What does "home" mean when you've lived in 30+ addresses across multiple continents? For Prashanta, despite leaving India at age 5 and spending 50 years in Trinidad, England, Denmark, and Norway, the answer is clear: India. Her story challenges the notion that time away erases cultural identity. Now, with her husband taking early retirement, aging parents in India, and grandchildren who need to know their heritage, she's finally planning the return her father always dreamed of but never completed.

The Global Journey: From Village to 30+ Addresses

Prashanta's journey began in a small village near Visakhapatnam. Her father, an anesthetist, wanted to pursue higher studies and career development abroad.

"My father left this little village near Visakhapatnam. The first posting was in Trinidad and I was just 5 years old. We had to travel all continents - from India first Chennai, from Chennai to Mumbai, from Mumbai to London, from London to Florida, from Miami to Port of Spain. That was my very first international journey."

The Constant Search

From Trinidad, the family moved through England, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, and the US. Her father was always searching for the ideal life - but also always saying he'd return to India.

"Even though he was in Trinidad and was offered citizenship, even in England - which is a rare thing - they actually told him 'we'll give you citizenship because you're such a good doctor.' He said 'No, no, I'm going back to India.' Until we landed in Norway and my mother put her foot down: 'You're going to retire soon. We cannot keep traveling from country to country.'"

The Anesthetist's Advantage

Her father's specialty made international moves easier in the 1970s:

"In those days, anesthetists were not popular because if something goes wrong in the operating theater, it was always the anesthetist's fault. My father would laugh and say 'At that time, if you're an anesthetist, they'll put garlands and invite you because they were a rare commodity.' And he'd joke: 'I put people to sleep. The only thing I need to know is to count backwards from 10!'"

Her husband, also a doctor who came from India to Norway in the early 90s, found it much harder - the medical licensing systems had become stricter.

Life in Norway: 37 Years of Reserved Acceptance

Norway became the final stop - 37 years and counting, with moves to 11 different towns within the country.

The Reserved Culture

"Norwegians are very reserved compared to other cultures. Even Danish are much more outgoing. Here, people would actually ask me 'Can I shake your hand? Am I allowed?' That is the level of politeness. When I came to Norway, we were like 6,000 Indians throughout the entire country. Now we are around 15,000."

Acceptance Despite Differences

Despite being a vegetarian, teetotaler, and visibly Indian in a meat-eating, drinking culture, Prashanta found acceptance:

"I would go in with my bindi and my Indian culture. I'm a pure vegetarian. This is a meat-eating country - fish is their main diet, reindeer and all. Me going in there, looking different, refusing to eat their foods, not drinking - it was totally fine with them. They respected me for keeping my identity. They would be curious about my religion and festivals."

The Social System's Support

Norway's social system proved invaluable when her younger daughter was born blind with a chronic illness:

"They gave her everything - all paid by the government. She became a remarkable young lady with that systemic support. We didn't have to fight for anything. They took it upon themselves to provide whatever she would need to go to school, participate in equal terms, play football with other kids. A disability would not hamper her from living a full life."

Tragically, her daughter passed away at 23 - one of the reasons they're now leaving Norway.

Maintaining Indian Identity Abroad

Despite 50 years abroad, Prashanta's Indian identity remains strong:

"Look at me - would you say this woman has lived abroad all her life? I look Indian, I am Indian, I speak with an Indian accent when I'm nervous. I do my pujas, I do everything. A lot of it has to do with the pride that I come from a culture, a country that has existed way before these people were still living in their caves."

The Instant Connection

"I can't speak Hindi, I can't speak most Indian languages - I manage very well in Telugu thanks to my parents and grandparents. But the moment I land in Delhi or any Indian airport, if I see something amiss, I feel like it's my own home. I immediately start telling them 'Hey, fix that, clean up, or I will do it myself!' I don't do that in all these countries I've traveled - I've always felt like a guest."

The Daughter's Reality Check

Her daughter offered a different perspective on constant moving:

"She said: 'You realize that moving is an easy way out of making long-term relationships. You're lazy because you're not committed to any place or people. You don't have to invest yourself - you get away with being charming.' It made me realize that as I grow older, I need stability, friends I can rely on. I don't want to burden my child with taking care of us in old age."

Why Now? The Triggers for Return

Three main factors are driving the decision to finally return:

1. Aging Parents

"My father has made a decision that he's no longer able to travel to Norway. My mother-in-law is also there, much older and alone. I call them every day, talk to their friends, their doctors. But there's always that element that I might not get there in time if something happens. I don't need that worry at this time in my life."

2. Grandchildren's Heritage

"My daughter is married to a Norwegian and I have three beautiful grandchildren. I want them to know how privileged they are that they have that blood flowing through them. I cannot do it from here - it will always be at the superficial level, the minority. In India, it's the majority. I want them to spend their summer holidays in India, live in India, go to the mandir, feed the cows, see the diversity and beauty."

3. Purpose and Contribution

"I am inspired by India. I see the development, how fast it's taking place. I've been a leader for more than 25 years, started my own company. I see what is lacking - there is very little good leadership, mentors. Young people always take secondary roles, do the hard work, but never step up to lead. I want to help change that."

Her husband, a pediatrician, wants to do voluntary work. Their daughter's rare illness - which no Indian children survived beyond age 5, while Western children lived to 50 - motivates him to contribute his research expertise.

Planning Challenges: Finance and Healthcare

After 50 years abroad, the practical challenges are significant:

Financial Planning Gaps

"I don't even have a bank account in India. I never felt the need - as long as my parents were there, they were my bank. Words like NRO, NRI account - I don't even know what they are, but I'm beginning to learn. The groups you've set up have become very important - I get information on 'aha, so this is the way to go about it.'"

Pension Transfer Concerns

• Whether pensions can go to Indian accounts or must stay in Norwegian accounts
• Bank agreements for international transfers
• Losing access when changing phone numbers/addresses
• Avoiding double taxation between Norway and India

Healthcare Cost Reality

"I'm a diabetic, I'm on insulin. Here the government provides all my medication free. In India, I will have to buy. I need to find a good medical system, have a contingency plan and budget for healthcare costs. My parents haven't done this, and as they grow older, they struggle between the two countries."

Parents' Journey: 40 Years Abroad, 15 Years Back

Prashanta's parents provide a preview of what long-term returnees experience:

The Transition Strategy

"They were able to move back and forth - every summer in Norway, every winter in India. They got the best of both worlds. The transition for them wasn't too difficult initially."

The Challenges of Aging

"Now as they're getting older, they're finding it harder. Here, even if the system is flawed, it's still a system that works. I can go to a hospital here, it's the same as a hospital 1000 kilometers away. In India, you go to the next hospital and they have a totally different system. Everything changes."

Cultural Adjustment

"Here, nobody comes to my home without an appointment - usually three weeks in advance. For my mother, that planned way of living was perfect. She's very organized. So for her, it was extremely hard to have people just drop in. In India, there's not that flexibility in time or how you treat others - there's very little room for understanding that 'hey, we're human and something can go wrong.'"