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Living abroad changed how a former Google employee viewed success, home and even India, with six personal lessons that challenged many common ideas about life overseas
Her reflections struck a chord online. (Representative Image)
Moving to another country is often seen as a chance for a better life. But for many people, living abroad also brings unexpected lessons that go beyond work and travel.
A former Google employee recently shared how spending the last six months overseas changed the way she looks at home, relationships and career opportunities. She also said the experience made her appreciate India in ways she had not expected.
She Shares Six Life Lessons
The post was shared on X by Anu Sharma, a Forward Deployed Engineer who has previously worked at Google, X and Intuit. Looking back on the past six months, she wrote, “I’ve been living abroad for the past six months. Here are six lessons I didn’t expect.”
One of her biggest takeaways was that life abroad comes with both advantages and challenges. “Your quality of life upgrades and downgrades at the same time,” she wrote.
Sharma also said that living outside India changed how she viewed the opportunities available back home. “You realise just how many opportunities exist back home. Ironically, moving abroad made me more optimistic about India,” she wrote.
She admitted that being away from family was harder than she had imagined. “Homesickness is real. It affects you more than you expect,” she said. The experience also pushed her to become more independent.
She said the people she met at work became an important support system. “Your colleagues become your family. I am so grateful for the amazing people I have met here. You become far more independent than you ever imagined. I feel like I have aged six years in six months,” she wrote.
Reflecting on what makes a place feel like home, Sharma said it is the people around you rather than the location. “You realise that home is about people, not places. You can live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but if the people you love are not there, something always feels missing,” she wrote.
She ended her post by sharing that she would be returning to Delhi for the next few months.
I’ve been living abroad for the past 6 months. Here are 6 lessons I didn’t expect:1. Your quality of life upgrades and downgrades at the same time.
2. You realise just how many opportunities exist back home. Ironically, moving abroad made me more optimistic about India.
3.…
— Anu Sharma (@O_Anu_O) July 10, 2026
Social Media Users Relate To Her Experience
Many people said they connected with Sharma’s thoughts and shared their own experiences of living abroad.
A user wrote, “Everything you said is absolutely right. Are you looking for a switch again?”
Another commented, “Yes, it is not for the faint hearted. If you have grown up in an overprotected environment, it is better to stay there and enjoy your momos.”
A person shifted the discussion to her career, writing, “The most important thing is that Anu is a Forward Deployed Engineer, so she can guide and refer people for this role.”
Several others agreed with her views on homesickness, saying her post reflected the feelings many people experience after moving away from their families.
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