NRI Voice: Falling for Boston’s Old-World Charm

By Asmita Sarkar | April 10, 2018

Rahul Raghuvanshi grew up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and like most Indian middle class boys, earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering. He soon realized, however, that his passion for storytelling was more important to him.

He went to Boston, Massachusetts, to pursue a master’s in journalism from Emerson College, and has been living there for six  years now. The 28-year-old content writer describes himself as an avid reader, oenophile, data nerd, and a globetrotter. In his free time, he practices yoga, works out and explores the local food scene in Boston.

He spoke to Little India about his life in Boston and his journey so far in the United States:

Home Away from Home

Boston is a beautiful city and it has an old-world charm to it. I have been living here for six years, and it couldn’t feel closer to home. Boston is home to people from all over the world, which makes it very culturally diverse. Boston also has some of the best universities in the world, which makes it a hotbed for innovation and job opportunities. It’s also very close to vacation spots in North East, NY, DC, and a bunch of cities in Europe.

Indian Ties

I don’t really have strong ties to the Indian community here, but I do have many Indian friends. I went to Emerson, which has an amazingly diverse student body and so I made friends from all over the world. That said, I do have several friends who went to universities with a large Indian student body. They are more active in Boston’s Indian community.

Working in the United States

The U.S. economy creates tremendous opportunities for people from all walks of life. If you have the passion and drive to achieve what you want then the sky’s the limit. People work very very hard here. You really have to constantly push yourself to do better to keep up with the competition.

Working in the U.S. market also puts you at forefront of the latest tech and innovation, which is subsequently adopted in countries around the world. I think that’s one thing that makes living and working in the United States a very distinct experience. India also has a booming economy, but it doesn’t offer the conveniences and opportunities that you see in a developed economy like America or Britain.

Word of Advice for New Students

Even with all the current political tension in the United States, it’s still a great destination for pursuing higher education. The U.S. universities are still top ranked, and the current job market is very strong. However, the U.S. government is actively working to reform the immigration policies, which is, in many ways, spooking employers.