“I thought my son would grow up with a global mindset. But I realized he was losing a piece of himself.”
My name is Priya, and I spent 12 years in the U.S., working as a business analyst and raising my son, Aarav, in the comfort of an upper-middle-class suburb near Dallas. Life was stable good job, good schools, Target runs on Sundays. But around the time Aarav turned 9, something started gnawing at me.
He was smart quick with math, great at spelling bees, and even better at Roblox. But when he once asked me, “Mom, do we have any relatives?” it hit me like a truck.
He had no connection to his roots.
🌍 The NRI Dilemma: Western Education vs Indian Values
Like many NRI parents, we’d enrolled Aarav in one of the top-rated public schools. But something felt off.
- No Hindi.
- No real-world competition.
- Limited cultural understanding.
- And more screen time than study time.
Sure, they taught kindness and independence, but where was the grit, the discipline, the rigor that shaped me and my husband?
✈️ The Big Move: Returning to India (And All the Anxiety That Came With It)
Deciding to move back wasn’t easy. We had doubts:
- “Will Aarav adjust?”
- “Will Indian schools be too rigid?”
- “Are we ruining his future?”
But we talked to other returning families on India Wapsi’s Education Discussion Board, gathered school options, and built a plan.
📚 Surprising Truths About the Indian Education System Today
We chose a CBSE-affiliated international school in Noida. And here’s what shocked us:
- The academic challenge was REAL, but so was the support. Aarav actually enjoyed the sense of accomplishment after acing his first term.
- They offered coding, music, robotics, Sanskrit, and even yoga.
- He spoke Hindi fluently in just 4 months.
- Best part? Grandparents became his new best friends.
I saw him bloom into someone who was not just smart but rooted.
💬 “I Have Friends Who Know Cricket and Chess” Aarav, Age 10
It’s been a year now. Aarav still remembers his American friends, but now he talks about his robotics project and how “India is more fun because there’s always something happening.”
From a lonely child in the suburbs to a confident 10-year-old leading his school’s quiz team, our decision was validated every day.
🧭 What Helped Us the Most?
✅ Final Thoughts: It Wasn’t a Step Back It Was a Leap Forward
If you’re an NRI parent wondering about your child’s future, I’ll say this: Don’t underestimate the power of belonging.
India has changed and so have we.
Let India Wapsi be your guide. Whether it’s school selection, property help, or just figuring out if this is the right move you don’t have to do it alone.