R2I and Dilemma

[social]

Here's my R2I story. I r2i'd this year from US to pune, India in June. daughter 14 and son 10, joined school in pune. They are not enjoying their life as initially expected since everything changed and they were not really on board when we decided to move. They were too happy with their life in America.

Indian schooling has been disappointing at best. We enrolled them in a good CBSE school and it is considered a good school in our community. Kids who always wanted to go to school and never missed a day of school in life, started hating their school when we moved to India. Another disappointment was around sports activities. Our kids have been fairly active in sports when they were in US and getting quality sports coaching has been a challenge both in school and outside.

We are seriously considering if we should move back just to get schooling done before doing another round of r2i after 8 years. Kids are US citizens if that matters. Want to understand from others what they went through when they moved and how did they deal with it?

[SAPPORO]

India is a different world especially for American kids.
Never R2I based on nostalgia, R2I based on real needs!

[Razz R]

it's a lot harder once kids get into high school - they have established peer groups and attitudes and you are asking for trouble if you cannot get them completely onboard for a move. I agree about sports as well, i can't imagine the level of competition and maramari that might exist.

[JINSAKAI]

Here's my R2I story. I r2i'd this year from US to pune, India in June. daughter 14 and son 10, joined school in pune. They are not enjoying their life as initially expected since everything changed and they were not really on board when we decided to move. They were too happy with their life in America.

Indian schooling has been disappointing at best. We enrolled them in a good CBSE school and it is considered a good school in our community. Kids who always wanted to go to school and never missed a day of school in life, started hating their school when we moved to India. Another disappointment was around sports activities. Our kids have been fairly active in sports when they were in US and getting quality sports coaching has been a challenge both in school and outside.

We are seriously considering if we should move back just to get schooling done before doing another round of r2i after 8 years. Kids are US citizens if that matters. Want to understand from others what they went through when they moved and how did they deal with it?

Hey social,
Just hop on the next plane …

[social]

Hey social,
Just hop on the next plane …

Considering we have already taken the hardest step that is actually moving and getting ourselves settled with housing/schooling etc. We want to try and find some solutions before we decide to move back. Is it generally a hopeless situation to try to even solve it? Is schooling and sports will in general suck across the board?

[Returning_Indian]

Don't know why you chose CBSE school. It has a different philosophy compared to western education. We chose purely international curriculum (IB) and are really impressed with the new age educational system in India. Focus on education is very high, academic kids are not labeled as nerds, superb facilities for study and extracurricular activities, other kids from same mindset and very kind in general, debates, public speaking opportunities, competition among schools/international/national in sports, writing etc. Amazing building like famous Scotland schools is a plus. I wish I went to such schools. School also has a major role to play. Teachers make lot of efforts for my son to develop friend circle. They assigned an academically oriented girl to help him navigate the school/courses etc. sort of like a buddy.

I based in Gurgaon so that may open more choices but CBSE for foreign kids is a losing battle unless focus is to get into IIT/NEET. In addition, if you plan to take them to US for college then plan on having atleast 12th grade from US high school otherwise you are limiting your choices both for scholarship and admission in US. I have a friend who admitted his 10yr old in CBSE and he is doing very well competing with other kids. Initially, it was a bit struggle as he was completely American but after 6months when he made friends, things settled down a bit and now he is enjoying the school.

[nodegree]

Here's my R2I story. I r2i'd this year from US to pune, India in June. daughter 14 and son 10, joined school in pune. They are not enjoying their life as initially expected since everything changed and they were not really on board when we decided to move. They were too happy with their life in America.

Indian schooling has been disappointing at best. We enrolled them in a good CBSE school and it is considered a good school in our community. Kids who always wanted to go to school and never missed a day of school in life, started hating their school when we moved to India. Another disappointment was around sports activities. Our kids have been fairly active in sports when they were in US and getting quality sports coaching has been a challenge both in school and outside.

We are seriously considering if we should move back just to get schooling done before doing another round of r2i after 8 years. Kids are US citizens if that matters. Want to understand from others what they went through when they moved and how did they deal with it?

Forget all the advice you get here telling that IB/International schooling in India is a good substitute for US schooling. Even a mediocre US public school with modest ratings blows out the best International schools in India. US public schools are amazing bang for buck. I'm starting to think even school shootings and fentanyl overdoses are worth the risk, compared to the "conditioning" your kids will be subject to in Indian schools.

In my view the educational institutions and even the best sports training facilities in India always overpromise and under deliver. You end up spending a lot of money and get very little in return.

Currently, we are in India (semi-R2I'ed) but will most likely move back early next year. Nostalgia can be very expensive and even worse - detrimental to young children. I'm glad we did this because it put an end to my R2I cravings for good.

[JINSAKAI]

Hey social,
Just hop on the next plane …

Considering we have already taken the hardest step that is actually moving and getting ourselves settled with housing/schooling etc. We want to try and find some solutions before we decide to move back. Is it generally a hopeless situation to try to even solve it? Is schooling and sports will in general suck across the board?

I was just joking about hoping the next plane.
Personally I think you could live at the place which makes you and your family happy ( be it India or US) . Hope things turn out better !!

[SAPPORO]

Don't know why you chose CBSE school. It has a different philosophy compared to western education. We chose purely international curriculum (IB) and are really impressed with the new age educational system in India. Focus on education is very high, academic kids are not labeled as nerds, superb facilities for study and extracurricular activities, other kids from same mindset and very kind in general, debates, public speaking opportunities, competition among schools/international/national in sports, writing etc. Amazing building like famous Scotland schools is a plus. I wish I went to such schools. School also has a major role to play. Teachers make lot of efforts for my son to develop friend circle. They assigned an academically oriented girl to help him navigate the school/courses etc. sort of like a buddy.

I based in Gurgaon so that may open more choices but CBSE for foreign kids is a losing battle unless focus is to get into IIT/NEET. In addition, if you plan to take them to US for college then plan on having atleast 12th grade from US high school otherwise you are limiting your choices both for scholarship and admission in US. I have a friend who admitted his 10yr old in CBSE and he is doing very well competing with other kids. Initially, it was a bit struggle as he was completely American but after 6months when he made friends, things settled down a bit and now he is enjoying the school.

Welcome back RI! The forum needs multiple perspectives. It seems like you R2Ied and enjoying it. Cheers!

[social]

Don't know why you chose CBSE school. It has a different philosophy compared to western education. We chose purely international curriculum (IB) and are really impressed with the new age educational system in India. Focus on education is very high, academic kids are not labeled as nerds, superb facilities for study and extracurricular activities, other kids from same mindset and very kind in general, debates, public speaking opportunities, competition among schools/international/national in sports, writing etc. Amazing building like famous Scotland schools is a plus. I wish I went to such schools. School also has a major role to play. Teachers make lot of efforts for my son to develop friend circle. They assigned an academically oriented girl to help him navigate the school/courses etc. sort of like a buddy.

I based in Gurgaon so that may open more choices but CBSE for foreign kids is a losing battle unless focus is to get into IIT/NEET. In addition, if you plan to take them to US for college then plan on having atleast 12th grade from US high school otherwise you are limiting your choices both for scholarship and admission in US. I have a friend who admitted his 10yr old in CBSE and he is doing very well competing with other kids. Initially, it was a bit struggle as he was completely American but after 6months when he made friends, things settled down a bit and now he is enjoying the school.

Appreciate your perspective here. Our thought process was multifold.
1. Our longer term goal is/was to settle down in India for good including kids settling down in India. That meant, they sit in IIT/NEET exams and do their undergrad from Indian school. Everything/everyone suggested CBSE for that goal.
2. We also wanted more assimilation into India for kids. IB and other international schools meant they would continue to live in their american bubble and not experience real India and indian people with it's good bad and ugly.
3. Considering transitioning is harder in higher grade and CBSE being easiest and IB being hardest, we thought of going easy on kids in initial year so that they get used to their new surroundings before getting creative around education.
4. We didn't have a crystal ball to anticipate how things will go.
5. CBSE being more prevalent, it would be easier to find other better CBSE school if we were to move cities/areas within major metros and country due to job and other scenarios.

Having said that. experience and hindsight is always 20/20.