Text and photo Eva van der Graaf
A little later, we’re sitting at the window of Asian Express. ‘They always put so much food on your plate that I can never finish it. But it’s really good!’ She continues chatting enthusiastically about the university and her studies. ‘I decided to come to Wageningen because I was looking for a way to combine Environmental Sciences and International Development Studies, which I can do here by taking a double Master’s.’
You have to love cooking when you’re a vegan
Even though she is talking to someone she’s never met before, Nina is as open and bubbly as can be. She loves it here in Wageningen. ‘What I miss about Germany though is the bread. Dutch bread is just not the same.’ Wageningen’s sustainable and multicultural vibes seem to attract a lot of foodie students. Nina is one of them. She loves cooking. ‘I think you kind of have to when you’re a vegan.’ Her favourite recipe is banana bread. ‘My best friend and I often make it together. She’s also vegan.’
The organic farm shop De Hoge Born on campus is popular among students. Nina also goes there, but her favourite place for shopping is the organic market on Saturday in the town centre. ‘It’s a whole social experience. We go grocery shopping with friends and then we have coffee together in a cafe.’
Although Nina is currently focusing on her courses, she is already thinking about the summer. ‘I’ll be going to Peru. This will be a great chance to practice my Spanish, which I started learning recently. I’d also like to go to South America for my thesis and internship.’ Nina definitely wants to do more travelling. ‘I think the combination of International Development Studies and Environmental Sciences opens up a lot of doors for me, but it also means I could end up in any country. So who knows where this path will take me one day?’