I moved to Mumbai in November 2017. I had wanted to move to India since I taught and travelled here eight years ago. I am very lucky that an opportunity came up!

Mumbaikars are welcoming, accepting and kind. The sea is close meaning a breeze blows through the city jumble of palm trees and temples and street food and shops and cows and SUVs and a flexible attitude that makes anything happen. It is like nowhere else.

People are used to foreigners so you are either welcomed or allowed to go about life as normal without any fuss. If you speak Hindi or are smiley, you will be very welcomed.

Everything is so much cheaper and more accessible as a foreigner because you are so privileged here, it is cheap to travel by taxi but there is also an autorickshaw whenever you need one or a local train can whizz you across the city. The shopping on the local trains is so fun – food and hair accessories fly through the carriages.

The food and drink scene has a great vibe and again, you can eat at very trendy places for a fraction of the price.

The food and drink here are delicious! For a vegetarian it is heaven. And veg and fruit is cheap and delicious and seasonal and varied. Traditional tasty local food is available on every street.

It feels very safe.

It’s much easier and affordable to get things mended or fixed here rather than just buying something new.

I am also lucky enough to have a cleaner called Nancy who comes every weekday here. It is seen as important that foreigners and middle class and above Indians support the economy by employing as many people as possible. Many people also have drivers or cooks. Nancy has been so friendly and kind to me and is also teaching me to cook.

There are history and sights but also places to relax and unwind.

It is warm! And people are wearing thick jumpers in 25 degrees.

The inequality of people living in tiny shacks next to air conned Gucci shops.

The lack of social infrastructure for people who are struggling.

The polluted sea and river water.

The traffic and in particular menacing SUVs clogging up the road. There is a hierarchy on the roads so it is seen as the low class to walk and if you do, then you are fair game for advancing cars who don’t see any reason to stop.

Building work is constant and noisy.

Air pollution can be really bad.

I’m volunteering in the counselling team of an NGO and placed in different schools for first generation school goers. The most memorable moment has been dancing with the school team and a group of mothers for Holi festival and putting turmeric on our faces and eating delicious food cooked by the mothers for us.

Vrindavan Veg Restaurant … great dosas

https://goo.gl/maps/K61X9p2xpVD2

French crepes! Suzette, Bandra https://g.co/kgs/negvxZ

Bombay Salad! https://goo.gl/maps/1RKasbLMYaP2

Birdsong Organic Cafe

https://goo.gl/maps/YZa7GkdDURG2

The Shop

https://goo.gl/maps/9NJoc2nkaTk

Fab India

https://goo.gl/maps/ZEikX56EVt52

I need to visit more museums but this one was good:

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

https://g.co/kgs/kFdML8

Title waves for books with cake

https://g.co/kgs/vC1RBS

Really like for traditional dance and music and jazz.

National Centre for the Performing Arts

https://goo.gl/maps/jqxZ3c3pQas

Give us 5 hotspots right now including restaurants, shopping, clubbing:

Shopping at my local station – Santacruz

https://goo.gl/maps/99JWwo8xs1B2

A Bar Called LIFE

https://goo.gl/maps/TiHzbLhPTJw

Pa Pa Ya, BKC

https://goo.gl/maps/TnZ1cCWnXuF2

Khar Social

https://goo.gl/maps/RhcvzkELBT52

Kulture Shop

https://goo.gl/maps/Few6Xth4d192

The quality of life here is so spoilt for me and I am very much enjoying that while trying to also learn Hindi and volunteer and assimilate somewhat into the local culture.

People are friendly and like to laugh and are very open and tactile and also self-aware about cultural norms that are different.

Fascination.