{"id":2210,"date":"2012-06-02T22:54:09","date_gmt":"2012-06-02T17:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internshala.com\/blog\/?p=2210"},"modified":"2015-02-26T16:59:19","modified_gmt":"2015-02-26T11:29:19","slug":"mumbai-guide-interns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internshala.com\/blog\/mumbai-guide-interns\/","title":{"rendered":"The city of a zillion dreams–an intern’s guide to Mumbai"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Mumbai is perhaps the liveliest city on earth. If you\u2019re shifting to Mumbai this year for an internship, an important piece of advice previous and current interns can give you is to learn to love this city. If you don\u2019t, you may have a very difficult time. The most populous city in the country doesn\u2019t come without its stressors, so be prepared! (The biggest problem with this beautiful city, of course, is that it is so distressingly difficult to articulately write about it).<\/p>\n

These are the things you may find useful to know about before you shift:<\/p>\n

The city in one word<\/strong>: Dynamic.<\/p>\n

Where to stay<\/strong>: Renting flats can be extremely expensive. Paying guest accommodation is available in MHADA colonies all over the city among other places, and it is not too difficult to find. YMCA and YWCA too offer accommodation. Hostels are another good option and several are available in all parts of the city. Overall, the question of finding accommodation won\u2019t keep you awake at night.<\/p>\n

The people<\/strong>: Nothing to be concerned about here. If you want help, you\u2019ll always receive it. If you want directions to a certain place, you\u2019ll get detailed ones.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
See? Even Facebook says so.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Of course, it is never safe to generalize, but the people can be categorized into the \u201cwonderful\u201d group. But as a local tells us, \u201cYou’ll always find someone fighting in the neighbourhood. Where ever you go.\u201d It is<\/em> fun to watch.<\/p>\n

Weather<\/strong>: During March to May, you will hear, \u201cIt is so terribly hot today!\u201d every single day. Also expect humidity. June-September means rains. The work doesn\u2019t ever stop, though. The city never sleeps, remember? October is uncomfortable, but November to February is fairly pleasant.<\/p>\n

What to do<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Visit the Gateway of India at night.<\/li>\n
  2. Ride on the upper deck of a double-decker bus.<\/li>\n
  3. Spend hours walking or just sitting at Marine Drive and observe the sea, the people and the crabs.<\/li>\n
  4. Walk around Fort and look at all the quaint old buildings (a great place if you\u2019re into photography).<\/li>\n
  5. Go to Juhu Beach.<\/li>\n
  6. Go to Blue Frog<\/a> for a gig.<\/li>\n
  7. Arjun, who is interning at Rainbow Books, swears by the m-Indicator app. If you own an Android, you should get it.<\/li>\n
  8. Watch this video<\/a>. It describes Mumbai people better than any article can.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"\"<\/a>
    Not all railway stations are this ornate, obviously. Some stations you cannot even see because there are so many people around.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    What not to do<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Guys\u2014never ever travel in the ladies\u2019 compartment in a train. Girls\u2014always travel in the ladies\u2019 coach unless there\u2019s a guy accompanying you.<\/li>\n
    2. Not leave aside some time for traffic\u2014it will always make you late.<\/li>\n
    3. Expect perfect Hindi\u2014most Mumbaikars think speaking in proper Hindi is too formal.<\/li>\n
    4. Praise Delhi. Mumbaikars don\u2019t like it. Not because they\u2019re Shiv Sena people, it\u2019s just like that. One of those unsolved mysteries.<\/li>\n
    5. Give a Rs. 100 note to a bus conductor\u2014you will never forget that look you\u2019ll get.<\/li>\n
    6. Not everyone’s loved this city, obviously, and if you’re a nature lover, you may be disappointed:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \"\"<\/a>
      The sea more than makes up for it, but that’s just our opinion.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      What to eat<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Vada Pav<\/li>\n
      2. Pav Bhaji and gola at Juhu Beach<\/li>\n
      3. The chocolate chip cookie at Mocha<\/li>\n
      4. All kinds of chaat, everywhere<\/li>\n
      5. Natural\u2019s ice cream<\/li>\n
      6. More vada pav.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \"\"<\/a>
        Inexpensive awesomeness.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

        Transport<\/strong>: If your office is more than 15 minutes away from where you stay, traveling is going to be an important part of your life.<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Mumbai\u2019s famed trains are really its lifeline, and get a railway pass made as soon as possible. Trains do not run for hours on Sundays due to maintenance work, so if you\u2019ll be working on Sundays, make sure you\u2019re prepared to travel by alternate routes. Train rides, though tiring and noisy, can be really entertaining. You will also discover what \u2018train friends\u2019 are. And if you didn\u2019t know already: trains are the best place to buy cheap, trendy jewellery.<\/li>\n
        2. BEST buses are not bad, but can get really crowded. The people aren\u2019t likely to be as friendly as the people in trains. AC buses take longer than trains but are perfectly comfortable.<\/li>\n
        3. Auto-rickshaws are famous for not going anywhere you want them to go. You can try asking just for fun, but we do not take responsibility if the rickshaw driver agrees to take you somewhere and you just stand there looking awkward.<\/li>\n
        4. Cabs are very comfortable, but work out to be quite expensive for long-distance travel.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Weekend getaways: <\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Hills stations: Matheran, Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani are the best.<\/li>\n
          2. Beaches: Madh island, Alibaug, Kashid, Harihareshwar, and, of course, Goa.<\/li>\n
          3. Forts: Sinhagadh, Murud-Janjira, Raigarh and Pratapgarh are really interesting constructions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Misconceptions<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Bollywood is not a great way to learn about cities, and we need hardly tell you that Mumbai isn\u2019t about bhais. Very few people will tell you that they have met a bhai.<\/li>\n
            2. The city of crowds: Yes, it is crowded. Yes, there is traffic. But every train does not have people traveling atop it, nor are all streets always clogged with people. Someone from Delhi, for instance, may feel claustrophobic here, but it isn\u2019t as bad as they make it out to be.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
              \"\"<\/a>
              And we can totally blame this on IPL.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

              We may not be able to say exactly what Mumbai will be like for you, but we\u2019re sure it\u2019ll be unforgettable. If you are interning\/have interned in Mumbai, do share your experiences. If you are heading to Mumbai for an internship, feel free to post any queries. We hope this was helpful, and wish you all the very best for your internship!<\/p>\n

              Want something similar for yourself? Check out the latest Internships in Mumbai<\/a>.<\/p>\n