Sabah Husen Qazi is a 33-year-old professional born in Bengaluru, India, who always dreamt of settling abroad. Like many young students, she was captivated by the idea of building a life outside her home country. However, in an interview, Sabah opened up about her journey abroad, exposing the harsh realities behind this glamorous dream. Today, she is a successful product leader in Canada and ranks among the country’s top percentile of earners. Born into a conservative family where a girl’s education was a subject of debate, Qazi persisted in her efforts. is a 33-year-old professional born in Bengaluru, India, who always dreamt of settling abroad. Like many young students, she was captivated by the idea of building a life outside her home country. However, in an interview, Sabah opened up about her journey abroad, exposing the harsh realities behind this glamorous dream. Today, she is a successful product leader in Canada and ranks among the country’s top percentile of earners. Born into a conservative family where a girl’s education was a subject of debate, Qazi persisted in her efforts. She secured a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology in Bengaluru and a master’s degree in the same field from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
From pinching pennies to repay a $70,000 student loan to facing recurring rejections in her professional life, Qazi revealed the unspoken struggles of pursuing the global dream. Moving from Bengaluru to the United States, and later relocating to Canada, she navigated obstacles that are rarely discussed openly. Reminiscing about her initial setbacks, Qazi said, “I attempted the IIT entrance exams twice and didn’t make it. At the time, that felt like the end of the road—because in India, we’re told it often is.”
Refusing to lose hope, she applied to some of the world’s top universities and was accepted into Cornell, a milestone that made her realize her true potential. Breaking away from a traditional Indian household meant the bar of expectations was already high. Furthermore, before even arriving at the university, unexpected expenses forced her to spend a significant portion of her crucial student loan. Recalling her fear at the time, she said, “I arrived in a new country with a huge loan, no job, and zero safety net. That weight doesn’t leave you.” Fortunately, securing a Teaching Assistant (TA) position at Cornell eased the burden of her loan. However, she soon faced another massive hurdle when she was suddenly laid off from her job. “I had to rebuild again. Each time I did, I came out more grounded, more resourceful, and more human,” Qazi shared.
This professional setback was compounded by the pain of being far from her mother, highlighting the inevitable struggle of homesickness. Qazi credits her mother, aunt, and husband for providing emotional relief and supporting her through these hardships. Raised by a single mother, she also carried a deep sense of guilt for living so far away for such a long period.
She shared how her foundational upbringing in India was challenged, shifting her worldview entirely: “I grew up thinking good grades equal a good life. That’s just how we’re raised in India. When I got to the US, that whole belief system fell apart. Nobody was handing you anything based on your marks. You had to go find opportunities, talk to strangers, ask for things, put yourself out there—all things I was never taught to do. Rewiring my brain to think that way was genuinely the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
Now enjoying a fulfilling life after overcoming countless obstacles, looking back allows her to realize how those tough situations molded and strengthened her. From the silent anxieties she couldn’t share with anyone in a foreign land to managing inherent financial and family stress, Qazi shed light on the darker sides of the seemingly perfect dream of settling abroad. Reflecting on the hardest moments of her life, she noted, “It showed me that the roads that don’t go where you planned often take you exactly where you need to be.”
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