An Indian origin software developer, Dev, has given a reality check on the “interesting, hyped” life in Europe through a post on social media. Dev, who has been living and working in Europe, broke down the work permits, expenses, and financial burden, and the emotional toll that comes with living abroad. He also gave a friendly warning to those who wish to move to Europe, away from family and friends, adding that they should reconsider their opinion.
Stringent norms on work permits
Dev shared that in a scenario where one is on a work permit and loses their job, the individual either needs to find a new job or leave the country, all within a week. Furthermore, he said, the work tenure or the amount you paid in taxes will not determine your stay in the country. Passing a remark on this situation, he says, “Here, the system is connected with jobs, not contributions.”
30-50% goes to taxes
Based on his experience, the techie shared that 30-50% of a person’s paycheck goes to taxes. This is in addition to the high rent, groceries and other expenses.
Since the cost of living is high, he said there is no scope for saving money.
‘Depression kicks in when…’
The techie also said that Europe’s weather will either show someone sunlight for all 24 hours in summer or a continuous gloom for over four months in winter. He shared that “it will either remain sunny and bright till 11 PM or no sunlight the entire day”.
Based on the harsh weather conditions and an individualistic society, he said it often gets lonely. He shared that from his observation, locals would stock up on groceries a month in advance, leading to complete isolation and no social interaction at all.
This, he said, at times leads to depression. Dev shared the harsh reality of social isolation when “no one calls you without a purpose,” and all things seem to get “snatched away” when one moves away from home. He says this is when depression kicks in, when “no one asks you your favourite food,” and you spend festivals like Diwali and Holi alone.
As per Dev, living alone, away from one’s family, can cause a huge emotional burden. Towards the end, he said that those living with their parents should be grateful for getting a chance to spend time with family or friends. This is because these things are a luxury in the city he lives in.
He added that one misses family and friends even more during Indian festivals like Diwali after seeing photos and videos of festivities from India on social media.