I moved from Indiana to New Mexico for a sunnier life. My social life, mood, and physical activity level have gotten a major uplift.

Jagdish Khubchandani.

Josh Bachman, New Mexico State University Jagdish Khubchandani moved from Indiana to New Mexico in 2020 for a better climate and lifestyle.

Khubchandani's move to New Mexico improved his social life and personal happiness.

He does miss the connectivity of Indiana and says that most things were cheaper in the Midwest.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jagdish Khubchandani , a 47-year-old professor of public health in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

It's been edited for length and clarity.

After working in medicine in India, I moved to the US to study and started my career here as an assistant professor, then an associate professor, and finally a full professor in Indiana.

Since 2020, I've been working at New Mexico State University as a professor of public health and program advisor.

After moving from Indiana to New Mexico , I feel I made the right choice and am happier because I don't have to deal with brutal winters, snow-related hassles, or constantly staying indoors.

It's also been a new phase of learning as I'm in public health, and a change of setting demands thinking and acting differently.

I was born in western India and went to central India for medical school After graduating, I took local jobs in New Delhi as a resident physician in internal medicine and psychiatry.

I started to feel that my impact was limited to individuals, and I hoped to gain more skills and training to have a broader impact on more people.

I packed my bags and moved to Kentucky for a master's degree in public health, then to Ohio for my doctorate in health education.

I was hired as a faculty member at BSU in Indiana.