I have a hypothesis.
When Indonesians choose not to return home, there are usually 3 underlying reasons.
There are patterns.
First.
Another place simply offers a better ecosystem.
Better research funding.
Better industry maturity.
Better legal certainty. #uhukkkk
Better professional appreciation. #uhukkkk #uhukkkk
For certain sectors, especially frontier science, advanced engineering, or niche expertise, the infrastructure abroad is simply more ready.
This is not always about money. It is about the environment.
People go where their competence can grow. Simple.
Second.
Disappointment with the system.
Some come home with idealism.
Only to face bureaucracy.
Low salaries that do not reflect their qualifications.
Office politics based on connections.
Glass ceilings that have nothing to do with competence.
They try –> They struggle –> They get sidelined –> And over time, disappointment accumulates.
But here is the important nuance.
For reasons one and two, there is often still an emotional attachment.
There is still a desire to contribute.
Still a sense of identity.
Still a longing.
If conditions improve,
if dignity is restored,
if opportunity becomes real,
Many would consider returning.
Now the third reason.
And this one is deeper (imo) on why Indonesians choose not to return home.
There is no emotional home to return to.
No strong family bond.
No safe environment.
No close circle of friends.
Sometimes, even toxic family dynamics.
Sometimes unresolved trauma.
It happens long before studying abroad.
For some, (so) leaving the country was not just about career. It is a psychological reset. They want to start a new life.
When someone has no emotional anchor in Indonesia, coming back feels empty.
It is not about policy anymore.
It is not about salary anymore.
It is not even about nationalism.
It is about belonging.
If you do not feel at home in your own home, geography loses meaning.
This is why I believe something (more) fundamental.
Home is the first institution of a nation.
Before scholarships.
Before government programs.
Before economic reform.
Attachment begins in childhood.
If the family environment is stable, if education is nurturing, if children grow with emotional security, they build roots.
People with roots may explore the world, but they rarely disconnect permanently.
If we want people to return, we must create not only opportunity, but also dignity and emotional gravity.
Because people do not come home only for money. Sometimes, they come home when home still feels like home.
