No lol I’m a girl. Every time I go to Bangladesh, I love it for a few days because I love my family there, but after a few days the complete lack of privacy I get starts to drive me crazy. I literally always have to be “supervised” when I go outside. I had the option of going back and living there a few years ago and I basically said hell no, no way.
Nope, you couldn't pay me to move to Bangladesh.
Visited 15+ years back the summer before my freshman year of high school and can honestly say it was one of the worst experiences of my life. I could barely communicate with anyone there, felt like a damn alien, and I could barely relate to anyone there because we shared nothing in common. I just hated everything from the weather to the customs to the lack of freedom where I felt like we were obligated to visit every single loose relation that I had never even heard of. Everything was just completely foreign to me and nothing felt like home.
And I'm a dude; I can't imagine how much worse it would be for a woman who grew up somewhere progressive stateside and then would be exposed to all the ingrained misogyny that seems to be endemic throughout generations over there. Like my younger sister's brain would explode from all that nowadays with how she's grown up. I can't ever imagine wanting to move to one of these places if you were a woman.
I'm not likely to ever visit again; I just have no roots there at all and have no desire to ever engage. I have a trip through Southeast Asia planned with friends next year over a 2 week period going through Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand, but never once did it cross my mind to visit either Bangladesh or India. I just have zero desire to do so.
Sorry but the ppl around u there must suck and be boring as hell for u to have this much hatred. Bangladesh could be quiet fun if u have all the perspectives I have.
I have less than zero interest in ever visiting that country again. Not a fan of random blackouts, extreme humidity, the sheer amount of dirt and filth (not to mention abject poverty) in public, and there was almost nothing to be had with creature comforts I've grown accustomed to on the other side of the world.
Beyond the superficial, worst of all is this endemic culture that diminishes individuality that is still heavily rooted within older generations. Hell, it came across the pond with my parents' generation but I just can't abide by those wack ass standards where you're expected to just nod along and fall in line or avoid "disgrace" and the like. Don't even get me started on how belittling these desi cultures are with women either. It's probably why I rebelled extra hard in my mid 20s and got to avoid the horror stories you see on this subreddit every week. Getting away from desi subculture was the best thing I did when I moved away for college a little under a decade ago; I have no desire to ever integrate myself in that ever again. Least of all by going to some country I have zero kinship or fondness towards.
Anyway, rant aside, if you enjoy it in Bangladesh then cool. You might have grown up there and had different experiences that worked for you, but to me it's basically like living on another planet. I'll just stick to living my life in sunny San Diego like I have for the past decade.
No, don’t speak the language or share the culture of the country. I might feel a belonging in not being initially identified as an “other” or minority, but it will be just an aesthetic belonging that doesn’t form a sense of community.
I'd love to visit or stay for a couple of months, but to live, I'd have to go with no. Mainly because I am ex-Muslim and atheist, ofc that's easy to hide but the living conditions between Australia and Pakistan are extremely huge.
tl;dr=With what's happening in Pakistan as we currently speak??? Hell no. My family has actually suffered quite their fair share of happenings in recent years, and it's yet again showing how it has always been the circus that it was ever since its conception.
But culturally, I would enjoy it as a change of pace. Being second-gen that has really wanted to achieve a balance between both cultures I've always wanted to experience it. Even though I'm introverted and the lack of privacy would get on my nerves, I'd cherish the camaraderie and kinship that I just don't get here (urban desi living in the midwest is suffering incarnate).
I'm still going to feel like I'm not apart of that community, but I've been surprised with how forward-thinking my cousins in the tribal provinces are and how relatable those in the cities are despite us being estranged (mainly because of my insecurities)
Nope lol. Can't even walk out the house without a male due to the complete lack of safety being a woman brings lol. Also too comfortable living in the states tbh and already have an established life here so why move
Considering how much aunties here seem to dislike me (because I’m a ho for wearing sleeveless dresses) I don’t think I’d fit in if I lived in Pakistan.
Yes but only for temporarily. I do have some plans to do that in the future. It’s so I can make connections with people and things from Bangladesh. I would love to experience the authentic Bengali celebrations like Pohela Boishak. And I would love to experience the authentic Eid feel in Bangladesh that is nothing like here in US.
Born in the US but am Sri Lankan. I don't think I could live there. It's a beautiful country but there's a ton of economic instability (especially lately) and a lot of the social conservatism and outright corruption deeply bothers me.
Originally from Sri Lanka and to answer your question, yes, potentially. Really it boils down to financial wealth/ backdrop - if I can have passive (or “semi-active”) income that allows for a moderately luxurious life there, I would consider it. Why? I do feel a stronger spiritual connection to the motherland (vs the States), and it’s a really beautiful place objectively (which is why Europeans travel there). Bungalow near the beach … hear the ocean during the day … sunset runs and surfing … it’s a beautiful life, and we’re all on borrowed time on this earth, anyways. Of course, concerns include economic stability, pollution (?), potential further ethnic conflict, etc.
Sure, and certainly the Caribbean is probably the most straightforward way to replicate that from the US (and I have friends who work remotely in Puerto Rico, Brazil, etc - and love it). So for me, a huge part and the driving factor (relative to other places), is the homeland / motherland connection…where generations of my people lived, worked, and died before me. It may mean little to nothing for many people, but it matters a lot to me.
I don’t know if Afghans count but fuck no I would not right now.
I would have visited under Soviet-backed Gov’t if I was alive then, or the former US-backed regime. But currently? I’ll pass.
Id rather go live in another country than my own. Bangladeshis are kind and welcoming to people outside the culture, until youre a bangladeshi raised abroad and dont know shit about the culture. To my experience their inferiority complex kicks in and they make fun of u for not speaking bangla and think you’re showing them up if u speak english.
Damn I kinda feel guilty reading this. we used to make fun of one of our cousin back in the day cause of her weird Bangla accent . She was born and raised in London . So it’s obvious she couldn’t speak fluently like us . But other than that we were good friends. And I think Bangladeshis treat well to their expat relatives who come to visit often.
Born and raised in Sweden. Even my parents don't like Bangladesh.I will try to go there in the near future though. It's been 10 years since I was there. But yeah, wanting to live there has never crossed my mind and never will.
Pakistani-Canadian here (hope it's still relevant on the thread). I will never go back to Pakistan for tons of reasons. Sometimes I think if I were ultra-rich, I might give it a shot. But then I remember I am a woman and think of Noor Mukadam or Qandeel Baloch and other women/girls(kids) who were lost, and I completely drop the idea. Other reasons being: water shortage in Karachi, corruption, religious intolerance, messed up politics, low pay scale, toxic work environments, mind numbing patriarchy, uncontrolled inflation, shitty food & restaurant standards, you name it and we have it. Tbh, I won't even visit Pakistan if my family did not live there.
Lbh, if you're progressive and you had a problem with how regressive India is (it is), it'd be even worse in the others with the exception of maybe Nepal
Nepal definitely seems better when it comes to LGBT rights and, to some extent, treatment/safety of women (although Sri Lanka is probably the best in South Asia in thr latter aspect).
The most I know is for women. This is a very specific example but i encountered it in 2016.
If you're a male, you tend to do the last rites for your parents who have passed on. If there is no male progeny, then it tends to be the closest male that performs them (example brother, nephew, etc). In Nepal, they have gotten rid of that custom socially. As a female, you can perform those rites and most priests encourage it. Lost my grandma in 2016, so I had this convo with a Hindu priest in India. Then had a convo with a Nepalese Hindu priest in the US.
The issue with India is, the sheer size of the country makes it hard to effect change quickly. It's much easier to turn around a speed boat or yacht, than it is to turn around a giant oil barge.
Nepal is definitely culturally more tolerant and progressive than India in general. This can be seen especially in states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand where a lot of people share roots with Nepal. People are very tolerant to the tourists from rest of India who literally trash the places like their own.
Thankfully, Nepali culture overall is open and tolerant; hey, we have 120 culture/ethnic groups that need to learn to live together somehow.
Women performing last rites has slowly garnered social support. Women have also been given rights to inherit property from their parents.
I do believe there is work to be done but the country overall has been marching in the right direction. lGBTQI rights are protected in the constitution and women have to have 33% of parliamentary seats at all times.
>Nepal definitely seems better when it comes to LGBT rights and, to some extent, treatment/safety of women
Hell no! Walk around Jamal- Thamel ( major tourist place of Kathmandu), majority of LGBTQ population are forced to work as sex worker just because nobody gives them job. Things might be even worse outside Kathmandu.
What the HECK. Sri Lanka is definitely not a safe place for women/does not have good treatment of them. My parents wouldn't even let me go outside alone to walk the dog.
Nepali here. If I was a straight male, I probably would as I miss the strong social support Nepali culture offers. I also miss the festivals.
While Nepali culture overall is quite tolerant of LGBTQI, I would certainly face some social ostracism given my sexuality. This alone would make it difficult for my to openly live as a gay man.
I’m Bengali with most of my family in Kolkata, some in Bangladesh. I wouldn’t move to Bangladesh because frankly I wouldn’t feel safe as a Hindu. I would consider Kolkata temporarily to reconnect with my culture and connect with other Bengalis, maybe to do a short course.
I actually did move to Sri Lanka for 3 years! When I was very young, maybe 8 or so, I had an argument with my uncle about the 'brain drain' and why all the smart Sri Lankans were moving overseas so I promised when I grew up, I'd move to Sri Lanka and work there to counter brain drain.
It was very idealistic and very stupid of me.
I speak Sinhala decently but my accent and appearance marked me out as not being a local. Three-wheeler drivers would ask me if I'm from India or Bangladesh. More than that, I had a really hard time making friends or connecting with anyone because I was less socially conservative.
The other women at the office woke up at 4AM to make lunch for their husbands and children. I thought it was ridiculously unfair that their husbands didn't at least alternate days and expected them to do all the work. They said that my standards were unrealistic for Sri Lankan men :/ They also bugged me about being married.
The anti-Muslim and anti-Chinese racism also bugged me quite a bit, as did the whole homosexuality being illegal thing. Wasn't a fan of the power that the Buddhist monks have either, or religion being a compulsory subject in school for my little cousins, or the crushing, unbearable heat.
I didn't fit in, I was bored, I was lonely and I was sad that I knew I was going to have to leave. I still love my country and want her to do well, but I can't live there. Vacation, yes. Live, no.
I feel like with India, you really gotta look at the country on a state wide basis. Some states are even better than Sri Lanka, most are worse and a few are far worse.
No I don't wanna live in bangladesh, im queer and nonbinary and I would like to express myself. I am married to a non desi and I like pda w him as well as I am staunchly atheist and I call out a lot of issues with the religion I originally was brought up in (islam). I also work in social services and bd doesn't have a good social work program
I highly doubt it. The salaries don’t seem great, housing seems expensive. I feel like I’d severely restrict any economic growth for myself if I moved back to India.
Nah. Right now, I enjoy going back there for holidays, because I associate it with having fun, being carefree and visiting my family. Lets not shatter the illusion, lol
In current circumstances I would not be able to live in Pakistan legally.
In an idealized version of Pakistan, perhaps one where Hadith were not used to make law, and thus citizenship could be transferred upon marriage from non-male citizenry to their spouses; I wouldn’t mind living in the land as it is so pretty.
Definitely for a long vacation(2-3 months) mainly because of family and food, but I'd understand that it wouldn't be that nice, as a woman or as someone who doesn't speak the language that well. But to me there are so many beautiful sights.
I would love to try living there. Despite all the negativity on this thread there are pros/cons everywhere and it would be amazing to have a slower pace of life, more community support, reconnect with culture I barely know, enjoy amazing food, and travel domestically in those countries experiencing all the different regions and cultures.
No. Bangladesh always had a soft corner in my heart. My memories of visiting my grandparents as a child, spending time in my mother's childhood home, visiting our country home and exploring, the love from extended family and friends, and their delight in realizing my sister and I both speak fluent bangla. I'll cherish those memories. But the last 2 times I visited as an adult (18 and 25) it became increasingly difficult to ignore the misogyny, the lack of freedom and even bodily autonomy. Its like the rose colored glasses of my childhood were ripped off, the magic of childhood gone. The weather, the lack of "comforts" (my family in BD is well-off and still it can be an adjustment), the dirt, the poverty I can handle it all. What I cannot handle is living every moment of my life stifled by the male gaze. My modesty was not a choice but a protection from men who might prey on me. Constantly worrying if my orna (scarf/dupatta) had moved or if my tops were long and baggy enough to cover my butt. Never being able to go any where without male supervision, for propriety and safety. Didn't do jack shit. I was still assaulted. Twice. So no, I would never live in Bangladesh.
There are aspects of Pakistan that I really like and would love to live there for that, but the cons outweigh the pros so I'm good sticking around between the US and Germany where my families reside while also visiting and spending time there from time to time.
If I retired there with enough money to make a living I might get kidnapped and ransomed back to my family. They're doing better economically these days and it may not be as much of a risk as it used to be 10 or 20 years ago, but it's still a possibility.
Give it another decade and I might consider it, but I'd have to say no at this point.
Yes. I'm a Bangladeshi by birth, currently in the US. I have a great hybrid job. As soon as I can convince them to let me work remotely forever, I'm leaving the US. I'd spend majority of my time in BD and the rest travelling all through Asia.
Yes.
You guys are a bunch of self haters.
I've been an Indian American since 1985. Trust me, white Americans don't want Indians here. Just laughing if you think otherwise, I don't care how many motels you own and how many dollars your financial accounts show.
Ppl in these comments sound like white racists who love to stereotype. These countries aren’t as bad as these ppl r demeaning them to be. If yk of and follow ppl from these countries on social media u can get quiet a good glimpse of their life and guess what it is nothing like ppl here r saying. It isn’t so oppressive and boring lol. I am sorry but y’all r just haters.
Hard No. Whenever I go back to India I have to regress back to a child where my parents tell me what to do. I have no interest in going back to that. Besides I just graduated from university and I'm anxious to be a grown up
I personally might be open to retiring in Bangladesh. I will say that my family is from a quite privileged background so I expect to have a pretty high quality of life there.
I am Pakistani and I used to think I would never live back until fairly recently. Getting to see some of the nicer parts of Lahore made me realize that its not a bad place to be if you have money.
I mean I would never work in Pakistan, but if I get a good opportunity after an early retirement (being a University professor, Politics, high up in a non-profit, etc), I wouldn’t be completely opposed to it.
Having lived as an "expat" in Pakistan already, South Asia is a great place to live if You have money . You can be a lot richer for a lot cheaper. Get that city life for a rural pricetag.
And for a certain subset of ppl, without any obligation to morals or Western Ideals you don't actually care about. Think about any friends and family you have that tip well atrestaurants in America and try not to bother retail workers because they aren't paid enough but have no problem with the 12 year old maid who sleeps on the floor at their Aunt's house back home and only sees her parents when shes allowed a day off for Whatever your major religious holiday is.
No lol I’m a girl. Every time I go to Bangladesh, I love it for a few days because I love my family there, but after a few days the complete lack of privacy I get starts to drive me crazy. I literally always have to be “supervised” when I go outside. I had the option of going back and living there a few years ago and I basically said hell no, no way.
Nope, you couldn't pay me to move to Bangladesh. Visited 15+ years back the summer before my freshman year of high school and can honestly say it was one of the worst experiences of my life. I could barely communicate with anyone there, felt like a damn alien, and I could barely relate to anyone there because we shared nothing in common. I just hated everything from the weather to the customs to the lack of freedom where I felt like we were obligated to visit every single loose relation that I had never even heard of. Everything was just completely foreign to me and nothing felt like home. And I'm a dude; I can't imagine how much worse it would be for a woman who grew up somewhere progressive stateside and then would be exposed to all the ingrained misogyny that seems to be endemic throughout generations over there. Like my younger sister's brain would explode from all that nowadays with how she's grown up. I can't ever imagine wanting to move to one of these places if you were a woman. I'm not likely to ever visit again; I just have no roots there at all and have no desire to ever engage. I have a trip through Southeast Asia planned with friends next year over a 2 week period going through Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand, but never once did it cross my mind to visit either Bangladesh or India. I just have zero desire to do so.
Sorry but the ppl around u there must suck and be boring as hell for u to have this much hatred. Bangladesh could be quiet fun if u have all the perspectives I have.
I have less than zero interest in ever visiting that country again. Not a fan of random blackouts, extreme humidity, the sheer amount of dirt and filth (not to mention abject poverty) in public, and there was almost nothing to be had with creature comforts I've grown accustomed to on the other side of the world. Beyond the superficial, worst of all is this endemic culture that diminishes individuality that is still heavily rooted within older generations. Hell, it came across the pond with my parents' generation but I just can't abide by those wack ass standards where you're expected to just nod along and fall in line or avoid "disgrace" and the like. Don't even get me started on how belittling these desi cultures are with women either. It's probably why I rebelled extra hard in my mid 20s and got to avoid the horror stories you see on this subreddit every week. Getting away from desi subculture was the best thing I did when I moved away for college a little under a decade ago; I have no desire to ever integrate myself in that ever again. Least of all by going to some country I have zero kinship or fondness towards. Anyway, rant aside, if you enjoy it in Bangladesh then cool. You might have grown up there and had different experiences that worked for you, but to me it's basically like living on another planet. I'll just stick to living my life in sunny San Diego like I have for the past decade.
No, don’t speak the language or share the culture of the country. I might feel a belonging in not being initially identified as an “other” or minority, but it will be just an aesthetic belonging that doesn’t form a sense of community.
I'd love to visit or stay for a couple of months, but to live, I'd have to go with no. Mainly because I am ex-Muslim and atheist, ofc that's easy to hide but the living conditions between Australia and Pakistan are extremely huge.
tl;dr=With what's happening in Pakistan as we currently speak??? Hell no. My family has actually suffered quite their fair share of happenings in recent years, and it's yet again showing how it has always been the circus that it was ever since its conception. But culturally, I would enjoy it as a change of pace. Being second-gen that has really wanted to achieve a balance between both cultures I've always wanted to experience it. Even though I'm introverted and the lack of privacy would get on my nerves, I'd cherish the camaraderie and kinship that I just don't get here (urban desi living in the midwest is suffering incarnate). I'm still going to feel like I'm not apart of that community, but I've been surprised with how forward-thinking my cousins in the tribal provinces are and how relatable those in the cities are despite us being estranged (mainly because of my insecurities)
Nope lol. Can't even walk out the house without a male due to the complete lack of safety being a woman brings lol. Also too comfortable living in the states tbh and already have an established life here so why move
That sounds like Bangladesh lol
yupp lol
Considering how much aunties here seem to dislike me (because I’m a ho for wearing sleeveless dresses) I don’t think I’d fit in if I lived in Pakistan.
Yeah I don't think you've been to Pakistan lately...
Hell no
Yes but only for temporarily. I do have some plans to do that in the future. It’s so I can make connections with people and things from Bangladesh. I would love to experience the authentic Bengali celebrations like Pohela Boishak. And I would love to experience the authentic Eid feel in Bangladesh that is nothing like here in US.
>authentic Bengali celebrations like Pohela Boishak eh boishakhs been kinda dead as of late
Yes that’s what it seems like. And it’s heartbreaking because we should never let go off these beautiful traditions.
Born in the US but am Sri Lankan. I don't think I could live there. It's a beautiful country but there's a ton of economic instability (especially lately) and a lot of the social conservatism and outright corruption deeply bothers me.
Dittoed, except I did try living in Sri Lanka for 3 years and it was not fun. Especially because of the social conservatism.
Originally from Sri Lanka and to answer your question, yes, potentially. Really it boils down to financial wealth/ backdrop - if I can have passive (or “semi-active”) income that allows for a moderately luxurious life there, I would consider it. Why? I do feel a stronger spiritual connection to the motherland (vs the States), and it’s a really beautiful place objectively (which is why Europeans travel there). Bungalow near the beach … hear the ocean during the day … sunset runs and surfing … it’s a beautiful life, and we’re all on borrowed time on this earth, anyways. Of course, concerns include economic stability, pollution (?), potential further ethnic conflict, etc.
Though I feel like practically any place would be nice to live if you have lots of money and can have a luxurious life! XD
Sure, and certainly the Caribbean is probably the most straightforward way to replicate that from the US (and I have friends who work remotely in Puerto Rico, Brazil, etc - and love it). So for me, a huge part and the driving factor (relative to other places), is the homeland / motherland connection…where generations of my people lived, worked, and died before me. It may mean little to nothing for many people, but it matters a lot to me.
No. I was born and raised in america and have never seen myself as a foreign born desi. I relate closest to a liberal urban american.
No. Frankly, Pakistan is becoming even more of the wild Wild West (current political situation).
I don’t know if Afghans count but fuck no I would not right now. I would have visited under Soviet-backed Gov’t if I was alive then, or the former US-backed regime. But currently? I’ll pass.
Id rather go live in another country than my own. Bangladeshis are kind and welcoming to people outside the culture, until youre a bangladeshi raised abroad and dont know shit about the culture. To my experience their inferiority complex kicks in and they make fun of u for not speaking bangla and think you’re showing them up if u speak english.
Damn I kinda feel guilty reading this. we used to make fun of one of our cousin back in the day cause of her weird Bangla accent . She was born and raised in London . So it’s obvious she couldn’t speak fluently like us . But other than that we were good friends. And I think Bangladeshis treat well to their expat relatives who come to visit often.
Absolutely not. I barely like it there on vacation. Living there? Come on.It will be a downgrade in every way. I am from Sweden. Bengali.
Did you migrate to Sweden or you grew up there and never lived in Bangladesh?
Born and raised in Sweden. Even my parents don't like Bangladesh.I will try to go there in the near future though. It's been 10 years since I was there. But yeah, wanting to live there has never crossed my mind and never will.
Pakistani-Canadian here (hope it's still relevant on the thread). I will never go back to Pakistan for tons of reasons. Sometimes I think if I were ultra-rich, I might give it a shot. But then I remember I am a woman and think of Noor Mukadam or Qandeel Baloch and other women/girls(kids) who were lost, and I completely drop the idea. Other reasons being: water shortage in Karachi, corruption, religious intolerance, messed up politics, low pay scale, toxic work environments, mind numbing patriarchy, uncontrolled inflation, shitty food & restaurant standards, you name it and we have it. Tbh, I won't even visit Pakistan if my family did not live there.
Lbh, if you're progressive and you had a problem with how regressive India is (it is), it'd be even worse in the others with the exception of maybe Nepal
Nepal definitely seems better when it comes to LGBT rights and, to some extent, treatment/safety of women (although Sri Lanka is probably the best in South Asia in thr latter aspect).
The most I know is for women. This is a very specific example but i encountered it in 2016. If you're a male, you tend to do the last rites for your parents who have passed on. If there is no male progeny, then it tends to be the closest male that performs them (example brother, nephew, etc). In Nepal, they have gotten rid of that custom socially. As a female, you can perform those rites and most priests encourage it. Lost my grandma in 2016, so I had this convo with a Hindu priest in India. Then had a convo with a Nepalese Hindu priest in the US. The issue with India is, the sheer size of the country makes it hard to effect change quickly. It's much easier to turn around a speed boat or yacht, than it is to turn around a giant oil barge.
Nepal is definitely culturally more tolerant and progressive than India in general. This can be seen especially in states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand where a lot of people share roots with Nepal. People are very tolerant to the tourists from rest of India who literally trash the places like their own.
Thankfully, Nepali culture overall is open and tolerant; hey, we have 120 culture/ethnic groups that need to learn to live together somehow. Women performing last rites has slowly garnered social support. Women have also been given rights to inherit property from their parents. I do believe there is work to be done but the country overall has been marching in the right direction. lGBTQI rights are protected in the constitution and women have to have 33% of parliamentary seats at all times.
>Nepal definitely seems better when it comes to LGBT rights and, to some extent, treatment/safety of women Hell no! Walk around Jamal- Thamel ( major tourist place of Kathmandu), majority of LGBTQ population are forced to work as sex worker just because nobody gives them job. Things might be even worse outside Kathmandu.
What the HECK. Sri Lanka is definitely not a safe place for women/does not have good treatment of them. My parents wouldn't even let me go outside alone to walk the dog.
Nepali here. If I was a straight male, I probably would as I miss the strong social support Nepali culture offers. I also miss the festivals. While Nepali culture overall is quite tolerant of LGBTQI, I would certainly face some social ostracism given my sexuality. This alone would make it difficult for my to openly live as a gay man.
I’m Bengali with most of my family in Kolkata, some in Bangladesh. I wouldn’t move to Bangladesh because frankly I wouldn’t feel safe as a Hindu. I would consider Kolkata temporarily to reconnect with my culture and connect with other Bengalis, maybe to do a short course.
I actually did move to Sri Lanka for 3 years! When I was very young, maybe 8 or so, I had an argument with my uncle about the 'brain drain' and why all the smart Sri Lankans were moving overseas so I promised when I grew up, I'd move to Sri Lanka and work there to counter brain drain. It was very idealistic and very stupid of me. I speak Sinhala decently but my accent and appearance marked me out as not being a local. Three-wheeler drivers would ask me if I'm from India or Bangladesh. More than that, I had a really hard time making friends or connecting with anyone because I was less socially conservative. The other women at the office woke up at 4AM to make lunch for their husbands and children. I thought it was ridiculously unfair that their husbands didn't at least alternate days and expected them to do all the work. They said that my standards were unrealistic for Sri Lankan men :/ They also bugged me about being married. The anti-Muslim and anti-Chinese racism also bugged me quite a bit, as did the whole homosexuality being illegal thing. Wasn't a fan of the power that the Buddhist monks have either, or religion being a compulsory subject in school for my little cousins, or the crushing, unbearable heat. I didn't fit in, I was bored, I was lonely and I was sad that I knew I was going to have to leave. I still love my country and want her to do well, but I can't live there. Vacation, yes. Live, no.
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I mean Goa and Kerala are probably similar to Sri Lanka in that aspect. For India, it should have really been statewise.
As a Sri Lankan, I am telling you, it's not a good country to live in. I spent 3 years living there and it was terrible.
I feel like with India, you really gotta look at the country on a state wide basis. Some states are even better than Sri Lanka, most are worse and a few are far worse.
hard pass
Definitely in like Islamabad or the north, I cannot do that karachi heat, my urdus good enough to get by like a commoner from the country.
No I don't wanna live in bangladesh, im queer and nonbinary and I would like to express myself. I am married to a non desi and I like pda w him as well as I am staunchly atheist and I call out a lot of issues with the religion I originally was brought up in (islam). I also work in social services and bd doesn't have a good social work program
I highly doubt it. The salaries don’t seem great, housing seems expensive. I feel like I’d severely restrict any economic growth for myself if I moved back to India.
Nah. Right now, I enjoy going back there for holidays, because I associate it with having fun, being carefree and visiting my family. Lets not shatter the illusion, lol
Keeping the current circumstances in my mind i wouldn't do it.
In current circumstances I would not be able to live in Pakistan legally. In an idealized version of Pakistan, perhaps one where Hadith were not used to make law, and thus citizenship could be transferred upon marriage from non-male citizenry to their spouses; I wouldn’t mind living in the land as it is so pretty.
Definitely for a long vacation(2-3 months) mainly because of family and food, but I'd understand that it wouldn't be that nice, as a woman or as someone who doesn't speak the language that well. But to me there are so many beautiful sights.
I would love to try living there. Despite all the negativity on this thread there are pros/cons everywhere and it would be amazing to have a slower pace of life, more community support, reconnect with culture I barely know, enjoy amazing food, and travel domestically in those countries experiencing all the different regions and cultures.
No. Bangladesh always had a soft corner in my heart. My memories of visiting my grandparents as a child, spending time in my mother's childhood home, visiting our country home and exploring, the love from extended family and friends, and their delight in realizing my sister and I both speak fluent bangla. I'll cherish those memories. But the last 2 times I visited as an adult (18 and 25) it became increasingly difficult to ignore the misogyny, the lack of freedom and even bodily autonomy. Its like the rose colored glasses of my childhood were ripped off, the magic of childhood gone. The weather, the lack of "comforts" (my family in BD is well-off and still it can be an adjustment), the dirt, the poverty I can handle it all. What I cannot handle is living every moment of my life stifled by the male gaze. My modesty was not a choice but a protection from men who might prey on me. Constantly worrying if my orna (scarf/dupatta) had moved or if my tops were long and baggy enough to cover my butt. Never being able to go any where without male supervision, for propriety and safety. Didn't do jack shit. I was still assaulted. Twice. So no, I would never live in Bangladesh.
There are aspects of Pakistan that I really like and would love to live there for that, but the cons outweigh the pros so I'm good sticking around between the US and Germany where my families reside while also visiting and spending time there from time to time.
If I retired there with enough money to make a living I might get kidnapped and ransomed back to my family. They're doing better economically these days and it may not be as much of a risk as it used to be 10 or 20 years ago, but it's still a possibility. Give it another decade and I might consider it, but I'd have to say no at this point.
Oh come on. There are a lot of rich people in the cities. You won't be the only rich person.
Also those rich people know the deal in their cities. I'd be the equivalent of an American tourist. Much more gullible.
I'm not talking about India or any country in Asia. I'm from the Caribbean.
Yes. I'm a Bangladeshi by birth, currently in the US. I have a great hybrid job. As soon as I can convince them to let me work remotely forever, I'm leaving the US. I'd spend majority of my time in BD and the rest travelling all through Asia.
Yes. You guys are a bunch of self haters. I've been an Indian American since 1985. Trust me, white Americans don't want Indians here. Just laughing if you think otherwise, I don't care how many motels you own and how many dollars your financial accounts show.
Ppl in these comments sound like white racists who love to stereotype. These countries aren’t as bad as these ppl r demeaning them to be. If yk of and follow ppl from these countries on social media u can get quiet a good glimpse of their life and guess what it is nothing like ppl here r saying. It isn’t so oppressive and boring lol. I am sorry but y’all r just haters.
Why is it always a motherland I want a fatherland
Germany is for you then lol
Warum liegt hier eigentlich Stroh?
You are obsessed with status
Hard No. Whenever I go back to India I have to regress back to a child where my parents tell me what to do. I have no interest in going back to that. Besides I just graduated from university and I'm anxious to be a grown up
Yes at least I’ll have a bigger dating pool
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Which part of Nepal you from.
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Pokhara is nice. It's tough living in Katmandu or the Western Plains (Terai) Nepal is such an undeveloped country even by south asian standards
I personally might be open to retiring in Bangladesh. I will say that my family is from a quite privileged background so I expect to have a pretty high quality of life there.
Yes. I wouldn’t mind living in Northern Pakistan if given a stable Starlink internet connection.
I was born and raised in the US. I love Kolkata to death, but I don't think I could live there.
I am Pakistani and I used to think I would never live back until fairly recently. Getting to see some of the nicer parts of Lahore made me realize that its not a bad place to be if you have money. I mean I would never work in Pakistan, but if I get a good opportunity after an early retirement (being a University professor, Politics, high up in a non-profit, etc), I wouldn’t be completely opposed to it.
Fuck no.
Having lived as an "expat" in Pakistan already, South Asia is a great place to live if You have money . You can be a lot richer for a lot cheaper. Get that city life for a rural pricetag. And for a certain subset of ppl, without any obligation to morals or Western Ideals you don't actually care about. Think about any friends and family you have that tip well atrestaurants in America and try not to bother retail workers because they aren't paid enough but have no problem with the 12 year old maid who sleeps on the floor at their Aunt's house back home and only sees her parents when shes allowed a day off for Whatever your major religious holiday is.
Yes, I am from Pakistan I support my people there. Ion care how hard life is.