‘You do everything alone’: Sweden-based Indian techie’s post hits a nerve online
Tyagi, who has lived in the EU for five years, wrote that people rarely understand what it truly takes to build a life abroad.
- Nov 26, 2025,
- Updated Nov 26, 2025 1:11 PM IST
Sweden-based Indian tech professional Ankur Tyagi has sparked a wide online conversation after sharing a candid reflection on the emotional and social costs of living in Europe. Contrary to the glossy perception many Indians hold about the West, Tyagi said the reality is far more complex than clean air, smooth roads and orderly systems.
Tyagi, who has lived in the EU for five years, wrote that people rarely understand what it truly takes to build a life abroad. “You do everything alone. You cook, clean, manage bills, raise your kid and fight the silence that hits you every single winter,” he said, describing the solitude that shadows many immigrants in Europe. According to him, friendships in the West are “polite but distant,” and community—a support pillar in India—is “rare.”
Comparing life in India and Europe, Tyagi noted that while India has “corruption and chaos,” it also offers the comfort of people and proximity. “In the west problems are different and they cut deeper in ways you can’t explain unless you’ve lived it,” he wrote, adding, “Every place has a cost. Most of us are just learning which cost we can survive.”
In a humorous yet heartfelt sign-off, Tyagi announced he is flying back to Delhi on December 5. “F*** AQI, who cares— I live in 10 AQI for the entire year. I need some real oxygen now… of friends and family,” he posted.
Tyagi’s reflections have resonated widely, particularly among young Indian professionals navigating decisions about moving abroad for work or study.
"All places have their pros and cons. It depends on us which pros we settle with," a user wrote.
"I always wondered why people are so scared of 'being alone', which they call 'loneliness'. In fact, urban loneliness is almost everywhere. That being said, it's all about priorities; some want to thrive in solitude and the rest want to fill the void with the crowd," a second user said.
"Know a lot of Indians who came back from abroad because they wanted someone else to clean their cars, cook their food and clean their homes," a third user weighed in.
"I stayed in the US for a few months and realised its not for me. Not saying its true for everyone but I felt completely lonely there. Its something you cannot convey, but you have put it aptly," another user commented.
Sweden-based Indian tech professional Ankur Tyagi has sparked a wide online conversation after sharing a candid reflection on the emotional and social costs of living in Europe. Contrary to the glossy perception many Indians hold about the West, Tyagi said the reality is far more complex than clean air, smooth roads and orderly systems.
Tyagi, who has lived in the EU for five years, wrote that people rarely understand what it truly takes to build a life abroad. “You do everything alone. You cook, clean, manage bills, raise your kid and fight the silence that hits you every single winter,” he said, describing the solitude that shadows many immigrants in Europe. According to him, friendships in the West are “polite but distant,” and community—a support pillar in India—is “rare.”
Comparing life in India and Europe, Tyagi noted that while India has “corruption and chaos,” it also offers the comfort of people and proximity. “In the west problems are different and they cut deeper in ways you can’t explain unless you’ve lived it,” he wrote, adding, “Every place has a cost. Most of us are just learning which cost we can survive.”
In a humorous yet heartfelt sign-off, Tyagi announced he is flying back to Delhi on December 5. “F*** AQI, who cares— I live in 10 AQI for the entire year. I need some real oxygen now… of friends and family,” he posted.
Tyagi’s reflections have resonated widely, particularly among young Indian professionals navigating decisions about moving abroad for work or study.
"All places have their pros and cons. It depends on us which pros we settle with," a user wrote.
"I always wondered why people are so scared of 'being alone', which they call 'loneliness'. In fact, urban loneliness is almost everywhere. That being said, it's all about priorities; some want to thrive in solitude and the rest want to fill the void with the crowd," a second user said.
"Know a lot of Indians who came back from abroad because they wanted someone else to clean their cars, cook their food and clean their homes," a third user weighed in.
"I stayed in the US for a few months and realised its not for me. Not saying its true for everyone but I felt completely lonely there. Its something you cannot convey, but you have put it aptly," another user commented.