u/AdEffective3469

Hi everyone. I am looking for perspective rather than someone to make a decision for me. I am currently deciding between staying in Copenhagen, Denmark, or moving back to Bangalore, India. This is a longer post, so please bear with me.

I am an NRI who moved from Bangalore to Copenhagen as a teenager because of my family’s work. I have spent most of my teenage years in Denmark and recently completed a business bachelor’s degree at Copenhagen Business School.

I have been accepted into a Master of Science programme in a commercial/business field at the same university. My parents are able and willing to sponsor it now, but this is realistically a one-time opportunity. If I leave it, they may not be able to finance a master’s later. I also have a part-time student job in Denmark that I would need to leave if I returned to Bangalore.

On paper, staying seems like the stronger option: a sponsored European master’s, a current student job, relevant Danish work experience, access to the European job market, and a possible long-term path to living and working in Denmark.

However, I am not fully sure I want to make that commitment.

Why I am considering Bangalore:

Denmark has given me a great deal. I have had access to free education, healthcare, safety, international exposure, internships, and professional experience. I am aware that many people would see this as an obvious opportunity to take.

At the same time, my life in Copenhagen has often felt isolated. I had a difficult social adjustment when I moved, struggled with social anxiety for years, moved homes multiple times, and frequently felt that I was trying to adapt rather than naturally belong. I understand that these things take time. Things improved during university, particularly through work, networking, and becoming more comfortable socially, but the feeling has not completely disappeared.

My family circumstances have changed, which makes this decision more significant. If I remain in Copenhagen, I would be staying independently as an international student rather than within the family arrangement that originally brought me there as a legal resident.

I do not think this is entirely Denmark’s fault. I made poor social choices too, including withdrawing from classmates and not investing enough in relationships when I had the chance. I could likely build a better life there if I actively committed to it.

But Bangalore still feels like home in a way Copenhagen does not.

I feel calmer and more like myself there, especially socially. I understand the culture, humour, friendships, family dynamics, and everyday energy without having to constantly interpret everything. I have stronger family ties and long-standing friends in Bangalore, and I enjoy the sense of activity and closeness that comes with living in the city.

I know Bangalore has serious downsides, including poor infrastructure, difficult work culture, competition, lower salaries relative to Denmark, and a less predictable job market. Many people in Bangalore want to leave India for some of these reasons. At the same time, it is a much larger market with many opportunities. I see potential in technology, B2B SaaS, start-ups, growth, marketing, sales, business development, and commercial roles.

I have also explored a small commercial project, which made these areas more attractive to me and made me interested in gaining practical experience in them.

If I return to Bangalore, I would not want to do so without a plan.

I am interested in growth, marketing, sales, business development, and commercial strategy. I would aim to work in Bengaluru for three to four years, build practical commercial skills, develop measurable impact, and understand which type of role and industry I am best suited for.

After gaining experience, I would consider further education, including an MBA abroad or at IIM. I know that would require significant work. By then, I hope I would have a clearer career direction and a stronger reason to pursue more education. I also feel study fatigue after completing my bachelor’s, and committing immediately to another two years of academic work feels heavy.

If I leave Denmark, I would be giving up:

- A master’s degree that my parents can sponsor now but may not be able to sponsor later.

- My current part-time job and the work experience and references that come with it.

- A relatively direct route into the Danish and wider European job market.

- The possibility of improving my Danish, integrating more fully, and building a longer-term life in Denmark.

- Higher earning potential and international mobility.

If I stay in Denmark, I would be giving up or postponing:

- Living in Bangalore during my twenties, when I strongly feel drawn to be there.

- Being closer to family and long-standing friends.

- The chance to build confidence through full-time work now rather than immediately committing to another two years of study in a degree I am not yet fully convinced is right for me.

- A social environment where I feel more naturally connected.

- The opportunity to experience Bangalore as an adult rather than only as a place I visit.

I know neither option is permanent. I could return to India later, and I could potentially seek international roles from India in the future. But both choices would shape the next several years, and that is what makes this difficult.

I would appreciate advice from people who have:

- Returned to India after studying or growing up abroad.

- Chosen work experience before a master’s or MBA.

- Built careers in Bengaluru in growth, marketing, sales, business development, or start-ups.

- Stayed abroad despite loneliness and later felt it was worth it, or regretted it.

- Faced a similar choice between a valuable overseas opportunity and a stronger feeling of home elsewhere.

How did you distinguish burnout and homesickness from a genuine desire to change direction?

How did you decide whether you were leaving an opportunity too early or choosing a route that better suited your career and life at that stage?

Thanks for reading.