them, 3) Limited Indian community and social circle, 4) Gray weather causing feelings of loneliness, especially for Himabindu as a homemaker, 5) They observed that kids integrate into local culture within 3-5 years, making it hard to pull them out later. They were about to hit that point. Interestingly, they left Luxembourg before getting PR (which required 5 years) because they were never intent on settling there. They also sold their property (bought with 0% down payment, 1.2% interest rate) after 2 years to avoid capital gains tax.
How was life in Seattle compared to Luxembourg?
Seattle was much better for the family: 1) Weather was more pleasant (though Americans consider Seattle gray, it was better than Luxembourg), 2) English language made everything easier, 3) Large Indian community - they lived in Redmond opposite Microsoft campus where finding local Americans was "an anomaly", 4) Kids could play freely with other Indian kids in the community, 5) Himabindu had much more social interaction and company. They bought property in Seattle as well, continuing their strategy of building assets. However, they still observed the 3-5 year integration window for kids and wanted to move before their daughter reached middle school.
What triggered Naveen's decision to return to India in 2024?
Multiple factors converged: 1) Kids' timing - daughter was completing 4th grade, and they wanted to move before middle school (5th grade in India), 2) Job market - no promising activity in his portfolio, heavy cost-cutting at Amazon with micro-layoffs (people laid off without backfill, work distributed to remaining oversubscribed employees), 3) No growth visibility for 2-3 years, 4) Amazon's 5-day return-to-office mandate and managerial position cuts announced, 5) Extreme pressure situation expected, 6) He was on L1A visa with green card close to processing, but since they never intended to settle in US, waiting didn't make sense. The decision was made in May 2024, and they landed in India on July 31, 2024 - about 2 months of execution.
How did Naveen's family execute the move from Seattle to India so quickly?
They executed in about 2 months with military precision: 1) Naveen had a realtor friend who gave him a project plan - specific steps and timelines to list the house in 2 weeks, 2) They emptied a 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath house into the garage in 2-2.5 days, 3) Handed over to staging/repair folks, 4) Listed house for sale within exactly 2 weeks, 5) Decided to sell rather than rent (didn't want remote property management hassle, global taxation complications), 6) Aimed for no-profit-no-loss on house sale (achieved this), 7) Didn't sleep for 2 days continuously while packing, 8) Came to India with only 4 suitcases (didn't ship anything due to COVID-era shipping delays of 9-12 months they'd seen friends experience), 9) Chose to arrive in July/August (after summer) so kids could adjust before next summer.
How did Naveen's daughter adjust to schools across three countries?
The daughter showed remarkable resilience: Luxembourg (age 3): Hardest transition - different language, different-looking classmates, different toilets, different food smells. She cried a lot initially. Parents took her to parks and made efforts to keep her happy on weekends. Seattle (after Luxembourg): Easier because of English, though she needed 6-7 months to catch up on math standards. Parents didn't push academics, focused on social-mental balance. India (age 10, 5th grade): Smoothest transition - same country, similar-looking people. Parents taught her Telugu basics before moving (Telugu Badi classes in Seattle, showed her Telugu script). Within months of arriving, she could write Telugu paragraphs and scored well in Telugu exams. Parents gave her 1-2 year adjustment timeline without academic pressure.
What is Naveen's financial advice for people planning to return to India?
Naveen's practical advice: 1) Don't overthink - online calculators saying you need 8-10-15 crores create unnecessary anxiety, 2) There's no magic number that will make you happy - everyone has different comfort levels, 3) Go deeper into actual monthly expenses + yearly one-off expenses (like school fees), 4) His breakdown: Monthly groceries, internet, phone bills = ~35-40K for their lifestyle. School fees (ICSE) = 2.5-3 lakhs/year for both kids combined (varies by area - East Hyderabad is cheaper than West), 5) Have 2-3 years of expenses saved plus a constant income source, 6) If you have a job lined up in India, you're even more secure, 7) Consider passive income sources: real estate, land, farming, angel investments, mutual funds, 8) Don't wait for the "perfect" corpus - you'll miss the bus and never make it.
What does Naveen appreciate and miss about India after returning?
What he appreciates: 1) Healthcare - immediate access vs weeks/months of waiting in Europe/US. In Luxembourg, his daughter waited 4+ hours with 104°F fever just to be told "take medicine and go." A friend's daughter with a broken hand waited until 2 AM and then got orthopedic appointment 2 weeks later, 2) Digital payments revolution - just phone needed, no wallet, 3) City development in Hyderabad - huge positive change in 6+ years, 4) Services - everything delivered to doorstep. What he misses: Parks and kids' play areas (they live in independent house, not gated community), the structured outdoor activities available abroad. What his wife Himabindu emphasizes: Come with an open mind - otherwise it's very difficult. They're taking things positively and still exploring.
Planning Your Return from US or Europe?
Naveen and Himabindu's story shows that with the right planning, timing, and mindset, returning to India can be a smooth transition. Whether you're in the US, Europe, or anywhere else, we're here to help you plan your journey.
Connect with 1000+ NRIs who have returned or are planning to return to India. Share experiences, get advice, and find your community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Loading comments...
