Teenaa koutou katoa Ko Te Pane o Mataoho te maunga,Ko Manukanuka o Hoturoa te moana,Ko Waikato te awa,Ko Tainui te waka,Ko Waikato te iwi,Ko Te Puea te marae,Ko Pootatau te Wherowhero te tangata. Ko wai au? I am my maunga, and my maunga is me.I am my awa, and my awa is me.I am my…Continue Reading Pounamu meets Marble
Kia Ora from Auckland! So, my journey has finally come to an end. Adjusting back in Aotearoa has been a whirlwind and I’m so glad to be back with my friends and whanau. While I type this blog, I look back fondly on all the great memories I’ve made with some fantastic people. I miss…Continue Reading Ka Kite Mumbai: With Me, Always
Two weeks have passed since touching down at Auckland Airport. Returning to New Zealand after six weeks of immersion in India’s daily life has been an enormous reverse culture shock. I no longer take for granted what was once trivial. Living in a developing country has made me more aware of how fortunate I am…Continue Reading Reverse Culture Shock: From Mumbai Madness to Kiwi Calm
It is with a heavy heart that I write this final reflective blog for the Prime Ministers Scholarship to Asia 2025. This trip exceeded every expectation, dismantled western biases I didn’t know I had and reinvented my relationship with both myself and the world. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and a deep sense of growth….Continue Reading India: Crafting Confidence and Clarity
As I look back on the incredible 6-week PMSA journey, here are a few of my favourite personal and professional highlights from my last days in Mumbai… Leading My First Roundtable As part of my internship, I had the wonderful opportunity to organise and participate in a virtual roundtable on connecting academia with the real…Continue Reading Final PMSA Chapter
I am writing this as I sit cozied up in bed preparing for University to start tomorrow. I have had the best summer interning in Mumbai and making lifelong friends and memories. In this reflection, I would like to note the things and people that I am grateful for, and the ways in which I…Continue Reading My Final Reflections of Mumbai
Last weekend, our group took a trip to Jaisalmer. I had high expectations, as many of my coworkers had said it was the most beautiful place in India. It exceeded my expectations and I have to write everything down so I never forget. We started off on Saturday, all on the same flight to Jaisalmer…Continue Reading Snippets from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
After five weeks in Mumbai and three blog posts, I’ve realised that I have yet to share any details about the exciting work I’ve been doing here. My time in this city has been shaped not only by its vibrant culture and buzzing streets but also by my internship at Urja Trust—a remarkable organisation dedicated…Continue Reading Finding Home at Urja Trust
As I sat in a taxi last night, I realized this once strange city now feels like home. Landmarks like the clock tower, cricket oval, university, high court, skyscrapers, and even smaller aspects like the shoe-shining vendors, sugarcane stalls, and stray dogs have become a normal part of my daily experience. The trains, roads, haggling,…Continue Reading Truth is stranger than fiction
Mumbai has a way of pulling you into its whirlwind of adventures, where the unexpected turns into the most unforgettable moments. Of course, I imagine it might feel different if you lived here as a local, but as a tourist and intern working and living here temporarily, that’s exactly how it felt. New Friendships at…Continue Reading Mumbai’s Last Moments of Spontaneity