‘Solo Lunches, No Chai Pe Charcha': Indian Woman On US Corporate Life

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The woman opened up about how the US move came with its own set of unexpected challenges.
A move to a new country is often celebrated. Fresh opportunities. A different lifestyle. What is there not to love? But while moving abroad might seem like a big success, the actual experience, especially when it comes to adjusting to work life, can be very different from what people imagine.
An Indian woman, who, after working for seven years in India, shifted to US with the same company. On paper, not much had changed. It is the same job title, same employer. But emotionally and culturally, everything felt different.
The woman shared a video on Instagram with an overlay text: 'When no one tells you when you start your corporate life in the US."
In the caption, she opened up about how the move came with its own set of unexpected challenges.
'Same job role, new country but feels like a whole new world. After 7 years of working in India, I moved to the US with the same company —but the shift hit me harder than I expected," she wrote.
She then further stated five things that 'surprised" her about US corporate life.
First, she spoke about how lunches were 'mostly solo." 'People eat at their desks or take a walk—social lunch breaks aren't really a thing," she added.
The environment also felt more 'formal and quieter" as she missed the casual 'chai pe charcha." The spontaneous drop-ins at a colleague's desk to vent or laugh about something random isn't a thing in the US. According to her, even grabbing a coffee often needs to be scheduled, sometimes weeks in advance.
Another thing that stood out to her was the level of independence expected. 'In India, there's often more handholding, more people checking in. Here, you're expected to figure things out on your own," the post continued.
She also reflected on the social dynamics at work. While people were polite and small talk was common, building deep friendships was 'rare." 'People tend to keep work and life separate—which can feel isolating at first," she added.
Still, she pointed out one thing she truly appreciated is boundaries. 'When people log off, they really log off," she said.
In the end, she gave reassurance for anyone else going through the same thing: 'Nobody really prepares you for the emotional shift of working abroad—but if you're in the middle of it: you're not alone. It does get easier. You just start finding your rhythm, one lonely lunch and awkward coffee chat at a time."
In the comments section, users shared their personal thoughts and experiences.
One user commented, 'I agree with everything you've put in the caption. It was such a a shock to me initially. I miss the chai pe charcha."
Another added, 'Experiencing this and everything is so related!!!"
Meanwhile, a person shared, 'Yup! Maybe it is different for your team! I have teammates from different countries and we eat together almost every day!"
In April, a man shared a similar dilemma on Reddit, asking fellow non-resident Indians (NRIs) how to cope with the emptiness he felt after moving from India to US.
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First Published:
July 14, 2025, 12:45 IST
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