News from Wageningen

Hello Agris Mundus Colleagues,

I guess it’s about time to here about the Wageningen people, isn’t?! Well, I will try to do my best updating you about my personal “master” experience in The Netherlands.
Back at the beginning of September, coming from Copenhagen, the Agris Mundus students were welcome by Eefje (from The Netherlands) with a nice tour in the city of Rotterdam, home of the third biggest harbor of the world. We had a great time with her family, we ate sandwiches made by her mother, and it was great to see how she introduced us (at that moment still some kind of strangers) to her intimate personal relatives - her family.

In those months, still trying to find our own way in Wageningen, I must say that we, as a group, did not spend so much time together beyond the classrooms. Classes were hard, time restrictive, and everything seemed new and strange. In addition, I recall that each of us, were pretty much with their own group from our country of origin, and so on.

As time passed, and period 1 was over. I happened to encounter Lihn (from Vietnam) in the “European Master welcome to The Netherlands”. For a day, we went to the southwest, Zeeland, with other master students to know about the historic struggle of the Dutch with water. As water managers’ students, we were both, interested to see, how this country has managed and transform nature to survive. Although it was a knowledgeable trip, we also had time for leisure and meet new people.

Time kept going, and autumn painted of colors the roads. As my first-ever autumn, I was very excited taking pictures of the trees to see how they changed as the days passed. Wageningen was just beautiful!
In this second period, we – the Agris Mundus students – happened to meet each other in most of the courses, and I think that it was in this period, that the sharing and bonding started. So, dinners started to happen more occasionally, and lunch was time for gathering and finding each other, to the point that, we kind of form this interesting intercultural group of MIL (master of International Land and Water Management) students.

So, what else can I say? Wageningen has resulted a very fulfilling place in all matters. As a University, it is exactly what I just expected and wanted it to be. Classes had been great, teachers are demanding and critical, and in some cases, they have turned upside down all my original ideas of how things should be done. The objective is to make you think and be critical, to stand up and to create, being aware that as future researchers and rural developers, we have much responsibility on our hands.
I never expected to meet in one little town, so much people with goals and dreams, who are driven, opinionated and care. I feel that many from our generation just lack care. There’s no passion.

So, Wageningen has turned out to be this special place that feels like home now. I have learned not only academics that changed the way I see and understand the world, but things about myself that have reinforced my confidence and own life. It took some time to find myself within it, but I think I have finally reached that point where I can wake up in the morning and not wish that I was somewhere else :).

So this is it Colleagues! Hope to see you soon, this year 2009! Unbelievable but true! I hope you enjoy your time left and take advantage of this great and unique opportunity we have now!

See you soon,
Linda.