Mumbai is a colourful and boisterous city, a sensory overload best captured in its iconic markets filled with eager shoppers. The spices, flower garlands, glittering sarees, and stunning garments make walking through a market in Mumbai feel almost like a fever dream. As I stop to admire stone handbags adorned with pearls, hand-stitched decorative rugs,…Continue Reading Mumbai: City of Contrasts
As we finish up our fifth week here in India, I’m struggling to come to terms with the fact that we have to come home next week. The last few weeks have gone by especially fast, and I don’t even know where to begin! My last blog post two weeks ago left off just before…Continue Reading Work, the desert, Taj Mahal and more!
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
In just one week, I’ll be back in New Zealand. Time has flown by, and I can’t wait to share what I’ve been up to. Spoiler alert – it includes a visit to the High Court of Bombay, camel riding in Rajasthan, and watching my dad umpire an international cricket match. Let’s get into it……Continue Reading One Month in India: Courtrooms, Camels & Cricket
Embracing the Unexpected in India As my time in Mumbai draws to a close, I can’t help but reflect on how much has changed simply because I chose to say yes – to new people, new experiences, and even moments of discomfort. When I first arrived, Mumbai felt unfamiliar, overwhelming, and fast-paced. Now, it feels…Continue Reading The Power of Saying Yes
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
My father and mother met at a blue-light disco. My nan went to primary in Ngaruawahia before moving to Auckland. My koro left Maatauri when he was 16. My nannies were part of the Maaori women’s liberation movement. My tuupuna, Matire Toha and Kati Takiwaru Te Wherowhero, brought peace to Ngaa Puhi and the Waikato…Continue Reading The Cave That Sings