Getting my H-1B on the first try felt like ‘pure luck.’ 4 years later, a layoff meant I had to leave the US.

I spent almost 13 years building a life in the United States, and then I had 60 days to pack up and leave it all behind.

I was raised in Kolkata and never lived anywhere else until 19. I’d never visited the US as a child, but felt oddly close to it — my aunt and uncle, both professors, lived in Spokane, Washington, and my aunt’s stories made me curious about American life long before I saw it myself.

I started working at 17 out of necessity, kept working while pursuing my bachelor’s degree in business administration at Calcutta University, and after graduation landed a role as a business developer for a startup exporting handwoven bags.

This is…