Indian Woman Shares Challenges of Relocating to the US as a Dependent Spouse
'Had to leave tech career behind’: Indian woman shares reality of moving to US as 'dependent spouse'
Image: Hindustan Times
Sanjeevnie Syngal, an Indian-origin engineer turned real estate agent, discusses the emotional and financial challenges she faced after moving to the Bay Area as a dependent spouse. She highlights the high cost of living, loss of professional identity, and the difficulty of building a social network in a new country.
- 01Sanjeevnie Syngal moved to the Bay Area from India 9 years ago and left her tech career due to visa restrictions.
- 02The cost of living in the US is significantly higher, with groceries costing three times more than in India and childcare expenses reaching approximately $2,500 per month.
- 03Syngal experienced a loss of professional identity after transitioning from a Tech Lead to a dependent spouse, which she described as a grief that is often unacknowledged.
- 04She faced emotional challenges during significant life events, such as being pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic while her husband was in India due to family health issues.
- 05Despite the hardships, Syngal has rebuilt her career and is proud of the opportunities her son has, although it came at the cost of missing her professional prime and years away from family.
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Sanjeevnie Syngal, an engineer-turned-real estate agent, has gained attention for sharing her experiences of moving to the Bay Area as a dependent spouse from India nine years ago. In her Instagram post, she outlined the stark realities of life in the US, including the high cost of living, where groceries are three times more expensive than in India, and childcare costs around $2,500 monthly (approximately ₹2,39,000). Syngal also expressed the emotional toll of leaving her successful tech career behind, stating that she felt the loss of her professional identity deeply. She noted that the absence of domestic help, which is common in India, made daily life more challenging. Additionally, the emotional strain of being away from family during critical moments, such as her father-in-law's illness while she was pregnant, added to her struggles. Despite these challenges, Syngal has managed to rebuild her career and provide her son with opportunities she did not have, although she acknowledges the painful sacrifices made along the way.
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The experiences shared by Syngal resonate with many immigrants facing similar challenges in the US.
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