Articles by Kennedy Wirth

Today marks my last day as an intern for Citizen Matters. It’s been quite the journey, one I started back in January of this year that led me to ten weeks of reporting in India. I graduated from the University of Washington on June 10th and arrived in Bengaluru on June 17th ready to start my international reporting experience and post-graduate life. I was given the chance to intern in Bengaluru for Citizen Matters through a scholarship awarded by an alumna of the University of Washington’s Journalism Department from which I recently graduated from as well. Each year this alumna…

Today marks my last day as an intern for Citizen Matters. It’s been quite the journey, one I started back in January of this year that led me to ten weeks of reporting in India. I graduated from the University of Washington on June 10th and arrived in Bengaluru on June 17th ready to start my international reporting experience and post-graduate life. I was given the chance to intern in Bengaluru for Citizen Matters through a scholarship awarded by an alumna of the University of Washington’s Journalism Department from which I recently graduated from as well. Each year this alumna…

I am no stranger to metro systems. I’ve up hiked the spiral staircases of Paris’ metro, impatiently waited in a dark tunnel when my line broke down while on the London Tube, poured buckets of sweat in the graffiti adorned underground train to Rome’s neighboring beach town, fervently watched street performers in the bowels of Washington D.C.’s network of underground metro tunnels and have spent much of my time riding my own city’s eccentrically named Seattle Link Light rail through canopies of tree cover and rain specked windows. I have traveled some of the biggest cities of the world on…

I am no stranger to metro systems. I’ve up hiked the spiral staircases of Paris’ metro, impatiently waited in a dark tunnel when my line broke down while on the London Tube, poured buckets of sweat in the graffiti adorned underground train to Rome’s neighboring beach town, fervently watched street performers in the bowels of Washington D.C.’s network of underground metro tunnels and have spent much of my time riding my own city’s eccentrically named Seattle Link Light rail through canopies of tree cover and rain specked windows. I have traveled some of the biggest cities of the world on…

A day doesn’t go by that I am not asked at least a few times which country I’m from, for obvious reasons of course. My unnaturally bright blonde hair, translucent skin tone, nasal accent and western attire just scream American to everyone I encounter. But thank you to everyone in Bengaluru for asking where I am from anyway. If that isn’t already enough to make me feel special for a few minutes, thank you - ask me from what city and tell me how much you love Microsoft when I say Seattle. I guess it’s not so big of a…

A day doesn’t go by that I am not asked at least a few times which country I’m from, for obvious reasons of course. My unnaturally bright blonde hair, translucent skin tone, nasal accent and western attire just scream American to everyone I encounter. But thank you to everyone in Bengaluru for asking where I am from anyway. If that isn’t already enough to make me feel special for a few minutes, thank you - ask me from what city and tell me how much you love Microsoft when I say Seattle. I guess it’s not so big of a…

Before boarding a plane in Seattle that would eventually bring me to Bengaluru I was told about everything I would see while here. I was told over and over how different India is from my home country and how culture shocked I would be. Some of the most said statements included “if you hit a cow you’ll go to jail,” “dogs everywhere,” “don’t eat street food no matter how appetizing it looks,” “everything is so colorful,” “you will not be able to handle how spicy the food is,” “people will stare at you,” and “it’ll be hot.” While there is…

Before boarding a plane in Seattle that would eventually bring me to Bengaluru I was told about everything I would see while here. I was told over and over how different India is from my home country and how culture shocked I would be. Some of the most said statements included “if you hit a cow you’ll go to jail,” “dogs everywhere,” “don’t eat street food no matter how appetizing it looks,” “everything is so colorful,” “you will not be able to handle how spicy the food is,” “people will stare at you,” and “it’ll be hot.” While there is…