Moving to Goa? Ready or not?

A little more detailed take for folks who have been getting in touch following the article with my responses about living in Goa (11 Oct 2020, Hindustan Times).

My apologies if most of this seems pretty obvious to you (I believe it is), but apparently this provides a different perspective to many folks flirting with the idea of making a move since COVID-19 provided us all some food for thought.

NOTE: Will be adding updates to this from time to time, in response to suggestions and inputs from friends.

What are the three biggest myths / false ideas that people should shed before they relocate to Goa?

I’d say that the biggest myth is that the life they experience in Goa during a 2N/3D visit of constant partying or glamorous lifestyle is what they are signing up for when they move their life to Goa. That cannot sustain in any place, and I mention it because quite often that is the trigger for the decision, especially for younger folks (also some eternally young at heart folks).

The second myth that folks seem to subscribe too is that you can be whoever you want in Goa (or who you truly see yourself to be) because of the relative freedom they experience here. That is certainly possible (anywhere) but not a forgone conclusion in the real world.

Like with any place you may choose to live for a longer period of time, you need to make the adjustments and take the effort to fit in — with the people, the culture and the way things work. Many folks from metropolitan cities struggle because they don’t have the same access (for example) to the products and services that are accustomed to. No, it’s not going to be that easy, despite the evolution of Amazon in India etc…

The third myth, and possibly the most misplaced one, is the idea that their life is going to continue to be mostly the same in their new environment (only bigger house, lesser crowds, more interesting people, and sun-downers on the beach).

Nope, that is highly unlikely.

Unless you choose to substantially change your expectations and make efforts to adapt, then the downsides may exceed the upsides for you (personally).

Goa clearly isn’t the best place to live for everyone.

In terms of expectations vs reality (and visiting vs living in Goa) what’s the advice for those harbouring this dream?

Sorry if this seems a touch dramatic, but they probably don’t have a clue what they’re getting into (for most, not all).

No place is a universal paradise (even Goa) because most of our happiness seems to be tied to expectations. For example you may say you want a quieter living environment.

Depending on where you chose to live, it may be quieter or louder than you want. You may feel that life here is less expensive, but you’ve got to make sure that you plan for a vehicle (for example), since there isn’t really convenient public transport. You may be used to having plumbers/ electricians/ carpenters/ grocery delivery turning up like genies, but that’s NOT going to happen.

I think that one has to be prepared that a lot of comforts and expectations may not be realistic, and that they will have to figure it out.

The upside is that it may be MUCH better in some areas than you might have expected.

What are the things are big city folks likely to miss most, when they first move?

The incredible convenience of big cities which are designed to meet so many of our impulses and whims. That the people will be like those of us in large cities (largely caught up in their own lives) and that you can either create a bubble to avoid them, or that they will engage with you just as folks in Mumbai or Delhi do.

You have to remember that for a while you will be a curiosity, until you fit into the community that you are a part of. This is very, very different from moving to another large city — things and people and not standardised in the same way, which can be unsettling for some.

What are the positive things that do hold true — ideas people come to Goa with that actually check out?

The people of Goa are pretty great to be around, provided you take the trouble to understand and know them. Not everyone does.

It’s REALLY BEAUTIFUL — more even than short trips can ever help us understand. I’ve been here 18 years, and there are still days that I go wow!

There are a bunch of interesting people around doing interesting things — but you will need to get out and engage to find your cohort. Time really slows down, which is great for many of us who find cities a bit frantic because it gives you more mindspace.

What’s the most unfeasible dream to have? What’s the best kind of dream to come to Goa with / the perfect lifestyle to adopt, to get the most out of the state?

Unless you have considerable wealth, you can’t create your private bubbles like we’ve done to some extent in cities with gated communities, clubs etc. The best mindset that you can come with is that you are willing to adapt — take the pros with the cons and figure out how to enjoy it like any other place really. I also think that it’s important to come in and allow the place to change YOU — otherwise what’s the point really.

Be prepared that you may choose/have to change what your work is, how you spend your free time, the kind of people that you hang out with and perhaps even review what you want from life.

If you’re looking to bring about some change in your life, but struggling with the dynamics of the city — time, commute etc — then getting away to a quieter place may be just the thing to do. A new, very different environment can help create enough room in your life to make the transition into something new and wonderful.

There is a lot of time for introspection, provided you are the kind of person who can handle that :-)

What are the unique challenges that Goa poses?

Largely depends on what you are expecting. Infrastructure isn’t bad in the larger context of India, but is certainly up to the levels of big cities like Mumbai.

Power supply can come and go, and mobile or broadband access may be difficult to figure out depending on where you are located.

As I’ve mentioned before, the access to products and services is not at the same level of mega cities (though these are improving).

For folks with kids, they may feel that schools are different from what they are used to, and that colleges are limited in terms of the educational choices.

For folks who are moving out of their “home” cities for the first time there is of course the challenge of not having friends and family around as conveniently as we are used to.

Several of these are not specific to Goa of course, but apply to any “smaller” place one might choose to move to.

What are the unique benefits of adopting this state as your own?

In my view it’s that it is culturally very different from most parts of the country, while being quite Indian in many respects.

It works for me that it is also pretty cosmopolitan in terms of the environment it provides for your life (assuming that is important to you), and that it’s blessed with considerable natural beauty and more peaceful than Mumbai, where I grew up.

Is there a checklist you could offer — 5 things you should do before you chase this dream?

For most people it may be to…

• Spend a few months living here before making the big jump
• Make sure that you are flexible about change (in yourself) as well as willing to adapt
• Be open to discovering new hobbies to make the best of extra time
• Make sure that your partner is in sync with you on this (I repeat, it’s not for everyone)
• Prepare yourself for inconveniences that you may not have expected (like a python curled up on your balcao)

Hospitality and tourism or music, the arts etc.? As a business model and lifestyle, which would you recommend and why?

I’m not the best person to ask about career choices, but I would say that Goa may be more attractive to people who have freelance or WFH models anyway or are setting up a new small business.

Some types of bigger businesses may find it difficult to meet their unique manpower requirements for example. I think the artists, writers and musicians have already figured out that it may work for them :-)