How do you know when a place has started to feel like home? Three weeks in and three weeks to go. The more I think about leaving Mumbai, the more I don’t want to leave. There are still so many people who I want to get to know better, and so many things I want to tick off my bucket list. There are endless UNESCO sites I want to visit in other cities, and even the ghetto sides of India that I want to experience fully. I want to keep hearing the nonstop honking of cars, and see women in Sarees even when I’m back in New Zealand. It’s hitting me now. Six weeks is way too short, and India has become one of the many places I consider “home.”
My Internship
I’ve spent the past weeks interning at Idobro Impact Solutions, an organisation dedicated to building sustainable change (a cause I’m very passionate about!). Their work focuses on citizenship programs, supporting women-led enterprises, and partnerships for vulnerable communities, with presence in seven countries and 24 Indian states. It’s a privilege to contribute to something so meaningful.
Much of my time in the office has been spent preparing for the 2025 RISE PECOWorld Summit, an annual event that brings together people from around the world to exchange ideas on global impact. The summit itself is an eye-opening event. Now in its 12th year, it has hosted over 27,000 participants from 81 countries, with contributions from organisations like UNICEF, UN Women, and the British High Commission. My main task was organising a virtual roundtable about connecting academia with the real world, a topic that’s particularly relevant as I move from being a student to a professional. I initially thought I’d be working on an in-person event and doing more field works, but instead, my role has focused on emails, calls, and meetings with the team—tasks that, while different from my expectations, are just as important.
Getting to work each day is a journey in itself! My commute involves a 30-minute walk to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), followed by a local train to Ghatkopar, a metro ride to Saki Naka, and then a final 15-minute walk to the office.
Most days, I work with six colleagues and my supervisor. Our hours are from 10 AM to 6 PM, and we usually have lunch together sometime between 12 and 1:30 PM. One thing I really enjoy is how everyone shares food (and apparently, it’s pretty common in Indian workplaces). It’s normal for people to bring portions for others, so I’ve gotten to try a bunch of homemade Indian dishes—like chapati with tasty curries, Pav Bhaji, and sweet treats like Gulab Jamun (which most of my friends adore, but I’m not a huge fan of since it’s a bit too “sweet” for me… maybe it’s the Asian inside of me lol)
Dhobi Ghat
On January 28th, I visited Dhobi Ghat, the world’s largest open-air laundromat, which was set up back in 1890 during the British Raj. “Dhobi” means a washerman, or someone who washes clothes, and “Ghat” refers to a set of steps leading down to a body of water, usually found along rivers in South Asia. So, “Dhobi Ghat” literally translates to “washerman’s steps,” and it’s a place where clothes are washed in large amounts.
I’ve always wanted to visit this incredible place, and honestly, it’s been one of the best experiences I’ve had so far. According to our guide who took us around, there are 496 people who live AND work there. It’s still insane to me how each worker has a designated wash pen in front of their tiny homes. It was pretty insane, especially when I thought about the contrast between the busy laundromat and the towering skyscrapers in the background. This visit gave me a whole new perspective on Mumbai—not just as a city of contrasts, but as a place where people from all walks of life coexist in harmony.
