Ask HN: Escaping a Low-Paying Nepali IT Job and Ineffective Learning Cycle
I'm drained by my unfulfilling, low-paying IT job in Nepal, which I keep to avoid financial uncertainty. My skills after 2+ years are limited to basic Linux command line. I study subjects like Java, DSA, and Computer Networks, but I forget what I learn, delete my notes, and restart, making little progress. My resume and interviewing skills are weak, and lying on my resume hasn't helped.
I see three paths forward:
Land a better-paying private IT job (challenging due to my resume and interview anxiety).
Pursue a merit-based government job (seems viable but competitive).
Move abroad (unappealing due to anti-immigration sentiments and personal fears like living in unfamiliar places).
How can I break this cycle of ineffective learning, build concrete skills, and move toward a better career? Seeking advice on staying motivated, retaining knowledge, and preparing for government or private IT jobs.
You need projects that you care about. Making something you actually want to have will help motivate you to push through the problems that you run in to, and help give you more exposure to the million little problems you encounter once you step out of tutorial hell.
Couple this with a promise to yourself. At least 1 hour per day of your best effort. On days you're feeling it you'll do more, and that's good. On days you're not feeling it you're gonna struggle bus through your best effort for an hour, and then you're gonna go do something else guilt free knowing that you made SOME progress and kept the promise to yourself.
If only fear holds you back from moving abroad - id say go for it. Environment is the most critical part of any sort of success in every area i can think of. Many real (not movie) success stories i know were only (and sometimes solely) due to good enough people being in the right place (the right time is often less important).
As long ad you can find a way to do it legally - don’t worry about “sentiments”. In decent countries (all english speaking ones, western europe) - real (not tiktok “stars” or radicals) average people respect hard working immigrants, especially if they embrace, respect and adapt to the new culture.
But at the same time emigration is not a simple answer, it is a huge challeNge in itself (maybe the biggest in your life if you’re not a rich kid), there are many more factors at play, that might be more important to you personally.
Anyway, abroad or not - best teachers are 1) the master, expert, ready to share wisdom and teach you 2) real life, i.e. tangible goal or project you _have_ to accomplish. For example a pet project that you personally care for. However small and simple - if it solves your real problem, if you really want to make it happen, it will teach you more that 100 of books with madeup examples that you dont care about.
Good luck!
> In decent countries (all english speaking ones, western europe) - real (not tiktok “stars” or radicals) average people respect hard working immigrants, especially if they embrace, respect and adapt to the new culture.
Highly doubt that. There is a veneer that breaks easily. Cultural norms forced these kind of respect, not something that comes from within. Western EU is a place where you "must" know language to get that respect. They are the ones who wants "immigrants" out of the country. Look into the votes, look into politics. Do not judge rather look into the sentiment. Live with the young population not the dying ones. See how young people treat you, then you will see the true sentiment. Not the "sentiments" online.
It is not hard to bring it out of the people. You just have to create a gullible and dumb looking character. People will start showing their colors.
Source: Left Western EU (after staying for 1/3rd of a decade) for one of these third world country because I couldn't withstand the fake people there. Yes, academia to everywhere. They exists. I asked most of the immigrants there and they share the same pain as I did. People-are-cold.
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