Kate Wurm
Kate Wurm
Southeast Asia, 2019 - 2020
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I graduated from Belmont University in May of 2019 with a Major in Religion and the Arts and a Minor in Photography. My roots are set back home in Detroit, MI, but a piece of my heart will always belong to India. From September 2019 to September 2020, I will be an International Justice Mission Communications Intern in the South East Asia field office.

Finally Arrived in India.

*this post was originally written on September 26, but posted on October 1, because wifi in foreign countries is tricky*

 

I can barely keep my eyes open, although it feels like all I’ve done in the last 24 hours is sit on my butt and close my eyes. Travel days, long travel days, can put you in a trance. One in which I hope to be released from soon. 

I want nothing more than to be wide awake for my first full day of living in this city, but I can barely think to type these words. 

Jet lag, you will not get the final say of this first week. 

*glugs other water bottle*

*rubs swollen eyelids*

*takes bite of 5th granola bar*

My body is feeling all sorts of things.

Exhaustion from the 5 hour road trip followed by the 15 hour flight to get here.

Jet lag from the 9 and a half hour time change (yes, 9 and a HALF).

Exhilaration from the last few hours of taking in the city that I now call home.

India is just as I remembered from my last trip here in May of 2018. The vibrancy, the smells, the subtle spiciness of every bite, the impossible driving structure. But even in the recognizable aspects, this time around, India seems different. It feels like I’m stepping foot in this country for the first time. Maybe it’s because my trip is, well…not exactly a trip. It’s a move. 

I am currently sitting on a bed in a small apartment in Mumbai, India.

My things are slightly spilling out of my suitcase, yet still somewhat packed, indicating my transitory state of being at the moment. 

Early next week, I will be moving into an apartment for the year. 

I’ll be living with two of the other interns, Kyla, a girl from South Africa and Emma, from London. 

Until then, we are all scattered in different homes, provided by families and friends from the IJM office. 

It’s been about 24 hours since I landed in Mumbai, and I’m already super ready to be settled in. I am thankful for this in-between home, but I am ready to hang a few family photos on the wall and to not have to pack up my toothbrush after each use.

Today was a full day. 

I met almost everyone in the IJM office.

The office is made up of 8 different departments, and within each department in 3-8 employees. The department i’m a part of, the communications department, is made up of three people (including me!). I thrive in smaller groups, so thank you Lord for placing me in this sweet little (but powerful) team. Overall, the office crew is a bigger crew than I expected, but the community aspect still stands strong despite the large numbers. Every morning we meet together for half an hour, and most days we eat lunch together at a family style table. 

I’m eager to get to know and do life with these people for the next year. 

This Sunday, I’ll be checking out a local church. It’s near by both the office and the apartment we are hoping to rent. Kyla, who has been in India for a little over a month, has been attending this church and loves it. The only church I’ve visited in India previous to this was located in a small village in south india. There were about 20 people sitting on torn up blankets in a small concrete building. Far different from my church in the states, but same Jesus. I am eager to experience whatever this Sunday may bring. 

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In my first entry about a month ago, I mentioned an overview of who IJM is and what they do. Scroll down to that blog for more information, and if you’re interested in reading more, go to ijm.org. 

The mission statement of IJM rests on an extremely sensitive field of work. What goes on inside each office is confidential. The work that IJM does is so good, therefore, it should be known! And I hope people are moved by the mission of IJM! However, the cases that they cover in relation to modern day slavery contain sensitive material. To respect the privacy and honor of the victims, names and details cannot be shared. To carry out the work and mission of IJM, so much of what we do must be kept inside the office, at least until cases are closed and information is cleared for publication. 

I say all of this because my blogs may seem a bit vague, or ambiguous, at times. I cannot post specifics about the work I will be doing each day on this particular page because it is public, but there’s some good news! I can share information about IJM and all that I am doing here via email! Once I get a bit more settled into life in India, I will be reaching out and collecting the email addresses of those who are interested in hearing more about IJM India. 

-kate

2 thoughts on “Finally Arrived in India.”

  1. Hi Kate,

    I’m hoping to apply for a global internship with IJM for the 2020-21 year. I’ve tried to find out when the September internship applications open, but haven’t had any luck. When did you apply for your current position?

    Thank you!

  2. Hi Luke!
    I applied right around this time last year, so they should be open now!
    I think I emailed someone about applying, and they walked me through the process, so maybe try to get in to touch with someone at headquarters? It looks a little different according to the internship!

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