The surveyed respondents credited factors such as investing money in their new host location, participating in events at their children’s schools, or using apps to connect with like-minded people. They also attributed the ease to “friendly work conditions.”

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“The workplace has a key role in India with business networking cited as a key factor that helps international citizens to settle,” the HSBC report said.

Indians don’t find it easy in a new country

Indians who move abroad, on the other hand, struggle in a new country. Only one in four felt at home instantly after shifting. A number of them encountered difficulties in assimilating into new communities.

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The HSBC survey asked Indians living abroad about activities that helped them feel at home in a new nation. The responses included the use of apps to socialize, visiting local restaurants, and clubbing. Interestingly, they didn’t include learning the local language in this, HSBC noted.

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“Living in another country can be exciting and enriching but also daunting. A core challenge isn’t so much a practical matter as a psychological one—the task of creating a home,” said Geoffrey L Cohen, a Stanford University professor, on the survey’s findings.

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“Feeling isolated is a key reason some people felt their experience ‘falls short’ of expectations and on the flip side, finding a sense of belonging in their host country often motivated them to stay longer.”

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