🌍 Background: From UK to US to India

Gayatri's journey follows a path familiar to many NRIs - marriage, relocation, and the constant pull between two worlds. She got married and within 6 months, her husband (working for Deloitte) got an opportunity to move abroad.

The Journey Timeline

  • UK (1.5-2 years): Lived in central London, used public transport, traveled across Europe every weekend
  • US (~10 years): Moved to Seattle, bigger home, owned a car, started family
  • India (10 years): Moved in 2015 when elder son was completing grade 4
  • US 2.0 (Current): Moved back on L1 visa for husband's AI opportunity

What makes Gayatri's story unique is that she always had "one foot in India." She delivered both her children in India while living in the US - traveling in her sixth month of pregnancy, then bringing the babies back at 3 months and 5 months old respectively.

"That calling of going back to India was always stronger. So we finally decided when my son was in grade four - we thought it was the good time to move back so he can start his grade five in India. And there was no looking back at all."

📚 Why Gayatri Homeschooled in the US

Before understanding her move to India, it's crucial to understand why Gayatri pulled her elder son out of the US public school system - a decision that shaped her entire career trajectory.

The School Challenges

  • Labels: Son was labeled as "naughty" with "behavioral issues"
  • Symptoms: Wouldn't stand in line, finished work faster, became fidgety
  • Diagnosis limbo: Couldn't be categorized as autistic or ADHD, but wasn't "regular" either
  • School response: Would seat him aside alone so he wouldn't disturb others
  • Root cause: Later figured out he wasn't challenged enough
"As a parent, whatever you hear - especially when you're very young and naive - you don't know a lot about parenting. I strongly believe that when the child was born, a mother in me was also born. So I made my mistakes. We realized certain things were not working. So we started homeschooling."

What Homeschooling Taught Her

Homeschooling became the foundation for Gayatri's future education ventures:

  • Learned different curriculums and teaching methods
  • Understood how to adjust challenges to the child's level
  • Increased physical activity and stimulation
  • Joined homeschooling groups for social interaction
  • Enrolled son in pottery and other classes for formal classroom exposure

The biggest advantage? Her son learned to interact with all age groups - not just his peers. "He can interact and play with younger kids. He can talk to older children. He can play with older children."

💡 The Strong WHY Behind Moving to India

Gayatri emphasizes that the "WHY" behind any move must be crystal clear. Her reasons were deeply personal and non-negotiable.

Gayatri's Three Core Reasons

  1. Belongingness: "I always felt I'm an Indian. I will be recognized always as an Indian. Even if I get my US citizenship, people are going to recognize me as an Indian. I will never become an American."
  2. Family: Wanted kids to have extended family - close to both sets of grandparents in Bangalore
  3. H4 Visa Restrictions: At that time, H4 visa holders were not allowed to work. She wanted to explore opportunities.
"Your WHY has to be strong and clear. Sit down with your family, talk - both parents have to be on the same page. Make sure you do your bucket list - what are your non-negotiables, what are your negotiables. If that WHY is clear, all will fall in place."

The Timing Decision

They chose to move when the elder son was completing grade 4 because:

  • Higher grades would make transition to Indian education harder
  • Younger son was just stepping into school - why expose him to American system then change?
  • Their Bangalore house was getting possession that year
  • Everything was falling into place

📋 Planning the Move: Logistics and Career

The Shipping Strategy

Gayatri took an entire container from US to India. Her reasoning was practical:

Why Ship Everything?

  • Already knew where to buy what in the US - no homework needed
  • Husband did financial analysis comparing furniture costs in India vs shipping
  • Had 6-9 months to plan - bought furniture, used it, then shipped (showed as "6 months old" to customs)
  • Kept all bills ready for customs clearance
  • Created a small library for kids - collected books from thrift stores, library sales, garage sales
"If your kids have certain emotional attachment to certain things, take it with you. Even if you're spending a little more on shipment. That gives them familiarity in the new place."

Career Planning

The family took a strategic approach:

  • Gayatri: Moved first with kids to Bangalore (sister lived there for support)
  • Husband: Stayed back in US until he found a job in India - took about a year
  • Job search: Husband's company (boutique consulting in Seattle) had no India presence, so he had to find a new company
  • Process: Traveled once for interview, got offer, resigned, then moved

🏫 IB vs CBSE: Why She Made the Switch

Like many NRI families, Gayatri initially fell for the "IB is the curriculum to go for" myth. Within a year, she switched to CBSE.

Why She Left IB

  • Target audience: IB is more suited for kids who want to settle abroad - most IB kids were talking about going abroad for undergrad
  • Social environment: IB school kids were more affluent and luxurious
  • Uncertainty: At grade 5, they weren't sure if kids would go to US or Indian colleges

Why CBSE Won

  • Flexibility: Opens doors for both Indian universities AND abroad - no university will stop a child taking SAT
  • Cost: IB costs 6-7 lakhs/year for middle school, 12 lakhs for high school. With two kids, that's 25 lakhs/year just for school
  • Proof: Neighbor's son finished CBSE and was in US - a data point that it works
"Don't fall into that trap - everybody is going for IB school. Think WHY do you want to continue with IB school. If that WHY is clear, then it's okay to spend. But don't fall into the trap."

Bridging the Gap

Gayatri acknowledged knowledge gaps between IB and CBSE. Their solution? Strategic extracurriculars:

  • Sports and music outside school
  • Communication program for a year
  • Toastmasters and public speaking sessions
  • Leveraged metro city options for kids

Result: Elder son completed till grade 12 in CBSE, wrote Indian competitive exams, and got into BITS Pilani - one of India's top engineering colleges.

📝 How Her Son Conquered Hindi in 2 Years

One of the biggest fears for NRI parents is the language requirement. Gayatri's son went from zero Hindi to passing board exams.

The Strategy That Worked

  1. One-on-one tutor: Not group sessions - tutor could work at child's pace
  2. Start from basics: Began with barakhadi (alphabet), finished in 3 months
  3. Timeline: Covered LKG to grade 6 Hindi in two years
  4. Exam strategy: Worked closely with teacher on how to attempt papers

The Exam Hack

For the 100-mark Hindi paper:

  • 20 marks internals: Aim for 16-17 (easier to secure)
  • 40 marks grammar: Easier than theory
  • 40 marks theory: Teacher taught him to copy half the question and write answer - at least half a mark instead of zero
  • Multiple halves: Add up to 4-5 marks
"You need to have a plan. You need to have a strategy. The fear is not going to help. See it as you're adding two languages to their kitty. Don't worry about marks - when they get 60, also appreciate them."

Pro tip: "Even if you have an iota of idea that you're moving to India, get them started with Hindi. Having another language is always good for brain development and gives emotional attachment to the country."

🇮🇳 Life in India: The Beautiful Transformation

Gayatri's description of life in India is overwhelmingly positive - a stark contrast to the struggles many NRIs fear.

"It was really really good. I can't emphasize a lot more on that. It was beautiful. Suddenly it felt like 24 hours is very very long. Whereas in the US, I would wake up and in a fraction of a second feel like the day has come to an end."

What Changed

  • Support system: House help, family nearby, everything taken care of
  • Parenting shift: When kids spilled water, first thought wasn't "I have to clean this" - could ask auntie to help
  • Calmer parenting: Spent more quality time with children
  • Extended family: Both sets of grandparents visiting regularly
  • Kids' freedom: Could walk out and play without organizing playdates

The Conscious Decision

One powerful insight: Gayatri and her husband consciously decided never to say anything negative about India in front of the kids.

"What we speak, what we think is what our children are going to absorb. For them, India was not home until then. US was home. If I tell 'Oh man, it is so filthy, so crowded, so dirty' - they will also pick it up. So we would crib among ourselves but never show it to children."

Instead, they focused on excitement: "Come on, let's run and go play outside!" The kids absorbed that positivity.

💼 From Mother to Entrepreneur: Building Two Ventures

Gayatri's entrepreneurial journey is a testament to turning motherhood challenges into business opportunities.

Buzzing Bees - Education Consulting

  • Started as a phonics teacher
  • Grew into education consulting company
  • Worked with schools on teacher training and curriculum enhancement
  • Conducted workshops for 3,500+ families
  • Got certified as a parent coach

Literacy Bees - Incubated at IIM Bangalore

  • Born from teaching her son to read (he struggled with reading)
  • Phonics, spelling rules, comprehension, writing curriculum
  • Pitched to IIM Bangalore and got incubated
  • Own workbooks for English enrichment
  • Board games launching soon
  • Recognized by Startup India
"I proudly say I am an entrepreneur today because I'm a mother. Whatever I do is based on what experiences both my kids have given me. Nothing was planned. Everything happened very organically."

The key enabler? No visa restrictions. "When you don't have constraints, when you don't have restrictions in your head, you move forward very freely with a free thought."

⚠️ The Struggles: Traffic, Finances, and Adjustments

Gayatri is honest about the challenges - it wasn't all smooth sailing.

The Real Struggles

  • Traffic: Kids got frustrated, nauseated in closed car for long times
  • Startup challenges: No big corporate names on resume - "I'm just a mother"
  • Work culture: Husband faced different work culture, long hours
  • Finances: "Sometimes it felt like what you're saving is what you're earning"
  • Housing: From single family home in US to apartment in India
  • Kids waiting: Would stand near park forever waiting for turn - never got it

How They Coped

  • Traffic solution: Created "busy corner" in car with art, craft, books, games
  • Planning: Avoided malls on weekends, used flexible hours
  • Park waiting: Kids learned to read while waiting - diverted energy from frustration
  • Empathy over complaints: "Huh, it feels bad right? I know you stood in line for a long time. So what else can we do?"
"Many times I fell flat on my face. But the only difference was I woke up, I cried, then wiped my tears and moved on. I will not say everything was easy, but God gave me the courage to pick myself back."

✈️ Why Move Back to US After 10 Years?

After a decade of thriving in India, the family made the unexpected decision to return to the US.

The Three Triggers

  1. Elder son's JEE journey: Saw how rigorous, competitive, and anxious the journey was - though he made it to BITS Pilani
  2. Younger son's path: Didn't want traditional engineering/medical - wanted to build robotics. India is still evolving for non-conventional paths.
  3. Husband's opportunity: AI innovation role during the AI boom - company wanted him to move

Elder son also mentioned wanting to go to US for masters after undergrad. Both kids seemed headed toward the US.

Gayatri's Personal WHY

She needed her own reason beyond family:

"For me, yes they are my world, but there is a world for me as well. If I'm not happy as a person, my family is not going to be happy."

Her solution: Enrolled in Dr. Shefali's conscious parenting certification program - a 1.5 year program to make use of her time in the US.

Immigration status: Moved on L1 visa (husband's intra-company transfer).

🎓 Younger Son's Adjustment to US High School

The younger son, who did most of his schooling in India, had a mixed experience adjusting to US high school.

What Worked

  • Academics: "Very happy because it's very easy" - India's academic rigor is much higher
  • Cultural awareness: Thanks to YouTube and media, he knew American culture, shows, and what kids talk about

The Challenge: Friendships

  • India friendships: Very strong, deep relationships
  • US friendships: More surface level, competitive, people don't share much
  • Example: In India, even during JEE prep (one of world's toughest exams), friends exchanged notes, studied together, shared question papers from different coaching centers
"One thing I have observed - friendships are very strong in India. Here it's more surface level. People are competing among each other. They don't share a lot of things."

💡 Advice for NRI Families

Gayatri's advice comes from living both journeys - US to India and India to US.

For Those Moving to India

  1. Don't go by popular opinions: Do your own research on schools, cities, everything
  2. Work on your WHY first: If that's clear, everything falls into place
  3. It's okay to change schools: What works for one child may not work for another - her two kids never went to the same school
  4. All schools are good: Don't chase "the best" - see what works for YOUR child
  5. Never speak negatively about India: Kids absorb your emotions
  6. Choose a good gated community: Safety, convenience, kids can play freely

For Those Moving Due to Visa Constraints

  • Embrace the change: What's in your control, change. What's not, accept.
  • Don't transfer negativity: Kids didn't ask to be brought to US or taken back to India
  • Accept first: "The change happened only when I accepted - yes, I moved. But what now?"
  • Find your WHY: Even if move isn't your choice, find your personal reason to thrive
"When there are ripples in the water, you'll never find clarity. You will never be able to think. When the water is still, then you will be able to think."

On Her Own US 2.0 Adjustment

Gayatri admits the reverse move was harder:

  • From US to India: "Day one we were happy - eating roadside food, enjoying friends and family"
  • From India to US: "Took a lot of time to even accept it. First three months was all crying."
  • Women's Day contrast: In India, keynote speaking and networking. In US, washing dishes.

Her mindset shift: "I stopped comparing. I question - why am I here? What is God trying to teach me? What is the lesson I can take forward?"

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Based on Gayatri's detailed journey, here are answers to common questions NRI families have about moving between US and India with children.