Kia Ora all, long time no talk! Every fortnight when I sit down and prepare to write my next blog post, I can’t help but feel like the girl that wrote the last entry is a complete stranger. That is how truly transformative my time in India has been. The personal and professional development I…Continue Reading A Wild Ride in Rajasthan
From shopping, to sharing food, to navigating and interacting with people I just met, the manaakitanga and willingness to take initiative was an aspect that was particularly prominent. Even when window-shopping along the streets of night markets without a hint of intention to spend, store owners would go out of their way to show us…Continue Reading Mumbai’s Manaakitanga
Now that I’m past the halfway mark of my internship in Mumbai, I want to reflect on the experience so far—where I’m working, who I’m working with, and most importantly, what I’ve learned. When I first received my placement at Urbz, I looked it up briefly, thought it seemed interesting and moved on. That changed…Continue Reading Beyond the Headlines: My Internship in Dharavi
I am told that this stage of the trip is where ‘reality hits’. If this is meant to imply a decrease in enjoyment and appreciation of my daily experiences, it simply couldn’t be further from the truth. Having become comfortable with the more confronting aspects of the city (the traffic being the foremost amongst them),…Continue Reading Over and above
Interning in a Mental Health psychosocial rehabilitation facility for the past three weeks has been an incredible learning experience. I originally applied for the Prime Minister’s Scholarship to Mumbai as I wanted to learn about how Mental Health care operates in South Asia, particularly regarding how Mental Health workers navigate stigma and incorporate cultural knowledge….Continue Reading MANAV Foundation: Mental Health in Mumbai
Every day, as I sit on the train, looking out at the slums, train track welders, stray animals, crowds, skyscrapers, and never-ending sea of rubbish, I can’t help but think—this place can’t be real. The mixed scent of fragrant spices and fermenting sewage drifts through the air while the relentless horns, blaring party music, and…Continue Reading Mumbai: A confusing city where less is more
Today marks the halfway point of my internship here in Mumbai. Somehow, it still hasn’t clicked that I’m in India. I’m writing this while nestled into my plane seat destined for Rajasthan, vegetable biryani in hand – I could get used to this lifestyle! In this blog, I’ll be sharing how culture shock can quickly…Continue Reading Settling Into a New ‘Normal’
When I signed off my last blog post, I was at the airport heading to Ahmedabad for the weekend to attend a few wedding events. To say that a lot has happened in the last two weeks would be quite an understatement! To begin, Anna, Hayley and I had the most incredible weekend filled with…Continue Reading Week 2 & 3 in India!
Settling in From the commute to interacting with locals, I finally feel like I am settling in! My work is about roughly a 20 minute walk away, it used to feel like an impossible task at first – with rickshaws and cars around every corner, but I am getting used to it and enjoying my…Continue Reading Feeling like a Mumbaikar
When I was shortlisted for an interview for the global internship programme, they asked me ‘Explain how your set of skills reflect those of a global ambassador.’ Naturally, I showed off my background giving back to my community, my strong cultural competency skills, and my love for Aotearoa and our people. However, these skills and…Continue Reading Mumbai Meri Jaan: A Place of Growth