‘Reverse culture shock taught me resilience’: Journalist on returning to India after US visa setback

For many Indians who return after years overseas, coming home can feel far more disorienting than expected. Former journalist Vaishali Gauba says she went through exactly that after moving back to India following five years in the United States — an experience often referred to as “reverse culture shock”.

Gauba moved to the US at 17 to study journalism and business management, and later worked at CBS News. But her time there came to an end in 2017, when she was unable to secure an H-1B visa and had to leave after her work authorisation expired.

Speaking to Business Insider, Gauba recalled spending her final evening in New York on the terrace of her apartment building in Washington Heights, taking in the skyline and reflecting on the life she had built there.

“It was my last night in New York City before I moved back to India,” she said.

The move back was especially painful, she said, because it was not fully on her own terms.

After graduating, Gauba had received a one-year work permit and hoped to remain in the US through employer sponsorship for an H-1B visa. Despite efforts with CBS News and other organisations, that sponsorship never came through, forcing her to return once her permit ended.

She said it took months to come to terms with the setback. Eventually, she accepted that immigration decisions are often beyond personal control. Before leaving, Gauba had already lined up a role with an international news channel in India through a professional contact at CBS News, which made the transition somewhat easier.

Even so, settling back in was not easy.

The fast-paced mornings she had grown used to in New York gave way to quiet days at home as she waited to begin her new job.

“As everyone in my home left for work, I was left questioning my purpose,” she said.

Small details of daily life also hit differently on her return. She found herself noticing things she had once overlooked, from relentless honking on the roads to the way some people treated service staff.

Moving back into her parents’ home in Gurugram after years of living on her own also proved challenging. Having managed her own life in the US, she struggled to adjust to expectations around constantly sharing details of where she was going, leading to occasional friction at home.

About three months later, Gauba chose to move out and shift to New Delhi, closer to work. After discussing it with her parents, they supported the decision and even helped her find a place. The move, she said, helped her regain a sense of independence and slowly find her footing again.

Like many returnees, Gauba also had to readjust to the realities of urban life in India. In New York, she could walk almost everywhere. In Gurugram and New Delhi, daily movement often meant dealing with traffic, pollution and poor pedestrian infrastructure.

Safety, too, shaped her routine differently. While she felt comfortable being out late in New York as long as she stayed alert, she found herself exercising greater caution in Indian cities.

Over time, Gauba realised that dwelling only on the frustrations made the transition harder. She began focusing instead on what returning had given her — more time with family, home-cooked food and the chance to reconnect with old friends.

Gauba lived in India for five years before moving to Canada in 2022 to continue her studies and join her partner. Looking back, she says that chapter became one of the most meaningful periods of her life.

“The experience of overcoming reverse culture shock taught me how to stay resilient during adversity and rejection — something I've been able to carry with me throughout life's brightest and darkest days, no matter where I live.”