Should I marry an NRI and Move to the USA?

Posted On: April 5, 2011

What should I consider before getting married and moving to the USA?

Congratulations on your engagement and marriage! I wish you and your family many happy and fruitful years ahead!

If you are moving from India to the U.S.A. after marriage, you may be looking for answers to the following questions:

What is America like?
How will I fit in and adjust to the new lifestyle there?
I am happy to make Indian friends, but how do I mix up and make friends with Americans?
My friends who have gone before me sit at home bored and frustrated because they can’t work. How can I keep occupied?
How can I pass time with my hobbies or interests in the U.S.?
It’s a different country, how do I access the things I need to be successful and comfortable?
I will be going on the “dreaded” dependent visa (H4, F2), how will I feel productive if I can’t work and earn money?
How can I keep in touch with my professional credentials or update my credentials to get a job in America?
Can I do voluntary work? I won’t get paid, is it worth the time and effort?
How can I Americanize my CV/ resume?
How can I feel independent and worthwhile when I can’t work?
How can I showcase my achievements so Americans understand my background?

These are only a sampling of the kinds of questions people may ask when planning to move abroad as a trailing spouse. These questions can also lead into deeper discussions stemming from these questions:

What other ways can I define myself other than my profession, job, or career?
Who am I as a person and what do I really want out of life?
What is my purpose on this earth and how I can identify it and move towards it?
How will my cultural adaptation or social isolation affect my marriage?
If I want to adapt and make American friends, will my spouse allow me?
How will I identify myself if most of my friends are not Indian?
Do I fear losing my cultural identity living away from home?
How will I combat homesickness?
How will I overcome culture shock? (Create a Culture Shock Relief Plan.)
What kinds of things will I miss about India when I leave?

Coming from India with a diverse experience, a treasured educational background and an exciting career in addition to all the things that make you wonderful (that make you …. You) should shine and be bought to the forefront. Let’s prevent the doldrums that can happen from not properly planning your move to America. Don’t get caught up in the Hollywood fantasy of America. Coaching with us can provide a balanced perspective to your new and exciting journey across the seven seas! America IS the land of opportunity, and I can help you find the answers you need to help you live your best life on your authentic journey to America.

Thank you for reading.

End of Part 2, Series on Help for H4/F2 Visa Holders
Read Part 1: Do Not ‘Settle’ For Settling Abroad: Plan Ahead For the Best Cross-Cultural Adaptation
Read Part 3: Ideas of things to do in U.S.A on a H4 or F2 Dependent Visa

Related Posts:
Is Homesickness a Good Thing?

Author of this post, Jennifer Kumar, an American has experience planning moves abroad having recently moved back to India for a second time. I understand the situations faced by dependent spouses and living in a new country trying to figure out how to fit in and find a place in a new community, country and culture.