Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I honestly don't care that I had to take a paycut for it. Good for you. Here in Eastern Europe, the difference between working for big tech versus working for a local small business appears to be a factor of 5 to 20. I'm not saying money is the most important, but gee an 80% to 95% paycut does seem like a lot...
That's an incredible paycut, I'm sorry. I definitely had to hunt, most small startups offered me about 60% of what I made. I finally found one which offered me 85% of what I made. While still significant for me, it wasn't a deal breaker.
No need to be sorry. The flip side is that Eastern Europe is actually cheaper than the West (though perhaps less cheap than the West might think). So while a local salary here is not great, getting a Big Tech salary in Eastern Europe is even more of a win than it is in Silicon Valley.