"The hypocrisy of life": Saved to move to the US, now saving to visit India, woman's viral video on priorities flipping after moving abroad

An Indian woman living in the United States has drawn attention online for a relatable observation on how people's desires and priorities can shift entirely once they relocate abroad, from craving Western food while in India to actively seeking out Indian restaurants once settled overseas.

Posting under the handle @american_desi_family on Instagram, the woman shared a video reflecting on this apparent contradiction: the tendency to long for certain things while living in India, only to miss those very same things after moving away.

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"Now we're saving money to visit India"

Describing the shift, she said, "Do you see the hypocrisy of life? When we were in India, we were saving money to come to the US. Now that we're in the US, we're saving money to visit India. When we were in India, every weekend we wanted to eat pizza and burgers. Now that we're in the US, every weekend we look for an Indian restaurant to get Indian food from somewhere. When we were in India, we were seeking privacy from our own people. Now that we're here, we're searching for our own people among strangers."

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A post shared by Gurbani Family | USA life (@american_desi_family)

Her video points to a broader pattern: how leaving home can reshape the way people value things they once took for granted, underscoring the central irony that what feels ordinary or even undesirable at home often becomes deeply missed once out of reach. While living in India, moving abroad can appear to be a major life goal, with Western food or greater personal space seeming appealing at the time. Once settled elsewhere, however, familiar food, people and everyday routines from home frequently become what one misses most.

Her line about "searching for our own people among strangers" appeared to resonate most strongly with viewers, capturing a sense of longing for familiarity and connection that many immigrants experience while living far from their place of origin.

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Mixed reactions from viewers

The video prompted a range of responses. One user shared that they had already gone through a similar phase of life and had since returned to their roots, adding that they now feel a strong sense of love for India.

Another user pushed back on her framing, arguing that the situation reflects irony rather than hypocrisy, and that everyone is ultimately seeking a sense of balance and connection on their own terms.

A third user offered a different perspective, pointing to tangible benefits of living abroad, including clean air, safe drinking water, functional footpaths and roads, personal safety and stable employment.