'No house help, no job offers': MBA student faces reality check after move from India to US

In India, comfort is the default. In the U.S., it’s earned—and for MBA student Pranay Loya, that contrast hit hard within days of landing.

In a LinkedIn post that’s resonating widely, Loya—who recently moved to the U.S. for his MBA—shared five cultural shocks that shattered his assumptions about daily life, work, and independence.

“Back home, there’s always someone around to help—family, house staff, neighbors. Here, it’s just you,” Loya wrote. In India, life is built around a support system. In the U.S., it’s built to make you self-reliant. “If you don’t cook, you don’t eat. If you don’t clean, it stays messy.”

That realization began at the airport, when Loya reached for a trolley and learned it cost $8. “That moment summed it up: every little service here has a cost.”

The job market flipped his expectations, too. In India, job offers come to campus. In the U.S., students chase them. “You have to lead the process—networking, coffee chats, conferences, sending messages. No one is coming to pick you. You pick yourself.”

Even simple conveniences carry a premium. A food delivery came with a $5 fee—before the food price. And tipping, Loya discovered, is non-negotiable. “Tips are not extras but a major part of income for many in the service industry.”

These shocks, however, are exactly why he came. “To grow. To unlearn and relearn. To see the world in a way I hadn’t before.”

His final reflection speaks to the bigger divide: “India cushions you. The U.S. demands effort. But in that discomfort lies growth.”