This essay as told is based on a conversation with Ananya Joshi, a 26-year-old Indian citizen who lost her job in 2025, had to leave the United States due to her visa status, and moved to Germany in search of a new opportunity. It has been edited for length and clarity. I inherited the American
This essay as told is based on a conversation with Ananya Joshi, a 26-year-old Indian citizen who lost her job in 2025, had to leave the United States due to her visa status, and moved to Germany in search of a new opportunity. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I inherited the American dream from my father, who wanted to go to the United States but lacked financial means.
Growing up in New Delhi, we had a small souvenir of the Statue of Liberty displayed in our house. My father saved for years so that I could study in the United States.
After completing my bachelor’s degree in India, I moved to Illinois in 2022 to pursue a master’s degree in biotechnology at Northwestern University.
I graduated in 2024 and worked in the United States until I abruptly lost my job and had to leave the country.
Living large in Chicago
Joshi graduated from Northwestern University and worked as a bioprocess engineer in Chicago for a year. Ananya Joshi
In college, I started working for a startup developing lab-grown meat. It was part of a six-month research program. The internship led to a full-time job offer, paying about $75,000 a year. I worked on an F-1 OPT visa.
He worked as a bioprocess scientist, helping to develop methods to increase cultured meat production.
My work was busy; I often worked seven days a week, but I liked doing innovative things and learning every day, so I didn’t mind the hustle.
Living in Chicago had advantages, including affordable rent. I paid $1,500 a month for an apartment in Evanston, about 20 minutes from downtown Chicago. I was able to keep my expenses under $2,000. I traveled, went on road trips, and lived it up.
Then came the visa problems. My company, which had initially promised to help me apply for an H-1B visa, realized it could not fulfill the visa. promise. The company said it was unable to complete E-Verify, the federal employment verification system.
My OPT was about to expire in July 2025 and I was unable to spend time searching for employment due to my heavy workload.
In May 2025, I told the company that I would like to resign or work part-time because I need those last two months to figure things out.
They fired me the next day.
Say goodbye to the United States
Joshi began applying for positions around the world after she was laid off from her job. Ananya Joshi
I began applying for jobs in cities around the world, focusing primarily on the United States, but also Europe, Canada, and Australia.
Even after getting about 20 interviews and making it to the fourth round several times, I still wasn’t getting a job. This took place between May and July 2025, when migration turbulence was beginning to increase in the United States.
I received two job offers, one from a company in Germany and another from Canada. People around me spoke highly of the stability of Germany and all of its labor laws, and after having been through so much, I realized that I needed that stability.
So in January of this year, I moved to Rostock, a small town about three hours north of Berlin, to work at another lab-grown meat company.
I had to get used to a new work culture. The company has ambitious goals, but the research and development process is more bureaucratic than what I found in the United States.
Adjusting to small town life
Life in Germany has brought about several changes in Joshi’s lifestyle. Ananya Joshi
In both New Delhi and Chicago, life never seemed to stop. So adjusting to life in a small town has been difficult.
Rostock is much cleaner, feels safer and has walkable streets. I don’t take it for granted. There is a beautiful beach and a jungle trail leading to it.
But it’s a small place and there’s not much to do. The language barrier is also a problem; English is spoken at work, but outside everything is German. I started taking German classes.
It’s also not the best place for connectivity. The closest airports are Hamburg and Berlin, both more than three hours away. As an immigrant, being able to travel easily is very important to me, especially if I need to fly quickly.
Joshi has been in a long distance relationship with her boyfriend Ishan. Ananya Joshi
Just before I lost my previous job, I started dating my now boyfriend, Ishan.
We now have a long-distance relationship between the United States and Germany, and I once flew back to visit him. He cannot leave the United States at this time because, although he was selected for an H-1B visa, he has not been able to get an appointment to stamp the visa at a US consulate in India.
I’m not sure what the future holds
I’m super confused because I would really like to go back to the United States, but I can’t forget what I went through. It doesn’t seem wise to back off until things look more promising.
I miss the fast-paced environment that the United States offers, where people tell you that anything is possible. I have seen the job opportunities and investments in my field, and it makes me wish I could return.
When I was in the US, I planned to follow the established path: work on an H-1B visa and then apply for my green card. I’m seeing a different way of life. It has made me have a more open mind towards other possibilities.
I have considered starting my own business in India, perhaps in Mumbai or Bangalore, after a few years in Germany. India is close to the United States in terms of opportunities and there is a lot of potential to continue growing my career there.