Woman compares her life in Gujarat with cousin's in UK, asks if West is better

India Today

22-04-2025

A 21-year-old woman from Gujarat triggered a conversation online after she drew a sharp contrast between her life in India and her cousin's experience in the UK.In a detailed post on Reddit, the woman, who claimed to be an engineering student, reflected on the widening gap between her reality and that of her cousin, who moved to Wales at the age of 14.advertisement"Is life in western countries actually better than in India?" she asked as she added, "Personally, I would say yes. My cousin and I are the same age. Both 21. She moved to the UK with her family when she was 14, and I stayed in India".
Despite both being the same age and sharing a close bond since childhood, their lives have taken starkly different paths."We have both been really close since childhood, as we are the same age and practically grew up together. We still talk to each other every week without fail. We both are studying engineering. She lives in Wales, and I live in Gujarat. We both are good students but not toppers by any means," she said.The woman explained that while both of them are pursuing engineering and aren't "toppers by any means," the difference in opportunities has been difficult to ignore.advertisementHer cousin, she said, is currently enrolled in a reputed aerospace engineering programme, travels frequently with friends, and has landed two well-paying internships that allow for a work-life balance. She also mentioned her cousin receiving an offer from ISRO.In contrast, she claimed she has been working a demanding 10-hour internship in India for a stipend of Rs 12,000, something she described as a daily struggle."I struggle to get good internships. At my last internship, I worked 10 hours a day and was paid 12k a month.(plus an hour commute) College workload is a lot, and I have to spend time completing useless files and assignments. Teachers aren't the best, and I get judged by everyone because I wasn't able to crack JEE. It's hard to find good jobs, and most pay really low, like some offer 15,000-20,000," she said.Her core question - "Is life in Western countries actually better than in India?" - resonated with several users."A lot of people tell me that living abroad is terrible and how it is getting really bad. But I think it is still better than India," she said as she concluded her post.Take a look at the viral post here: advertisementThe reactions were divided, but the post certainly hit a nerve. "Better air. Better water. Better food. High-trust society. People follow rules. People queue. Iteration with any government services is bribe-free and no-nonsense. Roads are good. Public parks are great," a user said."The cost to quality of life is very high in India. It is not exactly cheap. If you can immigrate, it would be to a higher quality of life for sure. You will add at least five years to your lifespan," another user said.However, not everyone agreed. "I can add some perspective to this, since I'm 1.5 generation, born in India but migrated to Belgium (EU) with my parents when I was little," a user said, adding, "It's not all perfect. Across the West, racism and fascism are on the rise. There's a lot of political uncertainty. In a lot of countries, your Indian diploma will not be easily recognised as equivalent to the Western one, so you may get downgraded. Studies are more expensive for people who are not citizens, and access to social aid is more complicated. Being a first-generation migrant will mean a lot of sacrifices.""This is going to sound strange and probably won't make sense now. No one is better than you, nor are you better than anyone else, either. You are comparing yourself to someone else is the root cause of the sinking feeling you have. You are who you feel you are. Let that sink in for a moment," one of the users said.advertisementTake a look at the comments here:While the internet debated over the pros and cons of East vs West, the woman's post served as an example that where you live can deeply shape your opportunities, but mindset and access also play a major role.